BY THE GARDNER FACTORY, 18TH VENTURY

In 1777, Catherine the Great issued an ukaze commissioning the Francis Gardner Factory to make services decorated with the ribbons, badges and stars of the more important of the Imperial Orders (Saint George, Saint Andrew and Saint Alexander Nevski) and these were completed in 1780. The cost was considered enormous, 15,931 rubles in all.

The services so pleased the Court that in 1783, Catherine II issued another ukaze for the service for the Order of Saint Vladimir, numbering 140 knights, which was completed in 1785.