SINCONA Auction 67

Description

Order of the Sun and the Lion [Nishan-i-Schir-u-Khorschid]. 3rd model (1848-1939), division for civil and foreign persons (with resting lion), probably 2nd-grade (Amir Toumane), 3rd-class set, manufacturing by Arthus-Bertrand, consisting of: sash badge, silver gilt and enamels, enamel painting, the applications fixed with 12 hollow rivets, with its full conditioned green and white sash ribbon, and breast star, silver brillanté, partly gilt, and enamels, the applications fixed with 18 hollow rivets, with pin and two lateral fixing hooks, in its original golden imprinted case of Arthus-Bertrand.
Äusserst selten / Extremely rare. Fast vorzüglich / About extremely fine. (2)
(~€ 935/USD 1’100)

This rare set was sold in the auction of Thierry de Maigret on April 27, 2017, at Druot in Paris, cat. no. 147, together with other memorabilia of Prince Samad Khan Momtaz os-Saltaneh, to whom this set was conferred in the first quarter of the 20th century.
Samad Khan Momtaz os-Saltaneh [ صمد خان ممتاز السطنه] (1869-1954) was was an Iranian diplomat of the Qajar and Pahlavi dynasty era. Originating from Tabriz from an Azeri (Azerbaijani) family. His father Ali Akbar Mokrem os-Saltaneh was an eminent aristocrat and diplomat. In 1883 Samad Khan became secretary of the Persian legation in Paris, and from 1899 to 1900 he was a counselor in the Persian embassy in Sankt Petersburg. He was the Persian minister in Belgium and the Netherlands before being appointed Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Minister in Paris in April 1905. He remained at this position until March 1926. In March 1921 by Ahmad Shah Qajar [احمد شاه قاجار] ((1898-1930), reigned from 1909 until 1925) he was elevated to the dignity of Prince with the style Royal Highness. Very wealthy, he never returned to Iran and chose to live in Paris. He was recognized by the French government as counselor of the Iranian embassy in Paris from March, 25, 1946 to September, 27, 1951.
At the conference of the International Red Cross of Algeciras (Spain) from January 16 until April 7, 1906, Momtaz os-Saltaneh convinced the assembly to accept the use of new emblems for the Persian Red Cross Society, the red lion and sun (not any more used since 1975), now named Persian Society of the Red Lion and Sun, and the red crescent for the other islamic states, furtheron named Red Crescent Societies. He also was the second Persian IOC (International Olympic Committee) Member.
Besides many other orders of chivalry, decorations and medals, he also was a holder of the Order of the Imperial Effigy [Nishan-i-Temtal-i-Amur ut-Mumenin e Humayun], of the Order of the Sun and the Lion [ خورشید شیر و - Nishan-i-Schir-u-Khorschid] with the portrait of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar (1831-1896, reigned since 1848), of the Order of the Sun and the Lion [ خورشید شیر و - Nishan-i-Schir-u-Khorschid] 3rd grade Amir Pendji 1st class, of the 1st class for non-christians of the Russian Imperial and Royal Order of St. Stanislas [Имперáторский и королéвский орден Святого Станислава], of the 1st class of the Order of the Star of the Most Noble House Buchara [О́рден Благоро́дной Бухары́], of the Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of Franz Joseph [Kaiserlich Österreichischer Franz Joseph-Orden] and a Grand Officer of the French National Order of Honour [Grand officier de l’Ordre National de la Légion d'honneur].
His first marriage, to an Iranian, resulted in a son, Abdollah, who would later become a diplomat in Iran. He had two daughters from a second marriage to a Frenchwoman. He died in 1954 at the age of 84 in Paris and was buried at Père-Lachaise cemetery.