From the 19th century until the very Bolshevik revolution, some civil servants wore special official badges. They were worn along with a uniform or placed on civilian clothes to indicate the status. Usually, the item was placed on the chest, hanging on a massive chain. In different cities, the badges had the same shape but differed in the image of the coat of arms and the name of the position. Craftsmen could make them from different materials. The museum’s collection contains a copy made of bronze with silver plating.
The craftsman depicted the embossed coat of arms of the Olonets province on the front side: inside the escutcheon, a hand with a shield emerging from the cloud is visible. Below it, in the lower right corner, four cannonballs on the crossed chains are shown. At the top is the imperial crown. Two scepters can be seen at the top, and the coat of arms itself is entwined with St. Andrew’s ribbon: such a ribbon was attached to the highest state order in the Russian Empire — the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle.
The name of the position “КАРГОПОЛЬСКИЙ ГОРОДСКОЙ ГОЛОВА” (Kargopol mayor) is written along the outlines. On the reverse side, there is an inscription in Russian in two lines — “June 11, 1892”.
“Municipal statutes” — the Collection of Laws on local governments — had the following entry, “Mayors, members of town Councils, executive commissions, <…> when performing their duties and on solemn occasions, wear special badges according to the drawings approved by the Imperial Court. The Mayor is provided, in addition, with a parade dress uniform…”
The craftsman depicted the embossed coat of arms of the Olonets province on the front side: inside the escutcheon, a hand with a shield emerging from the cloud is visible. Below it, in the lower right corner, four cannonballs on the crossed chains are shown. At the top is the imperial crown. Two scepters can be seen at the top, and the coat of arms itself is entwined with St. Andrew’s ribbon: such a ribbon was attached to the highest state order in the Russian Empire — the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle.
The name of the position “КАРГОПОЛЬСКИЙ ГОРОДСКОЙ ГОЛОВА” (Kargopol mayor) is written along the outlines. On the reverse side, there is an inscription in Russian in two lines — “June 11, 1892”.
“Municipal statutes” — the Collection of Laws on local governments — had the following entry, “Mayors, members of town Councils, executive commissions, <…> when performing their duties and on solemn occasions, wear special badges according to the drawings approved by the Imperial Court. The Mayor is provided, in addition, with a parade dress uniform…”
