Lot Details
Lot 127
Russian Jeweled Gold, Silver and Enamel Zheton of the Life-Guards Second Tsarskoye-Selo Rifle Regiment of Grand Duke Dmitrii Pavlovich
St. Petersburg, circa 1915
Centering the initial of Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich beneath the Russian Imperial crown, on a red enamel ground, within an octagonal border inscribed in Russian: Second Imperial Rifle Battalion March 27, 1856 on a black enamel ground, above a ribbon inscribed in Russian: For Arab-Konak on November 21, 1877, all on the star of St. Andrew, the reverse centering the date 1914 on a red enamel ground, within the Russian inscription: [To] Maj. Gen. V.G. Vasmundt, enclosing hinged pages inscribed with the names of officers of the battalion, in a red leather case applied with a silver plaque inscribed in Russian: His Imperial Highness / Grand Duke Dmitrii Pavlovich / August Chief and Protector of the Union. Height 1 7/16 inches (3.65cm.), width 1 5/16 inches (3.33 cm.).
Vladimir Georgievich Vasmundt (1872-1941) came from a noble family, the son of Lieutenant General George Robertovich Vasmundt (1838-1904), the Chief of Staff of the Guards and the St. Petersburg Military District. Vladimir was a graduate of the prestigious Corps des Pages and enjoyed a long and highly decorated military career, serving as commander of the Life-Guards Second Tsarskoye-Selo Rifle Regiment from September to December 1914. Subsequently, he served as 1st Chief Quartermaster of The Main Directorate of the General Staff (GUGSH), the highest organ of the operational-strategic command of the Armed Forces of the Russian Empire.
The inscription and date on the reverse of this zheton indicates that it was presented to Vladimir Georgievich Vasmundt for his service. Even though it is not marked with an assay date, the zheton can be dated based on both the 1914 inscription on the reverse and the signatures engraved inside. The first signature is that of Colonel Eduard Alexandrovich Vertsinskii, Commander of the regiment from January 1915 to June 1916. Further evidence is the signature of Lieutenant Pavel Leonidovich Lesh, who was killed in action in January 1915 and laid to rest in the Tsarskoye Selo Fraternal Cemetery in March 1915. Lesh's engraved signature is marked with a cross, indicating he was deceased. Therefore, a date of 1915 is probable. Among the other names engraved on the pages are Colonel A.A. Stessel, Colonel D.K. Söderholm, Colonel N.V. Nagaev and Captain S.V. Matseevsky.
The Life-Guards Second Tsarskoye-Selo Rifle Regiment was formed in 1856 as the Second Infantry Battalion. It took part in the Polish uprising of 1863 and the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. In 1877, the battalion distinguished itself in the Battle of Arab Konak, which is memorialized in an inscription on the zheton. In 1910, the battalion was reorganized into a regiment. During World War I, the regiment suffered heavy losses in early battles and later distinguished itself in the Brusilov Offensive in 1916.
Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich (1891-1942) was the son of Grand Duke Pavel Alexandrovich (1860-1919) and Grand Duchess Alexandra Georgievna (1870-1891), née Princess of Greece, and the grandson of Emperor Alexander II (1818-1881). Dmitri was raised in the family of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich (1857-1905), graduated from the Officer Cavalry School and served in the His Majesty's Life Guards Horse Regiment. From 1905 to 1917, Grand Duke Dmitri was the honorary head of the Life-Guards Second Tsarskoye-Selo Rifle Regiment. His monogram is depicted on the regiment's zheton, which performed the function of a regimental badge.
C Property from a Prominent Virginia Collection
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