United States. A Military Order of the French Alliance in Gold, Commander, c.1900
Item #M0041-220
Price:
$3,100
(Ordre Militaire de l'Alliance française, Commandeur). Instituted in 1883. Three-piece construction, in Gold with red, white, dark blue and light blue enamels, weighing 11 grams, measuring 39.5 mm (w) x 42.5 mm (h) inclusive of its integral ring, chipping evident in the light blue enamels on the reverse of the arms at 3 and 12 o'clock, on its original full-length neck ribbon, very fine.
Footnote: The treaty of alliance between the then Kingdom of France and the newly-independent United States of America was signed on February 6, 1778. The Alliance Française is a cultural organization founded in 1883, to promote French language and culture but does not have a military arm. The origins of this piece are therefore uncertain and it is probably an unofficial award from a society.