Katalog - SINCONA Auktion 67

1

Order of Dannebrog [Dannebrog-Ordenen]. Shorter collar of the order consisting of 26 „cross“-, 13 „W“- and 13 „C5“ links, silver cast and gilt, the crosses with so-called „cold enamel“ on both sides, 163.4 g, one „C5“ link with a hook. BWK2 168.
Gutes sehr schön / Good very fine.
(~€ 3’740/USD 4’395)
The order of Dannebrog was established on October 12, 1671 by King Christian V (1646-1699, reigned since 1670) as a renovation of an older order of knighthood, established by King Waldemar II (1170-1241, reigned since 1202) in 1219. Originally consisting of only one class, King Frederik VI of Denmark and Norway (1768-1839, reigned since 1808) enlarged the order on June 28, 1808, to four classes. Further amendments were instituted by the succeeding kings until present days.
There exist two types of collars for the order before 1808 and for the Grand Crosses after 1808, the longer ones consisting of 32 „cross“-, 16 „W“- and 16 „C5“ links, and the shorter ones consisting of 26 „cross“-, 13 „W“- and 13 „C5“ links.

1

Sovereign Military Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights of Malta. Grand Cross set of insignia, manufacturing of A. Chobillon in Paris, consisting of: sash badge, bronze gilt and enamels, ribbon ring with manufacturer’s mark, without sash ribbon, and breast star, silvered, partly gilt, and enamels, with slight hairline cracks, with pin, this with manufacturer’s mark.
Gutes sehr schön / Good very fine. (2)
(~€ 95/USD 110)
• Dieses Los unterliegt bei Auslieferung in der Schweiz der Margenbesteuerung gemäss MWSTG 24a (22.5% Aufgeld inkl. Gesetzlicher Mehrwertsteuer)
• When delivered in Switzerland, this lot is subject to the margin taxation scheme in accordance with article 24a of the Federal Act on Value Added Tax (22.5% buyer’s premium incl. Statutory VAT).
These seem to be insignia of the „oecumenical“ order under the protection of the late King of Yougoslavia, Petar [Peter] II. Karaorevi (1923-1970, reigned from 1934/1941-1941/1943).

1

Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav [Kongelige Norsk St. Olavsorden]. 1st model (with royal cipher of king Oscar I between the cross arms - 1847-1906), grand cross breast star, 75.6 x 74.6 mm, manufacturing of Carlman in Stockholm between 1860 and 1882, silver brillanté, gold and enamels, 54.3 g, some hairline cracks in the white enamels, with pin. BWK3 74.
Sehr selten / Very rare. Gutes sehr schön / Good very fine.
(~€ 4’675/USD 5’495)
The originally three-class (Grand Cross, Commander and Knight) order for civil and military merit was instituted by King Oscar I of Sweden and Norway (1799-1859, reigned since 1844) for the Kingdom of Norway in Union with Sweden. According to Hallberg (Hallberg, Harald: Norske dekorasjoner - Tildelt med bånd til å bæres på uniform eller sivilt antrekk. Without place 2010. Pages 35 and 36) between 1860 and 1882 a total number of 279 were awarded to Norwegians, Swedes and foreigners. But due to the strict return obligations of the insignia after the holder’s death - they were conferred again - the number of pieces actually produced is much smaller, and the number of pieces available today even smaller.

1

Order „Crown of Romania“ [Ordin „Coroana României“]. 1st model (1881-1932), private manufacturing of a Grand Officer’s [Mare Ofiţer] breast star with diamonds, diam. 100,9 mm, bronze brillanté and silvered, centre silver gilt and enamels, surrounded by 16 old cut paste stones, with pin, this with an unidentified mark.
Gutes sehr schön / Good very fine.
(EUR 2’800 / USD 3’300)
On March 26, 1861, the Principality of Romania was declared independent from the Ottoman Empire and proclaimed a sovereign kingdom, and its ruler, Prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen as King Carol I of Romania (1839-1914, reigning since 1866 as prince and since 1881 a king of Romania). On May 10, 1881, the day of his coronation, he instituted the five-class (Grand Cross, Grand Officer, Commander, Officer and Knight) order for civil and military merit, with the royal decrees no. 1244/10 V 1881 and 1245/10 V 1881 (1st model). On May 9, 1932, the order was reorganized and the design of the insigna was changed by King Carol II (1893-1953, reigned from 1930 until 1940) with royal decree no. 1590/9 V 1932 (2nd model). (See also: Weber, Wilhelm: König Karl I. - Schöpfer des modernen Rumäniens, Gründer des rumänischen Ordenswesens und Stifter des Ordens „Krone Rumäniens“. In: Orden und Ehrenzeichen, year 9 (2007), no. 48. P. 23-32.)

