Phaleristics

Badge of the election of representatives to the 2nd Duma of Vilnius Governorate (?). Russian Empire. Vilnius, 1907

Bronze, fabric (cockade), 33 × 31 mm

Badge of the Vilnius Mason Lodge “Zealous Lithuanian” (Gorliwy Litwin). Russian Empire. 1810s.

Copper-zinc alloy, gilding, 68,3 (with ear 72,2) × 54 mm. From the Iconography Museum of the Wróblewski Library

Badge certifying the completion of Vytautas Magnus officers’ courses (1st class of graduates). Lithuania. 1934. No. 11

Designer Petras Verbickas. Silver, enamel, 55,5 × 37 mm. From Algimantas Astikas’s collection

1st Class Order of the Cross of Vytis. Lithuania. Established in 1919, reestablished and produced in 1991. The order was posthumously awarded to Alvydas Matulka, a victim of 13 January 1991

Produced by LLC Medalis, authors of engravings Česlovas Kavaliauskas, Antanas Vaičekauskas. Cross: cupronickel, tombac, enamel, 50 × 30 mm; ribbon: viscose, 57 × 43 mm

Award medal “Virtuti Militari” (For military merit). Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Stanisław August (1763–1795). Without marked date (established in 1792)

Designer Johann Philipp Holzhaeusser. Warsaw Mint. Silver, 43,4 (with ear 49) × 34,5 mm

The collection includes orders and medals of Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Latvia, Germany and other countries from the late 18th to early 21st centuries; honorary badges and other decorations constitute a separate group. The award medals “Virtuti Militari” (For military virtue), “Merentibus” (For merits) established in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the second half of the 18th century should be mentioned. Among the awards of the Republic of Lithuania of 1918–1940 and the awards of foreign states for Lithuanian citizens are those conferred on the signatories to the Act of February 16 Kazys Bizauskas, Jurgis Šaulys, diplomats Stasys Girdvainis and Stasys Lozoraitis Sr. A collection of contemporary phaleristics of Lithuania is under formation, award badges of state and public institutions, societies etc. are accumulated. Among the most valuable exhibits are the awards to the victims of 13 January 1991 Alvydas Matulka and Ignas Šimulionis. The collection includes awards to the diplomats Stasys Lozoraitis Jr., Stasys Antanas Bačkis, and signatories to the Act of March 11 prof. Vytautas Landsbergis and Romualdas Ozolas.

The majority of the collection of philophaleristics and other badges consists of souvenir and propaganda badges from the second half of the 20th century, as well as badges of various organisations, name and ID badges etc. The most valuable part of the collection is exhibits related to Lithuania from the 19th and the first half of the 20th century.