RUSSIAN EMPIRE (UNTIL 1917) / Российская империя (до 1917) - Imperial Order of the Saint Equal to the Apostles Prince VladimirElder (post-1918) full sash ribbon for the order's badge.
G.V.F.
Имперaторский орден Святого Равноапостольного Князя ВладимираСтарая (после 1918 г) целая лента для ношения.
Состояние лучше чем очень хорошее
The four-grade Order of the Saint Equal to the Apostles Prince Vladimir was instituted on September 22, 1782, of Empress Catherine II "The Great" (1729–1796) in occasion of her 20-year jubilee of her accession to the throne, as a reward for special merits after 55 years of service of civil servants. With Ucas of November 1789 a 4th-grade cross with a bow on the ribbon for war merit was introduced.
Not conferred during the reign of Emperor Paul I Petrovich (1754–1801), the order was renewed by his son and successor Alexander I Pavlovich (1777–1825) on December 12, 1801. On July 15, 1855, metal breast stars became official. On August 5, 1855, Emperor Alexander II Nicholajevich (1818–1881) approved revised statutes introducing crossed swords for all grades conferred for valour. Until 1870 all grades could also be conferred with swords above the cross (so-called "swords on the ring") to persons who already earlier had received a lower grade with crossed swords. The order was never conferred in diamonds. Since 1855 its 4th grade could also be conferred for 25 years resp. 35 years of military services or after 18 resp. 20 naval missions. To all holders hereditary nobility status was conferred, to holders of the 4th grade since 1900 only personal nobility status.
After the fall of monarchy in Russia the order ceased to exist. Today the order is awarded by "Grand Duchess" Maria Vladimirovna Romanov, "pretender" to the Russian Throne, as a dynastic order of knighthood, which is heavily disputed by some historians and members of Romanov family.
In principle, the insignia of the 1st and 2nd grade are identical, but worn in a different manner (1st grade with sash ribbon and 2nd grade with neck ribbon). The size of the crosses of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade are alternating between 47 and 59 mm, and only the largest ones can for sure be identified as 1st-grade crosses.