In silver gilt with red, green and black enamels, measuring 47 mm (w) x 70 mm (h) inclusive of its crown suspension, intact enamels, replacement ribbon, extremely fine.
Footnote: Among several forms historically adopted by the Spanish nobiliary colleges - such as corporations, confraternities, companies, and chivalric orders - are the military brotherhoods, such as the Noble Company of Knights Crossbowmen of Saint Philip and Saint James (the Less). The Noble Company was founded circa 1350 in the town of Alfaro (Castile, La Rioja, Spain). Membership in the Noble Company has always been considered a "positive act of nobility," creating or confirming the Knights Crossbowmen as hidalgos with "nobility of blood and arms." The crossbow as a military and hunting weapon was already known by the Romans. After a relative dark period it came to have a preeminent place in the 11th century in European armories (consider its importance in the Hundred Years War) and for hunting wild game.