1

Order of the Saint Prince Wladimir, equal to the Apostles [Имперáторский орден Свяатого Равноапостольного Князя Владимира]. Cross 1st grade, manufacturing of Julius „Ivan“ Keibel in St. Petersburg between 1862 and 1882, 57.9 x 52.7 mm, 583/000 gold and enamels, 26.5 g, enamel painting, under the red enamels of the reverse upper cross arm mark for the court suppliers from 1840 to 1917, and under the red enamels of the reverse lower cross arm master’s mark „IK“, on the loop St. Petersburg hallmark for 56 zolotnik until 1898, some enamel scratches on the reverse, without ribbon. BWK4 694.
Gutes sehr schön, schön-sehr schön / Good very fine, fine-very fine.
(~€ 6’540/USD 7’690)
Julius (Ivan) Eduard Keibel (1825-1882) had started as apprentice in the company of his father Johann Wilhelm Keibel (1788-1862) and was promoted to master goldsmith in 1844. After his father’s death in 1862, he took over his company and continued the exclusive relationship to the Chapter of the Orders. After his death in 1882, his son Albert Konstantin Keibel (1854-1910) took over the firm.
The four-grade (1st to 4th grade) order for long service of civil servants was instituted by Empress Catherine II The Great (1729-1796, reigned since 1762) on the occasion of her 20-years jubilee of reign. The order was named after Vladimir I. Swjatoslawitch [Владимир Святославич] (about 960 until 1015), called The Great, from 970 to 988 Prince of Novgorod and since about 978/980 Grand Duke of the Kiev Rus, who among others had initiated Christianisation. He is venerated in the Orthodox Church as a Saint, as well as in the Catholic church.
The conferring of the 1st class required the high 2nd court ranking class. In all classes hereditary nobility was also conferred to Russians and to foreigners in Russian service. During the reign of Paul I (1754-1801, reigned since 1796) the order was not conferred. His son and successor Alexander I (1777-1825, reigned since 1809) by manifest of December 12, 1801, restored the order, which then continued to be conferred. Due to the end of the Russian Monarchy in February 1917 also the Order of Saint Vladimir ended to be conferred, and in November 1917 the order was juridically abolished together with the other Russian Imperial orders by a decree of the Bolshevik Government.

