An embroidered Star of the Order, 111x87 mm., elaborately made with Silver and Gold wire and sequins, the Order’s cross, made of green-lacquered, silver foil, the “sacred heart”, with red-lacquered, silver foil, the reverse, backed with ivory paper, bearing a German handwritten inscription in Gothic cursive: “Portugieser Orden der S. Bento d’Avis I, Portugal (...?...) getragen von Generalmajor Gustav Friedrich v. Braun” (with corrections from the time, after having attributed the star to the Brazilian Order of Cruzeiro).
A very rare, attributed piece, extremely fine condition, besides minor signs of use. I RR!
Gustav Friedrich von Braun (Arneburg, Dec. 25th, 1775 – May 28th, 1859) served in the Prussian Army (becoming noble in 1818), then in the British Army, where in 1826, he was asked to join the Imperial Brazilian Army, with the rank of Marechal de Campo, he commanded the Southern Army during the Cisalpine War of 1827, in 1830, he was appointed Military Governor of Rio Grande do Sul, being later dismissed for being a foreigner. General v. Braun returned back to Europe, in 1855 he was confirmed to his rank and pensioned with the rank of Marshal.