Brass, silver plating, "cold" enamel; measures 57.5 mm in overall height, 36.8 mm in width; the height of the oval portion is approx. 45.5 mm. Three-piece construction: the silver shield with crossed rifles and the star are separate superimposed parts. The Red Army star insignia is of the early type, with the hammer and plow emblem rather than the later, far more familiar hammer & sickle. This version of the badge features the shield with the old-fashioned spelling "Karelskago" ("Карельского") as opposed to the more

Brass, silver plating, "cold" enamel; measures 57.5 mm in overall height, 36.8 mm in width; the height of the oval portion is approx. 45.5 mm. Three-piece construction: the silver shield with crossed rifles and the star are separate superimposed parts. The Red Army star insignia is of the early type, with the hammer and plow emblem rather than the later, far more familiar hammer & sickle. This version of the badge features the shield with the old-fashioned spelling "Karelskago" ("Карельского") as opposed to the more modern "Karelskogo" that appears on the other known type.

Excellent condition. The raised details of the inscription and wreath are perfect and crisp. The original silver finish on the shield and rifles is extremely well preserved, showing only a negligible amount of wear. The parts of the badge fit tightly. The screw post and unmarked screw plate appear to be old, possibly of the period (Although it is commonly referred to as a badge, this award originally had the status of a jetton. Hence it was apparently produced and issued without an attachment; a pin or, less often, a screw post were later custom added by the recipients at their own discretion.)

Condition of this piece is extraordinary for an award of its vintage: most other surviving original examples are either thoroughly corroded dug-up relics or have been completely restored.

The Karelian campaign took place during the period of October 1921 - February 1922. In one of the final episodes of the Civil War, an anti- communist peasant rebellion flared up across Karelia and in the Murmansk region, apparently aiming to secede from Soviet Russia. The Bolshevik government claimed an intervention by the neighboring "White Finns" and mobilized a punitive expedition numbering reportedly 8500 men under Kamenev, Gittis and others. In December 1921, the Red Army struck from three rallying points and by 17 February, crushed the "White" resistance and reached the national border of Finland. The Soviet participants of the battle were awarded with the jetton "Honest Warrior of the Karelian Front". Interestingly, there was no certificate provided with it although the award - essentially the first Soviet campaign medal - would be mentioned in the recipient's military ID and service record.

/ Avers 8, p. 437, fig. 2072; Borisov, Badges of the Soviet Armed Forces , fig. 130; V. Durov, Russian and Soviet Military Awards, p. 72, fig. 1/
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