Late 19th c, Russia, created for The Imperial Russian Geographical Society, and presented to Graf P.E. Kutaysov, double headed eagle on finely engraved gold globe atop grey stone pedestal encrusted with diamonds, rubies and three-color enamel trim, touch marks for Faberge, St. Petersburg and 72z (approx. 18k) gold purity on underside, largest mine-cut diamond mounted to eagle crest, 20 additional smaller faceted diamonds, two rubies, and numerous diamond chips, 7"h

NOTES/LITERATURE
Legend holds that the idea for the Russian Geographical Society (RGS) arose at a dinner party thrown by A. F. Middendorf in St. Petersburg in 1845. Middendorf, along with Fyodr Litke, Karl Ber, and Ferdinand Wrangel, conceived the society, which ultimately attracted seventeen charter members, including the most prominent Russian explorers, scientists, and public officials of their day. The goal was systematically to expand and quantify the understanding of their country, which was still relatively unknown. Throughout the rest of the nineteenth century, the IRGS stressed Russia's messianic mission in Asia and most of the society's sponsored expeditions, including the famous Amur expedition of 1855-1863, were indeed carried out in Asia. By 1917 the IRGS had compiled a legacy of 1,500 volumes of scholarly literature.