1st class St.George order of Catherine II the Great

See also https://asiamedals.info/threads/1st-class-saint-vladimir-order-of-catherine-ii-the-great.26708/ ; https://asiamedals.info/threads/ord...-breast-star-of-catherine-ii-the-great.25660/ ; https://asiamedals.info/threads/order-of-st-catherine-breast-stars-of-catherine-the-great.23472/

Legendary cross that belong to the founder of the order.
Gold, enamel.

Original record regarding the laying of the insignias of the Order of St. George I class on herself by Empress Catherine II.
This happened on November 26, 1769 - the day when order was created.

More about the first cavalier of the order https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_the_Great

 

On display.

Not that close to the original image of grand cross from the first statute of the order https://asiamedals.info/threads/first-statute-of-the-order-of-saint-george-1769.22839/

 

An interesting feature of this cross is feminine appearance of St.George.

Unusual but not unique case in St.George iconography.
Not always St.George looks all manly like in this icon.

Several examples of different depiction of Saint.

The same "feminine appearance" could be encountered with some other Saints.
St. Michael the Archangel prayer.

 

Two gold breast star of the order traditionally attributed to Catherine II the Great.

1st breast star.

Gold, enamel.
Diameter 82 mm.
Size 61 х 58 mm.
Weight 55.37 g.

Central medallion.

Same star under different light.

 

Interesting story regarding such metal breast star could be found in papers of Catherine II.

Her letter to Count Nikolai Petrovich Rumyantsev https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyotr_Rumyantsev regarding his victory over Turks in the battle of Larga and his awading with the 1st class St.George order.

We are particularly interested in postscriptum.

"P.S. Как я вспомнила, что в Молдавии золотошвей статья может мало, то посылаю к вам кованную Георгиевскую звезду, какую я сама ношу."

"P.S. As I remembered that there may not be gold embroiderers in Moldavia, I am sending you a forged St. George's star, which I myself wear."

Until 1854 all officially issued breast stars of St.George order were embroidered.

Source.

Сборник Императорского Русского исторического общества. Том 10 [Бумаги императрицы Екатерины II, хранящиеся в Государственном архиве Министерства иностранных дел. Ч. 2]. - С.Петербург : [Типография Императорской Академии наук], 1872.

Collection of the Imperial Russian Historical Society. Volume 10: [Papers of Empress Catherine II, kept in the State Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Part 2]. - St. Petersburg: [Printing house of the Imperial Academy of Sciences], 1872.

 

2nd gold breast star of Catherine II the Great.

Central medallion.

 

Embroidered breast star of Catherine II the Great from the collection of Hermitage.
Sequins, rigmarole, metallic and silk threads, silk.
Diameter 82 mm.