Silver with gold plating (on the hammer and wrench); measures 31.2 mm in height x 25.0 mm in width; weighs 8.9 g without the wing nut, 10.1 g overall. Very complex and well-made badge despite its small size: just like on some of the better quality full-size graduation badges, the wreath is formed of many individual leaves, each of them soldered to the horseshoe-shaped base. The double-headed eagle is also a separates superimposed part, and so are the hammer and wrench as well as the sections of the scrolls forming the bow at the bottom.

On the reverse of the wreath near th

Silver with gold plating (on the hammer and wrench); measures 31.2 mm in height x 25.0 mm in width; weighs 8.9 g without the wing nut, 10.1 g overall. Very complex and well-made badge despite its small size: just like on some of the better quality full-size graduation badges, the wreath is formed of many individual leaves, each of them soldered to the horseshoe-shaped base. The double-headed eagle is also a separates superimposed part, and so are the hammer and wrench as well as the sections of the scrolls forming the bow at the bottom.

On the reverse of the wreath near the bottom left is a silver hallmark "84" with "Kokoshnik" facing left and the initials "ИЛ" ("IL") of the Moscow assay inspector Ivan Lebyodkin (appointed to this position in 1899). The hallmark indicates that the badge was made at some point from late 1899 - 1908. The opposite side of the wreath has poorly struck but legible Cyrillic maker mark ДK ("DK") of an unknown Moscow master. The badge comes with original wing nut in silver which bears the same "DK" maker mark.

The badge is in excellent condition. All of its pars are intact and show practically no wear. The details are nicely defined and crisp. A good amount of the original gilt finish on the hammer and wrench is still present and clearly visible. The connection of the hammer & wrench emblem to the wreath is slightly loose, but the badge is still sound and the wires holding its parts are intact. The screw post is full length, approx. 16 mm, and includes silver original wing nut showing a Kokoshnik assay mark. To summarize, this is a well-preserved and extremely attractive piece, far better made than most miniature graduation badges of the period.

This badge was originally authorized for graduates of the St. Petersburg Practical Technical Institute in 1896. Two years later, it was extended to the Kharkov Technological Institute and, in 1903, to the Technological Institute in Tomsk. It is differentiated from other Imperial graduation badges that have a similar eagle and wreath design by the crossed hammer and a wrench placed immediately behind and slightly below the eagle.

[We would like to point out that Robert Werlich illustrated this badge pattern as "Fig. 704." in his 1983 book, Badges of Imperial Russia. He identified it as that of the "Technical Institute of Peter the Great (also referred to as Gorny Institute)". The research of Patrikeev and Bojnovich was actually done in archives in Russia and is much more recent, so we believe that their identification of this specific badge is more accurate.]

/Patrikeev, Bojonovich /Badges of Russia ,Vol. 1 , p. 102 fig. 2.4/

Please note, penny in our photo is for size reference.
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