1

Jeton of The Society of the Standard Bearers of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour on occasion of the renovation and re-consecration of the so-called „Kutuzovs Hut“ in Fili on September 1, 1887 (O.S.). 47.1 x 31.2 mm, silver, without any marks.
Gutes sehr schön / Good very fine.
(~€ 325/USD 385)
By command of The Society of the Standard Bearers of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour [Храм Христа Спасителя] in Moscow, recognized by the highest authority, these jetons were issued on occasion of the renovation and re-consecration of the so-called Kutuzovs Hut in Fili on September 1, 1887 (O.S.). It was probably manufactured in the workshops of an orthodox convent (Sagorsk?) as it does not bear any marks.
The village of Fili, today part of Moscow, was situated on the street from Moscow west-ward to Borodino, where, during the Patriotic War [Отечественная война] of 1812 the on August 26 (O.S.) [September 6 (N.S.)] 1812, the battle of Borodino, one of the bloodiest of the 19th century, took place. The defending Imperial Russian Army of about 120,000 men, led by General Commander-in-Chief Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov (1745-1813), and the invading French Grande Armée of about 130,000 men, led by Emperor Napoléon I (1769-1821, reigned from 1804 until 1814/1815) himself. The battle, with at the end about 39,000 to 45,000 casualties on the Russian side and about 30,000 to 35,000 on the French side, due to the retreat of the Russians, led to a tactical victory of Napoléon I. After the Russian retreat General Field Marshal (since August 31 (O.S.) [September 11 (.N.S.)]) Kutuzov’s staff met in a little hut in Fili, where on September 1 (O.S.) [12 (N.S.)], Kutozov took the final decision to evacuate Moscow, and to entice the Grande Armée to invade the open city. This decision led to the initiation of the decline of the Grande Armée due to the lack of replenishment and the Great Fire of the city, so that Napoléon was forced to give by mid-October the order for withdrawal of his forces from Moscow.
After the Battle of Krasnoi [Сражение под Красным] near Smolensk from November 3 (O.S.) [15 (N.S.]) to 6 (O.S.) [18 N.S.] 1812, victorious for the Russians, Emperor Alexander [Александр Павлович] I (1777-1825, reigned since 1801) elevated Kutuzov to Knyaz [Prince] Golenischev-Kutuzov-Smolensky [князь Голенищев-Кутузов-Смоленский] with the Stile of His Serene Highness [Светлейший князь]. He died on April 16 (O.S.) [28 (N.S.)] 1813 in Bunzlau (today Bolesawiec in western Poland) and was burried in the Kazan Kathedral [Казанский кафедральный собор] in Sankt Petersburg.
After Kutuzov’s death the hut was consecrated to a church as a memorial of his fundamental decision leading to the Russian victory in the Patriotic War. In occasion of 75 years jubilee of this decision, the hut was renovated and re-consecrated by the Metropolitan [Митрополит] and Archbishop of Moscow Joannice (born Ivan Maksimovich Rudnev [Иван Максимович Руднев] - 1826-1900, Metropolitan of Moscow from 1882 until 1891).

1

Royal Order of the Northern Star [Kungliga Nordstjärneorden]. Order’s collar, type with „closed“ crowns, manufacturing by C. F. Carlman in Stockholm, consisting of 10 „FF“-links (one as a closing link and one as a link for wearing), and 10 „star“ links, silver gilt and enamels, the white enamels of the stars mostly spotted, with grand cross badge, silver gilt, centres gold, and enamels, star of the centre on obverse and reverse with damages and repairs, two cross arms with bad repairs on the reverse, total weight 384.8 g, in its original octogonal case of Carlman. BWK4 234, 235.
Gutes sehr schön, schön / Good very fine, fine.
(~€ 3’740/USD 4’395)
On February 23, 1748, King Frederik I of Sweden (1676-1751, since 1720 King of Sweden, since 1730 also Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel) established the originally two-class (commanders and knights) order together with the Order of the Seraphim and the Royal Order of the Sword [Kungliga Svärdsorden]. In 1762 King Gustav III (1746-1792, reigned since 1771) established the order’s collar for the commanders. King Oscar I (1799-1859, reigned since 1844) in 1844 established the grand cross class, called „Commander with Grand Cross“ [kommandör med storkors] and transferred the collar to this highest class. With resolution of the Swedish parliament of June 6, 1973, the conferring of the order on Swedish subjects was abolished, thus the collar ceeded to exist. On August 1, 1995, the order, reserved for foreigners only, received new statutes.

1

Group of seven (of originally eight) awards, mounted as worn: 1) Kingdom of Italy: Order of the Crown of Italy [Ordine della Corona d’Italia], knight’s cross [cavaliere], gold and enamels; 2) Sweden: Olympic medal Gustav V [Gustav V Olymposka medalj], silver, with engraver’s name „A.LINDENBERG“; 3) French Republic: National Order of the Legion of Honour [Ordre National de la Légion d’honneur], 9th model (with „Marianne“ and the year „1870“ on the obverse centre - 1870-1951), officer’s decoration [officier], 800/000 silver gilt and enamels, with slight enamel damages, with French warranty mark for 800/000 silver from 1838 until 1961 (boar’s head), with applied rosette on the ribbon; 4) Spain: Order of Isabella the Catholic [Orden de Isabel la Catolica], 2. Model (with cipher „FRO7“ or „FR“ in the reverse centre), knight’s cross [caballero], silver gilt, centres gold and enamels, finest enamel painting; 5) Czechoslovakia: Czechoslovakian Order of the White Lion [Československý řad bílého Iva], 1st model (with crowned lion - 1922-1939), cross 4th class for civil merit, silver, partly gilt, and enamels, with enamel damage, with applied rosette on the ribbon; 6) French Republic: Academic Palmes [Palmes Académiques], 2nd model (two classes, in metal - 1866-1955), decoration of an Officer of the Academy [Officier de l’Académie] (so-called „Silver Academic Palms“), silver and enamels, with enamel damages on obverse and reverse; 7) Ottoman Empire: Order of Mecidiye, 2nd modell, 2nd issue (with facettes - since about the 1870ies), decoration 5th class, manufacturing of the Ottoman mint in Constantinople during the reign of Sultan Mehmet V Reshad (1844-1918, reigned since 1909), silver brillanté, center gold and enamels, on the reverse manufacturer’s indication, surmounting halfmoon and star missing. Mounted on a Swedish style bar, with pin.
Fast vorzüglich, gutes sehr schön, sehr schön / Almost extremely fine, good very fine, very fine. (7)
(~€ 1’400/USD 1’650)
Due to the Swedish strict prescription to return the order’s insignia after the death of the holder, the here missing knight’s decoration of a Swedish Order (probably of the Royal Order of Vasa), was given back to the Swedish Chancery of the Orders of Chivalry.

