A Magnificent Collar of the Order of St. Andrew, Emanuel Pannasch, St. Petersburg, 1835

in gold and enamels; comprising twenty-three medallions individually marked and dated on their reverses and all joined by marked gold links, the medallions representing alternately: (a) crowned black Romanov eagles (9), each with applied gold St. George and Dragon on the central red enamelled shield; (b) red circular medallions with blue St. Andrew Cross and abbreviated title S A P R in angles (7), each additionally marked beneath enamel; and (c) trophies of arms flanked by white and green standards (7), each with applied gold cypher of Peter the Great on central blue ground; two St. George centres apparently replaced and another now loose, the original pair of plain "figure-of-eight" badge-carrying links replaced with a single opening link, and one St. Andrew medallion placed in an inverted position; generally with moderate overall wear and marks to enamelwork but in extremely fine condition, of excellent quality and great rarity, in fitted gilt red leather case bearing the Imperial Eagle on the lid

Please note that the condition of this lot is included within the detailed description.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
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The Order of St. Andrew, named in honour of the first-called Apostle, was founded by Peter the Great in following his travels to Western Europe during 1697-98.  The highest-ranking and most prestigious Imperial Order, it is thought to have been inspired in part by Scotland's Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, which also has St. Andrew as its Patron Saint.

 

Peter chose the motto For Faith and Loyalty for the Order which was to remain highly exclusive throughout its existence, being awarded at the sole discretion of the reigning Emperor or Empress.  On presenting the very first set of insignia to Fedor Alekseevich Golovin in 1699 Peter remarked that he himself would not become a member of the Order until such time as he felt he deserved it – a moment which was to come in May 1703 when he stormed two Swedish battleships at the mouth of the river Neva.

 

The Order of St. Andrew was awarded in one class only, and is unique amongst Imperial Orders in that the regalia include a collar from which the badge was to be worn on ceremonial occasions.  The design of the insignia underwent many changes over time and prior to 1850 the collar comprised, as here, twenty-three linked medallions from which the badge was suspended; the number was reduced to seventeen in 1850.  Until 1857, official items of insignia were returnable on the death of the recipient.

 

Russian Knights of St. Andrew paid a redemption fee on their appointment, with much of the revenue so raised being used to support charities in Moscow and St. Petersburg.   In addition they were expected to assist and represent their Sovereign in educational and charitable work throughout the Empire, and to attend the annual Feast of the Order held on 30 November, St. Andrew's name day, at the Cathedral of St. Andrew on Vasilievski Island, St. Petersburg.  In return admission to the Order brought with it numerous honours and privileges, including (from 1797 onwards) membership of lesser Orders where this had not already been granted, and financial support for any Knights who fell on hard times. 

 

The workmanship of Emanuel Pannasch, the maker of the present collar, is consistently of outstanding quality.  Born in Saxony in 1773 he arrived in St. Petersburg in 1796.  He became a master-enameller in 1809 and was appointed as the sole official supplier of Russian Orders in 1821.  He developed definitive forms of most of the then-existing insignia, and the characteristic brilliance of his enamelwork, particularly in red, has never been surpassed.  His St. Andrew collars, several of which are known to have survived, are amongst his finest productions.  He died in 1836.