Russia Silver (Gilted) Graduate Badge 1903 - St. Petersburg Institute of the Order of St. Catherine

4.11g. 25x15mm. AU/AU. 

Rare. 

Hallmarks on the suspension loop: St. Petersburg District Assay Office mark with fineness “84” and the initials “ЯЛ” (Y. Lyapunov, head of the St. Petersburg Assay District) in a shovel-shaped shield; additional maker’s mark illegible. 

Obv.: Monogram of Emperor Nicholas II (Н II) in the center under the Romanov crown. 

Below initials: М. А. - presumably referring to Maria Feodorovna and Alexandra Feodorovna, the patronesses of the Institute of the Order of St. Catherine. 

Engraved below: 1903, indicating the year of graduation. 

Rev.: С.П.Б. / У. О. С. Е. (St. Petersburg Institute of the Order of St. Catherine). 

Engraved below: М. Соловьёва (M. Solovyova) - surname of the graduate. 

The St. Catherine Institute for Noble Maidens (Uchilishche Ordena Sv. Ekateriny) was an elite educational establishment founded in 1798 in St. Petersburg by order of Empress Maria Feodorovna, consort of Emperor Paul I. Intended for the daughters of impoverished noble families, it was created under the patronage of the Order of Saint Catherine and served as one of the most prestigious institutions for girls' education in Imperial Russia. 

By the mid‑19th century, the institute was elevated to the First Class among women’s institutions of the empire, offering a curriculum that included theology, Russian and foreign languages, literature, history, geography, natural sciences, mathematics, fine arts, music, etiquette, and domestic management. It operated under the supervision of the Office of the Empress Maria and later became part of the Department of Institutions of Empress Maria. 

Throughout its history, the institute awarded high-achieving graduates with various honors, including gold and silver medals, imperial ciphers (monograms) in various sizes, and in rare cases, jewelry such as bracelets bearing the Empress’s initials. These awards were strictly limited in number and served as visible symbols of academic distinction. 

In 1913, the year inscribed on this badge, the institute was still actively functioning and remained a symbol of aristocratic female education in late Imperial Russia. The badge was awarded to students of the St. Petersburg School of the Order of St. Catherine, likely in connection with graduation or academic merit.