An Early Breast Star of the Order with chiselled rays and applied centre in two-colour gold, 71 mm., the flames, most accurately chiselled; convex, blue enameled centre medallion with the order’s motto “in sEnio” in finest gold enamel painting; concave, smooth reverse with the pin’s hinge (the pin, wanting) and pin-catch; in the original, morocco case, with fitted inner compartment; along with a most interesting paper, with handwritten notes about its provenance, stating that it belonged to the Count of Montalembert (a French Officer, belonged to the Royalist nobility, who fled to England and fought againt the Napoleonic forces; his son became a notable politician around the middle of 19th Century) and given to the Baron de Nervaux, who preserved this piece and most probably wrote these notes, with extremely interesting details about the award itself.
A beautiful and very rare star of this ancient order, renewed and reorganized in 1763 by Prince Carl Albrecht of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, it was awarded to meritorious German nobles with at least the 4 quarters of nobility and to foreigners that could prove the same noble descent. I RR!