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706 - EXCEPTIONAL SILVER TRUMPET OF SAINT GEORGE PRESENTED TO THE …
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Estimate €20,000 - €30,000
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Description
EXCEPTIONAL SILVER TRUMPET OF SAINT GEORGE PRESENTED TO THE 2nd SQUADRON OF THE 1st NERTCHINSK COSSACK REGIMENT IN 1900 Silver trumpet, 84 zolotniks (875 thousandths), the bell adorned with a St George’s Cross (in metal) surrounded by an inscription engraved in Cyrillic: “ЗA ЭЮРЬ, ХИНГАНЬ И ЦИЦИКАРЬ ВЬ 1900 ГОДУ / 2nd SOTNIA OF THE 1st NERTCHINSK REGIMENT OF THE TRANSBAIKAL COSSACK ARMY.” (“For Eïour, the Khingan & Tsitsikar in the year 1900” / “To the 2nd Squadron of the 1st Nerchinsk Regiment of the Transbaikal Cossack Army. ’), with its ribbon in the colours of the Order, ending in two imposing tassels of silver-thread trimmings, accented with orange and black threads. Very good condition, slight knocks. St Petersburg, 1899–1903 (circa 1900). No visible silversmith’s mark. L. 34.5 cm. Gross weight: 714.0 g. History In Russia, the presentation of ‘ordinary’ silver trumpets of distinction likely took place during the Austro-Russian-Turkish War of 1735–1739 and, in 1796, the Government ordered that silver trumpets (and kettledrums) received should be regarded as insignia of distinction and form part of the regimental regalia. In 1805, a higher distinction was created, awarded for exceptional acts of bravery: the silver Trumpet of St George (Труба серебряная Георгиевская), which differs from the standard silver version in that it features the insignia of the Order of St George (in silver-plated metal), which was affixed to the bell of the trumpet along with an inscription stating why, when and to which military unit this distinction was awarded. It was also accompanied by a narrow orange and black St George’s ribbon with tassels. From 1816 onwards, distinctions were made between the shapes of trumpets for the cavalry and the infantry: the former were long (35 to 50 cm) and narrow, whilst the latter were shorter (20 to 30 cm) and curved. The silver trumpets of St George thus held a prominent place amongst the collective honours of the Imperial Russian Army until 1917. Awarded to a unit for acts of valour, they were not individual honours but were intended to honour the regiment’s legacy. The instrument, by its very nature linked to the transmission of signals and military ceremony, thus became the physical embodiment of a collective honour, intended to perpetuate the memory of a remarkable feat. Our trumpet is directly linked to the 1900 Chinese campaign, conducted in Manchuria against the backdrop of the Boxer Rebellion. Its inscription, ‘For Eïour, the Khingan and Tsitsikar in 1900’, corresponds to the dedication made by Nicholas II to the 1st and 2nd ‘sotnias’ (squadrons) of the 1st Nerchinsk Regiment of the Transbaikal Cossack Army. It commemorates the operations carried out by this unit on the eastern frontiers of the Russian Empire, notably around Eïour, in the Khingan region, and subsequently at Tsitsikar (now Qiqihar). Alexander Makovkin’s account, published in St Petersburg in 1907 as part of his history of the 1st Nerchinsk Regiment, sheds light on the symbolic significance of this honour. During a skirmish, whilst the position of the detachment commander and the regimental standard was under threat, the regiment’s musicians, who were responsible for the trumpets, are said to have momentarily laid down their instruments to take part in the defence, shashkas drawn. Recorded in the regiment’s history, this episode highlights the value placed on the unit as a whole and helps to explain the choice of such a prestigious award as the silver trumpets of St George. It was not until 19 February (4 March) 1903 that Emperor Nicholas II awarded four silver trumpets of St George to the regiment’s two squadrons, two per squadron. With its design, inscription and preserved ribbon in the colours of the order, this trumpet stands as a rare testament to Russian imperial military culture. Serving as an instrument, an insignia and a memento, its bell bears the echo of a Far Eastern campaign and pays tribute to a Cossack sotnia distinguished for its conduct in 1900. Related works Several comparable silver trumpets of St George are held at the State Historical Museum in Moscow: that of the 11th Phanagoria Grenadier Regiment, awarded for Plevna in 1877; that of the 122nd Tambov Infantry Regiment, for the battle of Gorny Bugarov in the same year; and that of the 97th Livonian Infantry Regiment, for Yuhuantun in 1905.
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About the sale Russian Art – Mr G’s Collection – Part 3
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Auction time 09/18/2026 at 11:00 AM
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