1

Order of Osmanje [Nişan-ı Osmani]. 2nd model (badge with green rays - 1867-1922) 1st-class badge with diamonds, manufacturing of the Imperial Ottoman Mint [Darphâne-i Âmire] in Constantinople, gold and enamels, with 48 diamond roses and shards, partly set à jour, one missing, large half moon in the centre silver gilt, 41.0 g, small enamel damages on eight rays on obverse and reverse, suspension probably replaced in silver gilt, without sash ribbon. BWK4 185 var.
Sehr selten / Very rare. Sehr schön / Very fine.
(~€ 7’475/USD 8’790)
Immediately after his accession to the throne Sultan Abdulaziz (1830-1876, reigned since 1861) reflected on the creation of a second Ottoman order of merit after the Order of Mecidiye [Nişanı Mecîdî], established in 1852. With ferman dated 21 Muharrem AH 1278 [December 9, AD 1861] he established the three-class (1st to 3rd class) Order of Osmanje - Nişan-ı Osmani] for civil and military merit (1st model), named after Sultan Osman I. Gazi (1258-1324/26, reigned since 1281/88), the first Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. From the beginning, the new order was ranking above the older Order of Mecidiye. In 1867 the statutes were amended thus changing the colour of the enamels from entirely red to partly green (2nd model). As a special honour, the insignia of the 1st class of the order also could be conferred with diamonds. After the Sultanate was abolished in 1922, also the order ceeded to exist.

1

Order of Osmanje [Nişan-ı Osmani]. 2nd model (decoration with green rays - 1867-1922), 4th-class decoration, manufacturing of the Imperial Ottoman Mint [Darphâne-i Âmire] in Constantinople from the reign of Mehmet V Reshad (1844-1918, reigned since 1909), silver partly brillanté, partly gilt, and enamels, some chipping in the green rays, with original breast ribbon without applied rosette, in its original green, golden-imprinted case. BWK4 190; EL S. 232; ER S. 240.
Sehr schön / Very fine.
(~€ 95/USD 110)

1

Order of Charity [Nişan-ı Şefkat]. 2nd-class badge, manufacturing of the Imperial Ottman Mint [Darphâne-i Âmire] in Constantinople from the reign of Sultan Mehmed V Reshad (1844-1918, reigned since 1909), gold and enamels, set à jour with about 101 white and small pink old and rose cut diamonds and diamond shards (checked!), some few missing, with original bow and pin. Together with the original firman for Mrs Nikolai at Moda, several times folded, with damaged original addressed envelope. BWK4 202.
Selten / Rare. Gutes sehr schön / Good very fine.
(~€ 4’675/USD 5’495)
The three-class (1st to 3rd class) Order for Charity [Nişanı Şefkat] was established by Sultan Abdul Hamid II. (1842-1918, reigned from 1876 until 1909) and reserved to women, only the 3rd class could also conferred as a commander’s decoration to gentlemen. The order was conferred until the end of the Sultanate in 1922.

