Item number: M333

Year: AD 1905-1912

Material: Gold and Enamel

Size: 32.9 x 19.3 x 2.1 mm

Weight: 7.3 g

Manufactured by: St. Petersburg, Keibel

Provenance: Morton & Eden 2024

This is a miniature version of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, commissioned around the 1870s from the renowned St. Petersburg jeweller family, Keibel.

This miniature version closely reproduces all the details of the order. At the centre of the obverse side, it features an image of Saint Andrew, patron saint of the Russian Empire, affixed to a blue X-shaped cross bordered in gold. Surrounding Saint Andrew’s cross is the gilded Latin abbreviation “SAPR,” signifying Sanctus Andreas Patronus Russiae (Saint Andrew, Patron of Russia). Saint Andrew, one of Jesus’ twelve apostles, preached along the coasts of the Black Sea and Asia Minor and was later martyred by crucifixion on an X-shaped cross, which subsequently became known as the Saint Andrew’s Cross. This cross is set against a backdrop of a double-headed black eagle, symbolising the Russian Empire, and is connected to a large crown at the top.

The reverse side of the order lacks the Saint Andrew’s Cross and features only the double-headed black eagle. Across the eagle’s connected neck is the Russian motto “ЗА ВЬРУ И ВЬРНОСТЬ” (For Faith and Loyalty). At the top, a round connecting loop to the crown bears the hallmark “IK,” identifying the craftsman Julius Eduard Keibel. The Keibel family emigrated from Prussia to the Russian Empire’s capital, St. Petersburg, in AD 1797. In AD 1849, Julius, the third-generation member of the family, took over the business and managed it until his death in AD 1905.

The Order of Saint Andrew was established by Peter the Great, who, while studying in Western Europe, recognised that orders and decorations served not only as symbols of honour but also as a practical means for the state to save resources on grants of land and monetary rewards. In AD 1699, Peter the Great issued a decree establishing the Order of Saint Andrew, named after the patron saint of the Empire, Saint Andrew. Peter himself participated in its design, making it the first and highest-ranking order of the Russian Empire.

The recipients of the Order included foreign nationals, but only individuals of at least general rank or equivalent noble titles were eligible for the award within the domestic context. Even members of the royal family had to reach a legal age to be eligible for the decoration. On March 10, AD 1699, the first medal was awarded to Count Fyodor Alekseyevich Golovin, a close associate of Peter the Great. According to the restrictions set by Peter, no more than twelve domestic recipients could be honoured each year. By the time the Romanov dynasty was overthrown in AD 1917, over 900 medals had been awarded. After the establishment of the Soviet Union, the Order of Saint Andrew was temporarily abolished. It was not until AD 1998 that then-President Boris Yeltsin signed a decree reinstating the Order of Saint Andrew as the highest honour of the Russian Federation.

物件編號: M333

年代: 公元 1905-1912 年

材質: 黃金, 琺瑯

尺寸: 32.9 x 19.3 x 2.1 mm

重量: 7.3 g

製造地: 聖彼得堡，凱貝爾

來源: 莫頓與伊登 2024

這是一枚公元1870年代左右，委由聖彼得堡知名珠寶世家凱貝爾製造的迷你版「第一受召使徒聖安德烈勳章」。

這枚迷你版大致重現勳章的所有細節，正面中央是釘在鑲金邊藍色X形十字架上，俄羅斯帝國主保聖人聖安德烈的圖像。聖安德烈十字周圍有燙金「SAPR」為「俄羅斯的主保聖人聖安德烈」拉丁文縮寫。聖安德烈為耶穌十二門徒之一，傳教地點在黑海和小亞細亞沿岸，後續遭羅馬人釘在X形十字架殉教，自此該十字架被稱作「聖安德烈十字」。十字架以象徵俄羅斯帝國的黑羽雙頭鷹作為背景，並且在頂端跟一頂大皇冠相連。

勳章背面沒有聖安德烈十字僅有黑羽雙頭鷹，在雙頭鷹相連的頸部以俄文寫有訓言「ЗА ВЬРУ И ВЬРНОСТЬ」(為了信仰和忠誠)。最頂端跟皇冠銜接的圓環打印著工匠尤利烏斯·愛德華·凱貝爾的戳記「IK」。凱貝爾家族於公元1797年從普魯士移民至俄羅斯帝國的首都聖彼得堡。公元1849年，尤利烏斯作為第三代接手事業，直到公元1905年去世為止。

聖安德烈勳章為帶領俄羅斯走向西化的彼得大帝，在西歐進行考察時發現勳章不僅是作為榮耀，實質上還替國家省下冊封的土地和賞金。因此在公元1699年，彼得大帝頒佈以帝國的主保聖人安德烈為名，他親自參與設計的聖安德烈勳章作為俄羅斯帝國的第一款和最高級別的勳章。

頒發對象包含外國人，本國籍則至少有將軍級別或伯爵等高等頭銜的人方有資格獲獎。即便是王室家族的成員也要到法定年齡才能獲得勳章。公元1699年3月10日，第一枚勳章由彼得大帝的親信費奧多爾·阿列克謝耶維奇·戈洛溫伯爵獲得，按照彼得大帝設下的限制，每年的本國籍獲獎者不得超過12名。公元1917年，羅曼諾夫王朝遭到推翻為止，聖安德烈勳章總計頒發900多枚。蘇聯建立以後，聖安德烈勳章一度遭到廢止。直到公元1998年，時任俄羅斯聯邦總統葉爾欽方才簽署法令恢復聖安德烈勳章作為國家的最高榮耀。