Lot 4365

Description

Russia, Soviet Order of the Badge of Honor, awarded to Frank Oravec 15 Mar 1990 and presented by Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. This is the highest award by the Soviet Union for foreigners and is a very rare honour. Cased as issued. Nearly uncirculated.

Frank Oravec was born in Czechoslavakia and emigrated to Australia in 1969 after studying economics in Switzerland. He was Managing Director of Louis Dreyfus Australia Pty Ltd and served as President of the Australia-USSR Business Council from 1987, previously he was a member of the Council's Executive Committee. A highlight of his career was the importing of Soviet cars with Louis Dreyfus Australia, with one of the models being the Lada Cevaro (Oravec in reverse). The award to Frank Oravec recognised his 'outstanding contribution to the development of Soviet-Australian trade and economic relations'. Until 1990 he was one of only six non Soviets to be awarded the honor. Together with numerous letters of congratulations, press release, photocopies of newspaper clippings and photographs.