In silver with blue enamels, engraved "3rd Class Order of Merit" on the reverse, measuring 41 mm (w) x 46.2 mm (h), original military ribbon with dark blue centre and crimson edges, near very fine.
Footnote: The Indian Order of Merit (IOM) was a military and civilian decoration of British India. It was established in 1837, (General Order of the Governor-General of India, No. 94 of 1 May 1837), although following the Partition of India in 1947, it was decided to discontinue the award and in 1954, a separate Indian honours system was developed, to act retrospectively to 1947. For a long period of time the IOM was the highest decoration that a native member of the British Indian Army could receive and initially it had three divisions. This was changed in 1911 when Indian servicemen became eligible for the Victoria Cross. A civilian division of the IOM also existed between 1902 and 1939, however, it was only conferred very rarely.