"The decoration with the chain and the star of St. Andrej Pervosvannyj Order".

In March, 20, 1699 the secretary of the Austrian embassy in Russia Ioann Georg Corb wrote down in his dictionary: "His Tzar's Majesty instituted the holder's order of the Saint Andrej Apostol".

This is the earliest mention of the first Russian order. It's draft, regulations and status were drawn up by the first Russian Emperor Peter I. personally (1672-1725).

The motto "For the faith and faithfulness" was accepted in March, 10, 1699. The order had "the decoration" as the main element.

That is a cross of a special shape of letter "X" covered with the dark- blue enamel and with the figure of the Saint himself (Andreevsky cross).

According to the legend, St. Andrej was crucified on this cross. People wore this cross on the wide blue ribbon across the right shoulder and in great days they wore it on the gold one covered with multi - coloured enamels.

The order contained the eight -pointed star with the round central medallion in which there was a picture of Andreevsy cross. Under Pavel it was changed for the double- headed Eagle.

There was also an inscription "For the faith and faithfulness", that marked off great services which this reward was given for. According to the regulations, the holders of the order should have count or prince's title, senator, minister or ambassador's status, general or admiral's rank. The order could be given to the distinguished governors.

 Besides, there was necessary that the holder of the order didn't have any of the defects of the body, wasn't younger than 25 years and really deserved the order.

Not more than 12 holders could be the holders simultaneously. Only in 1719 there were 12 holders (the foreigners serving in the Russian army were out of this list), in the next years there were not so many of them. The general number of the holders couldn't be more than 24.

The first holder of the order was Fjodor Golovin and the second one - Ivan Masepa. Peter I. himself was the seventh who got the order in 1703 in reward of the capture of two Swedish fighting ships in Neva's mouth.

This is the accurate copy of the order and the decorations on the scale 1 : 1.

A manual painting on the metal alloys, colored enamels and blacking are used.

Composition:

Medal with the image of Peter I. (bronze)

Star of the order

 Crown

Chain with Andreevsky

Cross

Pedestal - velvet

Table (size 500x35Î)