SINCONA Auction 67

Description

Order of the Sun and the Lion Lion [Nishan-i-Schir-u-Khorschid]. 2nd model (1834-1848), 3rd grade (Sertib), fist class set of insignia for military holders (with crowned standing lion with a sabre), consisting of: sash decoration, silver brillanté, centre gold and enamels, with enamel painting, without sash ribbon, and breast star, with three rings round of the centre, silver brillanté, centre gold and enamels, with enamel painting, with pin.
Von grösster Seltenheit / Of the highest rarity. Gutes sehr schön / Good very fine. (2)
(~€ 9’345/USD 10’990)
In the year AH 1223 [AD 1808] Fath-Ali Shah Qajar (1772-1834, reigned since 1897) instituted the Order of the Lion and the Sun [Nishan-i-Schir-u-Khorschid]. Initially, it was intended to reward foreigners only for merits they had rendered to the empire. As it seems that the statutes of this order did not survive - if they have ever existed - little is known about classes and organisation. According to Mulder (in MEP p. 11) from 1808 until 1814 there existed perhaps only three classes (1st model). A certain system in the widely varying badges and stars is difficult to reconstruct, but there existed collars, sash and neck badges and breast stars, all set with precious stones and pearls. Probably the number of classes was enlarged in about 1820.
During the reign of Mohammad Shah Qajar (1808-1848, reigned since 1834), in the year AH 1252 [AD 1834] there were issued detailed statutes for the order, that probably now also opened it to Persians, establishing a highly sophisticated system of eight grades, the 1st to 6th grade (Nouyane, Amir Toumane, Sertib, Sèrhèngue, Yawer and Soltane) divided into three classes, the 7th grade (Nayeeb) into six classes and the 8th grade (Wekil) into five classes (2nd model). The classes were indicated by the number of circles around the centre. In the 1st to 6th grades the decorations were set with more or less precious stones, mostly diamonds. The 1st to 4th grade had also a full sash ribbon. These statutes also fixed the civil (with a resting lion in front of the sun) and the military (with a standing lion with a ”naked” sabre in front of the sun) division. This difference in the lions had existed already earlier in the 1st model, but it is not known if it indicated a civil and a military division. This highly sophisticated system led as a matter of fact to a very numerous variety of insignia.