Shoulder straps of the colonel of the RIA Border Guard

The Border Guard in The Russian Empire, as well as its predecessor, the customs guard, were under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance throughout its existence. In 1893, a separate corps of Border Guards was created, the post of chief of which was held by the Minister of Finance. It was from the Ministry of Finance that the border guards inherited the applied green color of their uniforms, which still exists today.

This is the exact color used on the pre-pressed shoulder straps: dark green underside and lighter gaps. This difference is easily explained by the fact that in practice in pre-revolutionary Russia, shades of green could vary very much; in addition, it is necessary to remember about the fading of dyes over time. Until 1909, the ranks of the border guard were not supposed to have any ciphers. After the introduction of encryption in 1909 in the form of a brigade number, shoulder straps without ciphers continued to be worn by officers who served at the corps headquarters or were listed in its composition, but did not hold combat positions, therefore it is very difficult to accurately determine the dating of shoulder straps. We can only talk about the excellent unworn condition of the product.