Bavaria, Kingdom. A Military Order of St. George, Knight’s Cross in Gold, 1918

(Orden vom heiligen Georg, Kreuz der Ritter). Instituted 20 March 1729 by Prince-Elector Karl Albrecht. (1729-1918 issue). Constructed of Gold with multi-coloured enamels, consisting of a Maltese Cross with a Gold frame and arms completing in ball finials, the obverse with blue enameled arms trimmed with white enameled borders, joined together through the quadrants by blue and white enameled rhombuses bearing gilt initials “V.I.B.I.” for “VIRGINI IMMACULATAE BAVARIA IMMACULATA” (“THE IMMACULATE VIRGIN OF BAVARIA”), bearing a central Gold medallion overlaid by a raised depiction of the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, the reverse with red enameled arms trimmed with white enameled borders, joined together through the quadrants by blue and white enameled rhombuses bearing gilt initials “I.V.P.F.” for “IN FIDE JUSTITIA ET FORTITUDINE” (“IN FAITH, JUSTICE AND STRENGTH”), bearing a central Gold medallion bearing a raised depiction of St. George slaying a dragon, set within a circular laurel leaf wreath, the twelve o’clock arm topped by an integral loop accommodation an intricate Gold and enameled suspension apparatus consisting of a fleur-de-lis suspended from the mouth of a double-sided lion’s head, in turn culminating in a suspension loop retaining a period original ribbon, unmarked, the cross measuring 46.09 mm (w) x 44.67 mm (h), the suspension measuring 19.14 mm (w) x 37.30 mm (h), weighing 52.0 grams overall, a rare and striking example of the order in extremely fine condition.