Persia, Empire. An Imperial Order of the Lion and the Sun, Civil Division (Nishan-i-Shir u Khurshid, nishan-i-hormat), Breast Star

Eight-pointed silver star with chiselled graduated rays, rays with five-pointed star finials between the arms, with pin to the reverse for attachment; the face with a circular central polychrome medallion bearing a recumbent lion, a radiant sun with a human face beyond, within a gilt border and three concentric chiselled silver rings; the reverse plain; diameter 72.5mm (2.85 inches).

The Order was founded in 1808 by Fath ‘Ali Shah of the Qajar Dynasty as the Royal Order of the Sun. In 1820 it was reorganised and renamed. In 1925, the Qajar Dynasty was replaced by the Pahlavis but the Order continued as the Order of Homayoun with redesigned insignia. The Lion and Sun motif comes from antiquity and was used for centuries by Mogul and Qajar rulers, including Shah Jahan, builder of the Taj Mahal, being formally adopted by Persia (Iran) under Mohammad Shah (reigned 1834 to 1848).

This example is of Civil Division (nishan-i-hormat) since the lion is recumbent (for military awards, the lion is standing and holding a sabre).

This offering is a part of the "Dr. Albert Goodwin Collection", a preeminent assemblage of world Orders, Medals, and Decorations composed solely by Dr.Goodwin between 1946-1967. Dr. Goodwin had a successful career as an educator and prominent physician in New York as well as actively serving in both World Wars with the United States Medical Corps. He acted as both President and Vice-President of the Orders and Medals Society of America (OMSA) and is responsible for organizing their first convention in 1960. He maintained further membership with the American Society of Military Collectors, the International Orders Research Society, and the American Numismatic Society. His knowledge and passion for history and awards is evident in this meticulously compiled collection that is now available in its entirety for the first time exclusively on eMedals.com.