1

Liyakat-Medal for Bravery and Loyality [Liyakât Madalyasι]. Golden Medal, German manufacturing, bronze gilt, with suspension, bronze gilt, and ribbon with applied sabre bar „sene 1332“ [year AD 1914], with pin. BWK4 85.
Gutes sehr schön / Good very fine.
(~€ 95/USD 110)
• Dieses Los unterliegt bei Auslieferung in der Schweiz der Margenbesteuerung gemäss MWSTG 24a (22.5% Aufgeld inkl. Gesetzlicher Mehrwertsteuer)
• When delivered in Switzerland, this lot is subject to the margin taxation scheme in accordance with article 24a of the Federal Act on Value Added Tax (22.5% buyer’s premium incl. Statutory VAT).
After the Russian Empire on November 2, 1918, had declared war on the Ottoman Empire, the latter on November 12 declared war on the Triple Entente (Great Britain, France and the Russian Empire). By firman of November 16, 1914 [3 Terinisani AR 1330 - 27 Zilhicce AH 1332] some amendments for the two-class (gold and silver) Liyakat-Medal (as for the Imtiaz-Medal), originally instituted by Sultan Abdulhamid II in 1890 [AH 1308], were decreed. It now received the new name Liyakat-Medal for Bravery and Loyality and on the ribbon had to be applied a sabre-bar „sene 1332“ [year AD 1914].

1

Star of the Members of the National Assembly of the Ottoman Empire [Meclis-i Meb’ûsân-ι Osmânî Azalarina Mahsûs Gorec Alâmeti]. Edition for the third parlamentary session of the Ottoman National Assembly from AR 1332 [AD 1916] until AR 1335 [AD 1919], manufacturing of the Ottoman Mint [Darphâne-i Âmire] in Constantinople from the reign of Sultan Mehmet V Reshad (1844-1918, reigned since 1909) in 1916, diam. 83.0 mm, white metal (silver?) gilt and enamelled, 67.2 g, two enamel damages and some chipping on the rays, three of the longest rays on the reverse marked with „S“, on the reverse two fixing bows, without sash ribbon. BWK4 138.
Sehr selten / Very rare. Sehr schön / Very fine.
(~€ 3’740/USD 4’395)
The star was instituted in 1916 by command of Sultan Mehmet V Reshad (1844-1918, reigned since 1909) for the opening of the third parlamentary session of the National Assembly of the Ottoman Empire and handed over to the deputies. Probably there do not exist issues with other years of other sessions.

1

Order of Pius [Ordo Pianus]. Collar set of the order, 2nd editon (closed collar - since the 1970ies), probably made by Guccione in Rome, consisting of: collar chain with six coat of arms links, six papal symbol links, 13 ornamental links, two dove links and one tiara link, silver gilt and enamels, with enamel painting, with attached order’s badge, 2nd type, silver gilt and enamels, reverse centre without enamels, and breast star, 2nd type, silver, partly gilt and enamels, reverse centre without enamels, with pin, in its original case with the golden coat of arms of Pope Paul VI (1897-1978, Pope since 1963).
Äusserst selten / Extremely rare. Gutes sehr schön / Good very fine. (2)
(~€ 6’540/USD 7’690)
Shortly after his accession to the Papal throne, Pope Pius IX [Pio Nono] (Giovanni Maria conte Mastai-Ferretti - 1792-1878, Pope since 1846) by Breve „Romanis Pontificibus“ dated June 17, 1847, established the originally two-class (1st class/neck decoration, with or without breast star, and 2nd class/breast decoration) highest order of the Holy See for civil and military merit. In 1849 resp. 1856 a grand cross class was added.
By Pope Pius XII (Eugenio Paccelli - 1876-1958, Pope since 1939) with Apostolic Letter „Egregio ducti consilio“ of December 25, 1957, the collar of the order was established. By Motuproprio „Equestres Ordines“ of April 15, 1966, Pope Paul VI (1897-1978, Pope since 1963) decreed the collar of the order furtheron to be reserved to heads of states only. Due to fact that the Papal Order of Christ [Ordo Supremus Militia Domini Nostri Jesu Christi] as well as the Order of Order of the Golden Spur [Ordo Equestri Militiae Auratae] are not longer awarded, the collar of the Order of Pius today is considered as the highest order to be conferred by the Pope.
According to the holders list published by Herkner (Herkner, Norbert: Der Pius-Orden, seine Goldene Kollane und ihre Träger. In: Orden und Ehrenzeichen, 3rd year no. 15 (Ocrober 2001), p. 2-8) only 25 collars of this order were awarded by Pope Paul VI between 1963 and 1977.

