(Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur, Commandeur). Instituted in 1802. (1870-1951). Hardshelled design on both the lid and base, with distinctive rounded corners, the exterior with a reddish-brown dimpled fabric covering on all sides, the lid with a thin rule in gold-coloured ink on the perimeter, inside lid lined in white satin, padded and maker marked "Diets 26.R. Vivienne PARIS", the base in yellowish-white felt with two recessed areas, one at the top for the neck ribbon and one at the bottom for the Badge, push release closure, measuring 83 mm (w) x 163 mm (h) x 38.3 mm (d), wear and soiling evident on the exterior, very light soiling in the medal bed, fine.
Footnote: The Legion of Honour (AKA National Order of the Legion of Honour) is the highest French order of merit for military and civil merits, established in 1802 by Napoléon Bonaparte. The order's motto is "Honneur et Patrie" ("Honour and Fatherland") and its seat is the Palais de la Légion d'Honneur next to the Musée d'Orsay, on the left bank of the River Seine in Paris. The order is divided into five degrees of increasing distinction: Chevalier (Knight), Officier (Officer), Commandeur (Commander), Grand Officier (Grand Officer) and Grand-Croix (Grand Cross). Maison Bacqueville (Bacqueville House) began as a small firm called Halley in 1790, which obtained the right to strike awards. Octave Lasne took over Halley around 1860. In 1869, he obtained the right to make coins for Emperor Napoleon III, the store located at 5, Galerie Montpensier, Palais Royal, Paris. In 1900, the Lasne firm was bought by Albert Bacqueville. He was known for awards of rather good quality, encompassing the totality of the French orders of the Ancien regime and the Empire. It was taken over in 1980 by the Marck family, the current owner, specializing in the manufacture of military uniforms. However, it keeps the name of Maison Bacqueville and the address remains unchanged, in the Montpensier gallery of the Palais-Royal. The Bacqueville House still has in its private collection, a prototype of the Napoleon III necklace, which rehabilitated the Legion of Honour created by Napoleon I. They are today one of the last three manufacturers who hold the "right to strike" for certain French and foreign medals and decorations: the Legion of Honour, the Military Medal, the War Cross, the National Order of Merit, the Order of Academic Palms, the Order of Arts and Letters, the Order of Agricultural Merit, the Order of Maritime Merit, etc.