Grand Duchy of Tuscany, Order of Saint Stephen

Breast Star First Class, in bronze gilt, with iron pin and glass arms, 72mmx72mm, circa 1810-20, of superb quality manufacture, in extremely fine condition and extremely rare. Footnote: The Order of Saint Stephen (Official: Sacro Militare Ordine di Santo Stefano Papa e Martire, "Holy Military Order of St. Stephen Pope and Martyr") is a Tuscan dynastic-military order founded in 1561. The order was created by Cosimo I de' Medici, first Grand Duke of Tuscany. The last member of the Medici dynasty to be a leader of the order was Gian Gastone de Medici in 1737. The order was permanently abolished in 1859 by the annexation of Tuscany to the Kingdom of Sardinia.