Austria, Imperial. An Order of the Golden Fleece, Neck Badge (Rothe Copy)
(Ritterorden vom Goldenen Vlies). Instituted on 10 January 1429. Post-1945 Copy. A gilded silver neck badge, consisting of a heraldic ram’s fleece, suspended from a black-slate coloured-enamel flint, on either side of the flint are red-enamelled flames, attached to a partially-enamelled decorative link in the form a fire-steel, this shows, in relief, a portrayal of Jason fighting the dragon and, above it, the device PRAETIUM LABORUM NON VILE (NO MEAN REWARD FOR LABOURS), on the reverse is a portrayal in relief of Gideon fighting the Midianites and above it the inscription NON ALIUD (I WILL HAVE NO OTHER), measuring 72.39 mm (w) x 101.73 mm (h), with original red ribbon, threaded through a ring and held together by a gilt and blue-enamelled slide, and in near extremely fine condition.

