France. An Order of St. Louis, Knight in Gold, c. 1820

(Ordre Royal et Militaire de Saint-Louis). Instituted April 5, 1693 by King Louis XIV. In Gold, a Maltese Cross with white enamel arms and a smaller interior Maltese cross in Gold detailing with ball finials, the obverse medallion presents a richly detailed figure of St. Louis surrounded by a blue enamelled ring inscribed LUD. M. INST. 1693 (Louis the Great Instituted 1693), the reverse center presents a Gold sword interlaced with a laurel crown and a white sash on a red enamelled background, surrounded by a blue enamel ring with the inscription BELLICAE VIRTUTIS PRAEM (Reward of Wartime Valour), measures 37.68mm (w) x 40.55mm (h – inclusive of ornate suspension), weighs 9.7grams (excluding ribbon), with striated suspension ring and worn on ribbon with large rosette, fleur-de-lis removed from each quadrant, chipping and crazing to white enamel in arms, loss of enamel to St. Louis’s cape in obverse medallion, damage to blue enamel ring on reverse, overall near very fine condition.

Footnote: The Order was founded by Louis XIV on April 5, 1693. It surpassed the Order of Saint Lazarus and Our Lady of Mount Carmel in precedence when it was created. The Fleur-de-Lys were removed during the July Monarchy, but the date of manufacture is still uncertain.