Jetton of a Graduate of the 2nd Odessa Infantry Warrant Officer School, 3rd Graduation Class, by L. Pakhman, inscribed to Yunker (Cadet) M. Levitskiy, 1916.
Silver gilt, gold (superimposed lettering), enamels. Measures 34.9 mm in height not including the chains, 43.1 mm in width; weighs 19.4 g overall. A beautifully detailed and very complex badge of riveted multi-piece construction. The solid-gold characters "2 О.Ш.П" (for 2-я Одесская Школа Прапорщиков i.e. 2nd Odessa School of Warrant Officers) are a separate superimposed part. The shoulder board, also a s
Silver gilt, gold (superimposed lettering), enamels. Measures 34.9 mm in height not including the chains, 43.1 mm in width; weighs 19.4 g overall. A beautifully detailed and very complex badge of riveted multi-piece construction. The solid-gold characters "2 О.Ш.П" (for 2-я Одесская Школа Прапорщиков i.e. 2nd Odessa School of Warrant Officers) are a separate superimposed part. The shoulder board, also a superimposed part attached by rivets, is covered in green enamel with white enamel accents along the edge. The banner, wreath and Imperial crown are gold-plated. The reverse has an engraved inscription "3rd (graduation) class, Yunker M. Levitskiy, 5 April 1916". On the obverse near the bottom on the right, there is a small round "Kokoshnik" silver hallmark. To the right of it, there is the Cyrillic maker mark ЛП ("LP") of L. Pakhman jewelry workshop in Odessa. Near the bottom on the reverse is a stamped Greek letter "Kappa", the designation of the Odessa assay inspection.
The oval ring connecting the upper and lower parts of the attachment chain has a larger stamped 84 "Kokoshnik" silver purity hallmark with a clearly defined Greek letter "Kappa" under the lady's head, as well as the "LP" maker mark. A matching "Kokoshnik" hallmark, albeit poorly struck and barely recognizable, is also struck on the link connecting the right (when viewed from the obverse) eyelet of the jetton to the chain.
In very fine to excellent condition. There are two very small surface chips to the green enamel on the cadet's shoulder board, but the enamel is overall remarkably well-preserved: note that even the tiny white accents representing braided piping of the shoulder board are intact. The raised details of the artwork are literally pristine and exceptionally crisp. The original gilt finish is fully intact and clearly visible. There is a very attractive uniform toning to silver throughout. The original rivets are intact and perfectly tight.
The Second Odessa Infantry Warrant Officer School was established in July 1915 as a wartime emergency. It admitted volunteers who were current students of various Russian universities and other higher education establishments and had a four-month course of training. During its existence through July 1917, some 3500 people reportedly graduated from it. Few of them must have survived WWI, revolution, Civil War, Red Terror and the subsequent purges. Odessa saw an especially vicious cycle of violence starting from the downfall of the monarchy, less than a year after the jetton offered here was issued. The city changed hands a number of times during the subsequent years of the Civil War, often sinking deep into chaos and anarchy, whereupon former imperial army officers - at least those that did not join the Bolsheviks - and their families were being mercilessly hunted down and murdered by the "revolutionaries" of all stripes. Of course, any artifacts associated with the old regime were destroyed as well.
Please note, the penny in our photo is for size reference.
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