28 July / 10 August 1917 typewritten documents announcing the award of the Order of St. Anne to French Army officer Commandant [Major] Fournier for bravery on the Western Front.

Both documents are in outstanding condition. While they show signs of having folded into eighths at one point in their history, they have undoubtedly been stored for decades folded only in halves with their typewritten sides "up" - as a result, the older folds are barely noticeable now. The paper used was apparently of good quality for the time and has toned only due to age and shows no stains or evidence of brittleness.

Document One: typewritten (31cm X 20cm, folded to 15.5cm x 20cm) official copy (in Russian) of the "Order of the Day" announcing the Russian Provisional Government's award of the Order of St. Anne, Second Class with Swords, to French Lieutenant Maurice Fournier for bravery "on the French Front" (i.e. the Western Front). Fournier was the "Chef de la Mission Francaise au Camp de Mailly." Document bears an impressive authorizing "Military Attaché of Russia in France" rubber stamp and the signature of junior lieutenant Pernikoff (who signed on behalf of Major General Zankevitch, who was then representing the Provisional Government of Russia).

Document Two: typewritten (27cm x 41.5cm, folded to 20.8cm x 27cm), the official translation (in French) of the above "Order of the Day". With the additional confirming signature of a Russian Captain and another clear strike of the purple "Military Attaché of Russia in France" hand stamp.

Even if the documents were not unusual in and of themselves, the fact that both were marked by Provisional Government representatives with an earlier purple hand stamp of the "Military Attaché of Russia in France" with the Romanov eagle still in the center gives the set a certain historical "panache" not usually seen in similar documents of the Great War.