Revolvers and pistols: decorated, commemorative and award
"Panic-stricken,
he took it out of his vest pocket
richly decorated with gold
and a pearl pistol.
My pistol was also with me,
but I didn't dare to shoot
in such a crowded place."
David Liss "Paper Conspiracy"
he took it out of his vest pocket
richly decorated with gold
and a pearl pistol.
My pistol was also with me,
but I didn't dare to shoot
in such a crowded place."
David Liss "Paper Conspiracy"
stories about weapons. Today we continue the theme of richly decorated weapons, and we will immediately emphasize that clearly excessively decorated weapons at all times have been not only a means of demonstrating one’s status, not only a gift to interested parties on the way to promoting a particular product of military importance, but also a reward, usually associated with some feat or simply a significant event.
Although a variety of types of bladed or firearms can be awarded, in this case, again, we will be interested only in revolvers and pistols.
They are usually distinguished from all other types of decorated weapons in that, in addition to the corresponding inscription about the merits of the awardee, his last name, first name and patronymic are indicated on it, which is why the award weapon is often also called personalized. The corresponding inscription is engraved either on the weapon itself, or on a special metal plate, which can be made of gold or silver, as well as brass and other metals; it is attached either to the weapon itself, or to a sheath or holster.
In the previous article, we focused on weapons from the early XNUMXth century. Today we continue to show them and briefly introduce them history.
Folding and, in addition, also an engraved Le Novo or Novo revolver, Dubonnet's patent (folding handle), produced, in particular, by the Derkenne workshops in Mortier. It was also produced by the companies Henrion, Dassey and Heuschen, Ansion-Marx, A. Godefroy”, etc. Appeared on the market late - in 1905. Caliber 5,5 mm, later 6,35 mm Browning. In the photo - folded
With folded handle and trigger. The year on the handle is 1905
Engraving close-up and its name
The tradition of awarding weapons goes back to barbarian times, so award weapons have always been very often richly decorated. One might even say that it had a “barbarously magnificent appearance.” Thus, in the Moscow kingdom, the custom of rewarding soldiers with weapons took place already in the middle of the XNUMXth century.
And the earliest known award dates back to 1642, when Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich granted one of his close associates a reward saber with the inscription: “The Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Duke Mikhail Fedorovich of All Rus' granted this saber to the steward Bogdan Matveev Khitrovo.”
The first mention of awarding firearms dates back to 1667, when Ataman F. Minaev received from the Armory a arquebus with an apple stock inlaid with walrus ivory and mother-of-pearl. It should be noted that the “greenly decorated” weapons were specially produced by the masters of the Armory for gifts not only to their daredevils, but also to overseas envoys.
Embossed "Browning" M1900
With the creation of a regular army in Russia under Peter I, the awarding of various types of weapons began to be regulated by military regulations and subsequently only became more frequent. For example, in 1797, Paul I introduced the Annin weapon with the emblem of the Annin cross into the awards system.
Under Alexander I, the status of award weapons in the award system of the Russian Empire was enshrined in law: by decree of September 28, 1807, they were equated with orders and divided into four degrees: golden weapons without an inscription; golden weapon with the inscription “For bravery”; golden weapons with diamonds; blades decorated with diamonds and laurels.
Browning "Baby" pistol. John Moses Browning died in 1926, before he could implement a number of his plans. In particular, the relatively new “ladies' pistol”. His student Dieudonné Save designed his own pistol based on it in 1927, the first production version of which appeared for the first time in 1931. Save made the old model even smaller, removed the handle safety and enlarged the safety lever on the left. Thanks to its tiny size, the "Kid" has become a typical women's pistol. Therefore, like the 1906 model, it was also produced engraved and nickel-plated with mother-of-pearl handles. Standard types were sold with a blued finish and plastic escutcheons. Until 1966, FN produced this type with a high-quality polish, and then only with a matte finish. Colt and FN agreed that the Belgian Model 1906 would not be sold on the American market until the early 1950s. In 1979, production of "The Kid" was moved to Bayonne (France), where it ended in 1983 for financial reasons. Technical data: 6-round magazine. Caliber .25 ACP (6,35 mm), barrel length: 53,5 mm; empty weight: 275 g. Total length: 103 mm. Thickness: 21 mm
Pistol FN “Malysh” in “Renaissance” finish
Pistol FN "Malysh" in a silver-plated case with a gold-plated trigger
Engraved Browning "Baby" of American production "Wallam Patent"
During the Patriotic War of 1812, the awarding of richly decorated weapons became widespread.
In subsequent years, awards with weapons continued - for participation in the wars with Turkey and Persia (1826–1829), 349 people received golden weapons, in the Polish campaign of 1831 - 341, for the Hungarian campaign of 1849 - 121. In the Crimean War 1853–1856 gg. 456 officers received golden weapons, Anninsky weapons - 1 officers.
