A uniform button of one of RIA's chef regiments

The original button is in excellent condition. Brass, steel, stamping. The diameter is 19 mm. Guarantee of authenticity.

The tradition of appointing members of the Imperial Family and foreign royal houses as regimental chiefs appeared in the Russian army back in the late 1700s under Paul the 1st. Some foreign royals were not only listed as "chiefs", but also actually commanded the corresponding regiments. Under Alexander 1, the "chef's" regiments, according to the "Additional rules on the uniform of uniforms", had a special difference on the uniform in the form of buttonholes of gold or silver embroidery. In the future, the "chef's" regiments also had the monogram of the "chiefs" on shoulder straps and epaulettes as "identification" signs. It should be clarified that in the Russian army, honorary titles were not assigned to regiments forever. They simply indicated which of the high personages patronized a certain regiment. The very fact of accepting a high special "patronage" over the regiment was a mark of distinction for this unit. Usually, but not always, upon the death of the highest "chief", the regiment lost this name (the monogram of the deceased "chiefs" was made of metal in the color of the corresponding "device" color assigned to the regiment, unlike the monograms of the living "chiefs"). The names of the highest "chiefs" could change. Until 1862, the "Chef's" regiments wore buttons on their uniforms with an image corresponding to those established for specific units. Infantry with numbers, grenadiers with grenadiers and numbers, guards with an eagle and so on.

In 1862, when the number of army regiments more than doubled, significant changes took place in the "button-down" design of uniforms. The buttons of the military department, except for the guards and generals, stopped depicting numbers and fittings. In the regiments where the "chiefs" were members of the Imperial Family (the Emperor, the Empress, and since 1869 - the Tsarevich and the Tsarevna), the imperial crown was minted on the uniform buttons. During this period, several military schools received the same buttons, which had reigning personages as "chiefs". However, in 1904, when, according to the decree of Nicholas 2, all units of the Russian army were granted the right "following the example of the Guard" to wear buttons with the image of a double-headed eagle on their uniforms, the "chef's" crowns disappeared from the buttons. Military schools that had the image of the imperial crown on their buttons:

• Mykolaiv Engineering College


• Pavlovsky Military College


• Alexander Military College