Made of gilt Silver, composed by eleven red enameled double eagles, ten laurel branches, centered by a diamonds-set, five-pointed star each, and a centre, forward link made of two opposite laurel branches also centered by diamond-set stars and a laurel wreath with crossed swords pointing down which crossguards are also set with diamonds, to which the order’s badge is appended, made as a gilt silver, black enameled Albanian double-eagle, its breast charged with a red enameled shield bearing Skaderbeg’s helmet on a trophy of flags; the two eagle’s heads, fiddet with loops above, to which a large, diamonds-set, five-pointed star is linked as a suspension of the badge to the collar itself; the badge’s reverse is carefully chiseled and engraved as to render the eagle’s details and a convex shield, is applied to the breast; the reverse of the collar’s links, smooth and slightly concave; in the original, red presentation case with night-blue velvet fitted inner compartment and lid’s inner cushion of silk in the same colour.
An unique piece, in its jeweled version, to be worn by sovereigns only, of the highest honour of the Kingdom of Albania, instituted on December 3rd, 1925 by Ahmet Zogu, the King Zog I; excellent condition. I RR!
Dim.: the collar, l. 1200,0 x 35,0 mm.; the badge, 100,0 x 55,0 mm.
Note: Leka (Leka Skënder Zogu), Crown Prince of Albania, born on April 5th, 1939, died November 30th, 2011), was the only son of King Zog I. Although called as Crown Prince Skander of Albania at birth, at Zog’s death in 1961, he was acclaimed as King Leka I by his supporters. He went to exile two days after his birth, due to the annexion of Albania to the Kingdom of Italy. He spent his exile’s life in England, then to Egypt under the protection of King Farouk, where he attended Victoria College in Alexandria; studied in Geneva and at the Sorbonne in Paris, then attendig the Royal Military Academy of Sandhurst in England, benig commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the British Army, then becoming a businessman. His family changed their residence after having been expelled from Spain, then settling in South Africa, protected by an appointed diplomatic status. He and his family returned to Albania after the fall of the communist regime, attempting to restore the monarchy, what ended in turmoils that led to Leka’s departure from his country. He returned in 2002, from then on living a quiet life, although remaining politically active until 2006. His death, in Tirana, was caused by a heart attack. He was tributed state funerals and now his remains and of his wife are buried in the Mausoleum of the Albanian Royal Family.