Badge of the Order of St. Anna of the 2nd degree

The original order is in excellent collector's condition. Gold, guilloche, enamel. The sign is an equi-pointed cross with crossed medieval swords on the background of plates with openwork ornamentation and an ear with an intermediate ring. In the center of the obverse, in a rounded medallion, there is an image of St. Anna with a halo around her head, in the background in the form of two palm trees and two mountains (stylization of the Josaphat Valley).On the ear of the cross, a production stamp is visible, consisting of a female head in a cocoanut and the numbers 56 (56 gold sample). On the reverse, in the center, in a rounded enamel medallion, there is an image of a monogram consisting of four Latin letters "AFIP" ("ANNA FILIA IMPERATORIS PETRUS" — "ANNA DAUGHTER OF EMPEROR PETER"). In the upper blade of the cross, the image of a double– headed eagle is the coat of arms of the Russian Empire (the sign of the supplier of the Cabinet of His Imperial Majesty and Chapter of the Imperial and Royal Orders).

The Imperial Order of St. Anna is an order established in 1735 as a dynastic award of the Duchy of Holstein—Gottorp and on April 5, 1797, introduced by decree of Emperor Paul I into the award system of the Russian Empire for the distinction of clergy, military, civil and court officials, as well as foreigners. The decree contained a provision that the Order of St. Anna "was awarded to the All-Russian Empire" when Peter Fedorovich (Pavel Petrovich's father) "was assured of His rights to the All-Russian Imperial Throne," that is, from November 7, 1742. The statute of the order was approved in 1829. He had 4 degrees; the lowest, 4th degree was intended to be awarded only for military merit (the most junior officer's order). By seniority, the order stood one step below the Order of St. Vladimir and was the youngest in the hierarchy of orders of the Russian Empire until 1831. Since 1831, the Order of St. Stanislaus was introduced into the hierarchy of imperial and royal orders, which became a step below the Order of St. Anna in seniority. Since the establishment of the Order of St. Anna, hundreds of thousands of people have been awarded it.