Cockade (sign) of a city school student, type " letters over leaves»

Original and quite rare cockade in very good collector's condition. Brass, stamping. The size is 19*42 mm. Guarantee of authenticity.

Since October 15, 1881, the cap of the Guards infantry model of the Russian Imperial Army (RIA) has become the headdress of all students of gymnasiums, progymnasiums and real schools, replacing the previously existing cap, but retaining the existing color systems. High school students ' caps were light blue (or blue) with a black visor, white edging (edging) on the crown and top and bottom of the band and a silver tin emblem. The emblem was attached to a blue band in the color of the crown and consisted of two silver-plated stamped tin branches (in the orders — laurel, of three sheets each, but in many studies and memoirs these branches are described as "palm"), between which the same initials of the city and the number of the gymnasium were placed. In the summer, a cover made of kolomyanka or canvas cloth was put on the crown of the cap (as in the case of RIA officers). In winter, in the cold, they wore headphones made of black felt on a brown bike inside or a cotton wool lining. Special winter hats were not provided as before. In frosts, over the cap, they wore a natural camel's hair-colored hood, trimmed with gray braid.

The numbers and letters on the buckles and caps of the young urchins were no secret to anyone. Any policeman, janitor and just a citizen with increased social responsibility could easily determine from which nest of science violators of public peace and encroachers on the sacred right of property broke out, in order to convey the news about it to teachers or educators. Methods of personal protection young growth invented very quickly, and then passed on this secret knowledge from generation to generation. The neophyte usually performed the rite of initiation into the gymnasium fraternity himself, breaking out the letters from the emblem on his cap with his own hands. The most sophisticated adventurers and rogues had a set of broken and undamaged "fittings", which were changed depending on the operational situation and the danger of the tasks being solved.