1

Order of the Leader [Nishan-e Sardari]. Superior-class breast star with diamonds, diam. 58.6 mm, manufacturing by Spink & Son Ltd. In London, with arms in the form from 1919 until after 1923, gold, set with eight old or drop cut diamonds, 43.6 g, with pin, in its original case by Spink. BWK1 33.
Äusserst selten / Extremely rare. Fast vorzüglich / About extremely fine.
(~€ 28’035/USD 32’965)
Probably the order was originally established by Habibullah Khan, Amir of Afghanistan (1872-1919, reigned since 1901) as a rank badge for military leaders [Sardar] before 1907. Since 1907 it was also used as order for merit. In 1922 during the reign of Amanullah Khan (1892-1960, reigned from 1919 until 1926 as emir and from 1926 until 1929 as king) the now two-class order was institutionalized by the Afghan Parliament [Durga]. In 1923 statutes were issued.
According to the unconfirmed information of the consignor, this piece was made for Habibullah Khan, and after his death also worn by his successor Amanullah Khan.

1

Imperial Order of the Rose [Ordem Imperial da Rosa]. Commander’s breast star (small diameter, surmounted with crown), edition with green enamelled inside of the crown, 73.4 x 54.0 mm, gold (also the star corpus!) and enamels, 36.2 g, finest enamel painting, superficial enamel chipping on the 2 o’clock ray, two roses nearly invisibly repaired, slight gold patina, with pin. BWK1 109.
Gutes sehr schön / Good very fine.
(~€ 3’270/USD 3’845)
The Imperial Order of the Rose [Ordem Imperial da Rosa] was instituted by Emperor Dom Pedro I (1798-1834, Emperor of Brazil from 1831) who established the seven-class (Collar, Grand Cross, Grand Dignitaries, Dignitaries, Commander, Officers and Knights) order for civil and military merit on October 17, 1829, on occasion of his wedding with his second wife Princess Amélie von Leuchtenberg (1812-1873), fourth daughter of Eugène-Rose de Beauharnais, Herzog von Leuchtenberg and Fürst von Eichstätt (1781-1824) and Auguste Princess of Bavaria (1788-1851). After the abdication of Pedro I in 1831 in favour of his son Pedro II (1825-1891, reigned from 1831/1840 until 1889), during the regency until 1840, the order was not conferred. After the coronation of Pedro II on July 28, 1841, the order was again to be conferred, until 1889, when Pedro II was forced to abdicate. With the foundation of the Republic of Brazil the order ceeded to exist.

1

Imperial Order of the Rose [Ordem Imperial da Rosa]. Officer’s breast star (small diameter, without crown), diam. 59.4 mm, silver gilt, applications gold and enamels, with finest enamel painting, some enamel damages and repairs, with pin, pin hook on the reverse replaced. BWK1 110.
Sehr schön / Very fine.
(EUR 1’400 / USD 1’650)

