Set of 1st Class “with Star”, belonged to Victoria Eugenie, Queen of Spain. Breast Cross, 87 x 78 mm., GOLD and enamels, flanked by golden roses with masterly enameled details, centre medallion with applied bust of St. Elizabeth in gold and white enameled upper cross, outer circlet in gold, the reverse with white enameled centre medallion bearing the separately made, ornamented monogram “E”, on stylized laurel leaves, round, upper loop, struck with old Austrian gold marks and suspension made as a golden bow, round ribbon ring and original, ladies’ bow ribbon. Breast Star, 72,0 mm., Silver, with brilliant-cut and pierced silver rays, the centre in gold with red and white enameled Order’s Cross, finely enameled rose branches and flowers between the arms, white enameled centre medallion with applied bust of St. Elizabeth in gold and white enameled upper cross, outer circlet in gold, smooth reverse, centre disc struck with “F.R.” (within a lozenge), “greyhound’s head” and “A” marks, gilt, narrow pin struck with an “A” mark.
A very rare set of this ladies’ order (the 1st class with star was awarded 3 times only!), instituted by Emperor Franz Joseph on September 17th 1898 in memory of his wife, Empress Elizabeth, assassinated in Geneva, on Sept. 10th 1898, by the Italian anarchist Luigi Luccheni; this class was awarded to ladies of the highest nobility only, very fine condition.
Provenance: the estate of H.M. Victoria Eugenie, Queen of Spain (1887-1969) as wife of King Alphonse XIII, exiled in Rome in 1931, passed away in Lausanne, and interred in the Ouchy cemetery, her remains were then transported to Madrid in 1985 to find their final rest in the Royal Crypt at the Escorial; Hôtel des Ventes – Genève, sale of December 10th, 2012, lot 66 (catalogue, pages 23-24.). I RR!