Imperial russian railway badge?

HI

please identify for me this badge
is there any chance to be original?

regards

Hi Fozzer,

According to the books you are right it is a Graduation Badge of the Railway Engineers. However the image I have in front of me has no stalks under the ribbon and there seems to be very little wear on the badge. As an interested amateur I can only say that I would be suspicious that it is a copy. Hopefully some of the more knowledgeable members can enlighten us both

Regards.

IainM 

Look at a genuine badge, feel the difference.

Hi Mike,

The modern badges as you say look too flimsy and light weight. I notice that there are dozens of them appearing on a well known auction site, the asking price tells all. They are very well done, but almost too good. What are the signs that you would look out for when looking at a badge ?

Regards.

IainM

I'm not a real expert, but a few things are commonly known:
- Actually all such badges were made of 84 grade silver by reputable jewellers in St. Petersburg and bear appropriate jeweller's marks.
- A graduation badge was constantly worn by its owner and often moved from one uniform to another, so plenty traces of wear must be visible.
- When not in use, or after the graduate's death, the badges were usually kept in luxury silk-lined jewellery boxes with the jeweller's name etc. Such a box might be a good proof of provenance.

Hi Mike,

Could you clarify another issue, am I right in assuming that only officers received the badges with the garlands?

Regards.

IainM

Which badges do you mean?

Graduation badges , I see that there are other badges for the various schools and courses but the ones with the oak and laurel leaf wreaths I had assumed were only for officers.

Regards.

IainM

Why, the graduates of the Institute of Railway [Communications] Engineers were not officers, and their badge features the wreath.

Perhaps because most of the pictures I have seen show officers wearing that type of badge, but thank you, your last answer makes it clear that it is not always the case.

Regards.

IainM

[According to Werlich-Andolenko, "Badges of Imperial Russia", this is not the right badge for railway civilian engineers. With no marks or stamps on reverse, it looks like a modern reproduction.]

According to Werlich-Andolenko, "Badges of Imperial Russia", this is not the right badge for railway civilian engineers.
With no marks or stamps on reverse, it looks like a modern reproduction.

Regards, imperialrussia.com

Thank you very much.