It is interesting that in pre-revolutionary Russia, not only Russian citizens were awarded weapons. For example, on the recommendation of Admiral F.F. Ushakov, the Turkish captain Zeller was granted a saber decorated with diamonds worth 1 rubles.
Commemorative engraved "Colt Peacemaker" commissioned by the Minneapolis Police in 1975. Caliber: .41
In 1913, when a new statute of the Order of St. George appeared, the golden weapons assigned to this order received a new official name - St. George's weapon and St. George's weapon, decorated with diamonds. A small enamel cross of the Order of St. George began to be placed on it; on the general's weapons the inscription “For bravery” was replaced by an indication of the feat for which the award was given. From that time on, the hilt of the St. George weapon officially became not gold, but only gilded.
During the First World War, the St. George weapon became a widespread type of award. From January to December 1916 alone, 2 people were awarded it, three of whom were awarded weapons decorated with diamonds.
Colt 1911A1: National Gold Cup Game. Caliber: 45 ACP Finish: nickel, gold. A total of two of these pistols were made in 1974, which had a standard blued configuration, but were later decorated with custom finishing: floral engraving covering approximately 50%, with dotted background on the frame and slide. The pistols are nickel-plated with the addition of small gold details and decorated with mother-of-pearl grips.
During the Civil War, the Red Army began to award Honorary Revolutionary Weapons. From 1919 to the beginning of 1930, 20 people were awarded it (two of them twice). They were awarded with personalized Mauser and Browning pistols, and engraved revolvers.
During the Great Patriotic War, this practice was continued, but at that time they did not engage in special decoration of weapons. There was no time for this!
Engraved Colt 38 caliber in black bluing
However, already in 1968, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR established a new category of award weapons for senior officers - Honorary weapons with a golden image of the State Emblem of the USSR. In total, 26 senior officers were awarded these weapons.
Military athletes were also awarded special weapons.
"Colt Government" 38 caliber, engraved and nickel plated. Manufactured in 1930
Legal relations related to award weapons in the Russian Federation have been regulated by the Federal Law of the Russian Federation “On Weapons” since 1993. The sale, donation and inheritance of combat short-barreled hand-held award weapons are not allowed: that is, the state gave you a pistol as a reward, and after your death it will take it away from your family!
"Browning" "High Power" produced by FN in Herstal. Caliber: 9mm Luger. Made in 1977 in Renaissance style
On December 5, 2005, a list of models of award pistols and revolvers was approved. It included: revolvers “Nagan”, RSA “Cobalt”, R-92 and OTs-11 “Nickel”; pistols TT, PM, PSM, PMM, P-96 M, GSh-18, PYA, OTs-21 “Malysh”, OTs-26 “Malysh”, OTs-27 “Berdysh”.
In August 2011, the Glock 17, Parabellum P-08, Beretta 92 FS and CZ-75 BD pistols were added to the list of award weapons. On January 20, 2015, the Glock 26 and Steyr M-A1 pistols were also included in the list of award weapons. They were again handed to the governors. For example, our Penza governor V.S. Bochkarev (now reposed in the Lord) received a K98 Mauser award.
TT pistol. Today, such pistols, not combat ones, but blank ones, or chambered for blank cartridges with jumpers in the barrel, are produced in Zlatoust for free sale. Technique: multi-stage cycle of artistic engraving on steel, brush painting, etching, gilding, blackening, nickel plating, chisel engraving, trimming, embossing, jewelry work. Photo "Zlatoust MSK"
The total number of owners of registered and award weapons in post-Soviet Russia tends to increase: if, for example, in 1999, 3 owners of award weapons were registered in Russia, then in 142 - already 2000, in 4 - 409, at the beginning of 2005 – 9, and by the beginning of October 788 – there were 2009 thousand.
In the period until 2013, according to incomplete data, at least 101 pistols were lost or lost by owners of award weapons, another 12 pistols were seized due to the suicide of their owners and 9 due to the arrest of the owners. As of the beginning of 2013, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, there were 12 owners of premium weapons in Russia, who had 527 premium weapons in their hands.
APS pistol in the same design. Photo "Zlatoust MSK"
In August 2013, a bill was submitted to the State Duma for consideration, which provided for expanding the list of award-winning edged weapons by including Cossack sabers and daggers in the list.
Well, now, in connection with the SVO, the number of people awarded, in addition to orders, also with decorated weapons, will become even greater!
"Browning" "High Power" produced by FN in Herstal. The main motif of the decoration is May 8, 1945
PS
The author and administration of the site express gratitude to Alain Dobress, as well as Rock Island Auction Company and the Zlatoust MSK company for kindly providing the photographs.
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