Rare the sash of a Russian policeman

In April, 1881, the police of St. Petersburg, and later Moscow and other cities of the Russian Empire got completely new uniforms, which historians are not quite accurately referred to by the phrase "à La Russe". The uniforms of the police officers looks like Russian coats, or undergarments without buttons, zastarevshie hooks, headgear was a low fur cap, and wide trousers were tucked into boots or with boot-tops "bottles" or with many "fees" at the ankles. In the words of a contemporary, policemen and the police officer in this uniform "reminded the village headmen in coats with a badge". Since 1882 and up until the February revolution of indispensable accessories of dress uniform ranks of the police was a cloth sash of cloth of one color with a uniform (policemen have black and dark green at higher ranks), which was only a red-orange edgings. By design, it was identical to the officer in the scarf of the sample of 1855 and front buttoned to a pair of copper buckles (one with hook, one with a loop), covering the valve, made of the same fabric with the same beading. More than anyone except the police, Kushakov such colours are not entitled.

This item is a kind of policeman of the sash, however, more expensive, not made of cloth, and wove throughout of black threads woven with the same red-orange trim at the edges. Initially, the material of the sash was fuzzy, there are still remnants of the pile of black and red-orange; red-orange stripes on the sides almost lost his color. The introduction of such sash as the authorized sample of any data we have not found. Apparently, it is made to order, any wealthy policeman policeman or warden. You can consider wearing such a sash kind of impersonation of police officers are former military. In the latest sign that they were officers, not civil rank were allowed to wear the police uniform military attributes – broad shoulder straps, officer's scarf, and when off duty – epaulettes. The artisans who are ready to make to order a scarf in order to win favor and support for the police, were not lacking, and the offerings in kind, the authorities turned a blind eye. The reason for this was very simple – a small amount of the stipend police officers, which began to increase only to the 1910's. One of his contemporaries wrote: "Inexperienced people amazed, the offices of the police receive the content is not so good, and live well, always dressed to the nines. The bailiff is already the demigods; they at least field Marshal and aplomb, beauty gestures!.. Gogol's birthday on the day of his angel and Onuphrius still in full force... Tailors, bookbinders, shoemakers – all workshops run for nothing the police: this is the national law – it does not go!". Nevertheless, it should be noted that its primary function is to catch the thieves, then the police did no worse than the current.

After February 1917, the police were completely destroyed and many police officers killed by their own wards yesterday, in one day became revolutionaries, a former policeman and police officers had to lead a humble lifestyle. The Soviet government announced to them, in fact, a real hunt. Since 1917, belonging to the police was carefully concealed, and such evidence as the details of shapes, insignia and awards – went into hiding or were destroyed. It is for this reason antique items related to the police that occur in our day – either medals or official signs or accessories with headwear. COP just belt, but still made for a private order, is a real rarity. Recommended!