4

(Imperial Order of the) Precious Star of the Double Dragon. 1st model (1882-1896), 2nd issue (1st to 3rd class with breast stars - probably since 1894), 3rd class, 3rd-grade set of insignia, Chinese manufacturing, consisting of: neck badge, 73.4 x 46.7 mm, silver gilt and enamels, with blue glass cabochons, 57.6 g, with its original old embroidered and conditioned neck ribbon, and breast star, 85.6 x 85.5 mm, silver, partly gilt, and enamels, the dragons with some enamel chipping, the colouring in the inner centre ring mostly gone, with larger and small blue glass cabochon, 15.4 g, with pin.
Äusserst selten / Extremely rare. Gutes sehr schön / Good very fine.
(~€ 4’675/USD 5’495)
Extremely rare set that obviously in this combination was awarded from 1894 until 1896 only.
The (Imperial Order of the) Precious Star of the Double Dragon was established during the reign of the Guangxu Emperor (1871-1908, reigned since 1875) under the regency of the Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908, regent since 1861) on February 7, 1882, as a general order for civil and military merit, restricted to foreigners only. It consisted of five classes, of which the three upper ones were subdivided again into three grades. Its statutes, including full-size illustrations, were printed in Chinese and also in French by Th. Dupuy in Paris in form of a proposal of the Tsongli-Yamen (Premier’s office) to the Empress Regent on February 7, 1882. On the insignia of the 1st model, the class and grade designation is written in Man characters.
The early insignia were made in China, but they were often criticized in the Western World as being below the dignity of China, as being worn only as neck badges (although on beautifully embroidered ribbons) without stars even in the highest classes, as having the size of cow bells, and as being not shiny enough. This led to a number of changes. Sashes were introduced already in 1883 for the 1st and 2nd class which, according to a decree of 1894, had now to be in gold and to be accompanied by breast stars.
The variety of these insignia of this 1st model was greatly enhanced by the fact that the recipients of the three lower classes could be proposed to the Court by Viceroys, Governors, Generals and other high officials who, however, had to pay for the insignia. This was used particularly by Li Hongzhang (1823-1901) to introduce neck badges of reduced size and of non-standard design. When breast stars were introduced in 1894, the silver stars were also ordered in Europe (from, e.g., Halley, Krétly, Lemaitre, Wolfers, and Godet) and surmounted by a much reduced, Chinese-made badge.
In spite of the decentralized proposals, a central roster of all bestowals was kept in Peking with a running number through all classes. These numbers, repeated on the bestowal documents, allow the conclusion that less than 1000 insignia of the 1st model in all classes were distributed from 1882 until the outbreak of the Boxer Rebellion. In 1911, the order was abolished and replaced by a new system of five different orders, of which two consisted of eight classes. These orders were only conferred until the end of the Chinese monarchy in 1912.

1

Order of Muhammad Ali [Nishan al-Muhammad’Ali]. 2nd model (1919-1953), Grand Cordon set of insignia, manufactured by Lattes in Cairo, consisting of order’s badge, 750/000 (18 K) massive gold and enamels, set à jour with six rubies and six emeralds, 56.3 g (!), on the reverse manufacturer’s indication, on the agraffe Cairo gold mark „18 „ [18] and year mark „Z“ for 1949, with its full original conditioned sash ribbon, and breast star, 750/000 (18 K) massive gold, partly brillanté, and enamels, set à jour with six rubies and six emeralds, 134.2 g (!), on the reverse manufacturer’s indication, with pin, this with French mark for foreign production since 1893 (owl), with two fixing pins, one slightly bent, the other broken away, but present, in its original rubbed gold imprinted leather case with the Royal cipher of King Fu’ ad I (1868-1936, Sultan from 1917 until 1922, king since 1922). BWK2 20, 21.
Sehr selten / Very rare. Fast vorzüglich / About extremely fine.
(~€ 28’035/USD 32’965)
In consequence of his elevation to Sultan of Egypt by the British, Hussein Kamel (1853-1917, reigned since 1914) from the Muhammad Ali Dynasty by decree dated Abdîn Palce at Cairo April 4, 1915, established this three-class (Collar [al qilâda], 1st class or Grand Cordon [al-wisâh-al-akbar] and 2nd class [al-tabaqa al-aulâ], with annexed gold [nûtu ‘l-zahab] and silver medal [nûtu ‘l-fidda] of the order) order as the highest order of the sultanate, named after Muhammad Ali Pasha al-Mas’ud ibn Agha (1769-1849, from 1805 until 1848 Wâli and de facto ruler of Egypt and Sudan), the founder of the dynasty, originally originating from Albania (1st model).
Sultan Fuad I (1868-1936, since 1917 Sultan and since 1922 King of Egypt) by decree of August 11, 1919, then changed the design fundamentally, especially in using now massive gold instead of the former silver and in setting precious stones to the insignia, and reduced the number of holders of the 1st class from 30 to 15 (excluding the princes of the royal family and foreigners in Egyptian service). After the proclamation of the Kingdom of Egypt on March 15, 1922, new statues were issued by Royal decree no. 4 on January 1, 1923, without changing the design of the insignia. By Royal decree no. 50 dated May 24, 1926, the second class of the order was abolished, and the name of the 1st class was changed into ”Grand Cordon” [al-wisâh-al-akbar]. After the proclamation of the Arab Republic of Egypt on June 18, 1953, the order ceeded to exist. (Source: Ägypten - Mohammed Ali-Orden. In KOL1.)