France, Colonial Somaliland. An Order of Nichan el Anouar, Officer, c.1930
In silver gilt with red and blue enamels, hallmarked on the ring, 50.5 mm x 79 mm inclusive of its crown suspension, large rosette on the original ribbon, intact enamels, light contact and gilt wear, near extremely fine. Footnote: The Order of Nichan El-Anouar (Arabic: Order of the Light) was established in 1887, as a colonial order of merit of the Tajurah sultanate in French Somaliland (modern day Djibouti). It was instituted in 1887 by the Sultan of Tadjourah, Hamed-ben-Mohamed, to “perpetuate the happy moment when he and his people placed themselves under the protection of glorious France”. The Order became a French Colonial Order by the decrees of May 10th and 23rd, 1896 and on December 5, 1899. The Order became defunct on December 3, 1963. Tadjourah is a district of Djibouti on the Horn of Africa.

