Markus

Very nice medals, thanks Babar!

Boulanger made, Lion & Sun 2nd class breast star. Markus collection.

Boulanger made, Lion & Sun 2nd class breast star. Markus collection.

Kretly made, military division Lion & Sun, 3rd class Commander. Pre-1872. Markus Collection

Kretly made, military division Lion & Sun, 3rd class Commander. Pre-1872. Markus Collection

Kretly 1st class Lion & Sun breast star, medallion close up. Markus collection.

Decide to move some of my previous posts of Lion Sun medals to this thread for the mother of all Lion Sun threads. Kretly 1st class Lion & Sun breast star, Markus collection.

This is my updated list of known makers of Persia Lion & Sun. I would guess that it contains up to 95 percent of the makers, but I am always finding a new one. Please feel free to post any other makers and samples you know of. European makers Baqueville (Paris) CH. Billard, A.D. Marie Succ. (Paris) Bertrand (Paris) Boullanger (Paris) Chobillon (Paris) Dazeville (Paris) Edouard (St.Petersburg) Godet & Sohn (Berlin) Halley (Paris) Johann Schwerdtner (Austrian) Kretly (Paris) Lasne Halley (Paris) Lemaitre (Paris) D. Ossipov (St. Petersburg) Ozeretskij (Moscow) Ouizille & Lemoine ( Paris) Rothe (Austrian) Vinc Meyers Sohne (Austrian) J.H.Werner ( German) Wolfers (Belgian) Persian makers Ibrahim Faiz Allah Saniolmamalek

A close up of a Persia Lion & Sun, 3rd class breast star with a beautiful painted center medallion. I have come across a few of these incredible hand painted medallions from Persia that have been painted by famous Persian miniature painters. Persian made, private collection.

A Persia Lion & Sun, civil Knight class by Rothe (Austrian) maker.

A German made Persia 1st class Lion & Sun breast star. Private collection

This web site seems to have to most information on the Lion & Sun order: http://www.qajarpages.org/qajorders.html As to the crown placement on the Lion & Sun order, pre-1872 orders all had the crown as part of the design and the Lion & Sun order was redesigned in 1872, eliminating the use of the crown. I have seen different theories on the color of the rays, gold, green, red and very rarely black, but in the end they all seem to be conjecture. No one has definitive proof as to the reasons the different rays colors. This order has very little information to be found. There doesn't appear to be any comprehensive books on the subject. I think the stars between the rays are decorative touches. The beauty of this order to me is that it engaged more Jewelry makers than any other order and exemplified the highest level of jewelers art. So as a collector I am happy to see such a variety of makers and am pleased that the wide spread desire and issuance of this order left us with such a beautiful and varied order.

This is a most unusual early Ouizille Lemoine (Paris) made breast star front and reverse view. Private collection

Persia Lion and sun with inscription on reverse, The Work of Ibrahim. Private collection

Persia Lion & Sun Commander class by Edouard maker (St. Petersberg, Russia) Private Collection

Persia Lion & Sun commander class civil division by CH. Billard A.D. Marie Succ. Paris. Private collection

An early model 1st class Lion and Sun breast star. Private collection

A Persia Lion & Sun 1st class jeweled breast star by Baqueville. Private collection

An early period Lion & Sun, 1st class. Private collection

A Wolfers made Lion & Sun 1st class breast star,close-up of the medallion. Private collection

A Wolfers made Lion & Sun 1st class breast star. Private collection

Persia Military Lion & Sun by Halley breast star 2nd class. Pre-1872 made. Private collection. "The small stars between the rays applied between 1856 and 1872. They were removed because of the confusion with the breast stars of Order of the Aghdas, which had been instituted in 1870. Thereafter the class was indicated by the number of rays, eight for the first class down to four for the fifth class." per James Hoard

A close up of the Halley made breast star 1st class medallion. Private collection.

A Halley made Persia Lion & Sun breast star 1st class with red rays. Private collection.

Close up of the Boulanger breast star 2nd class medallion. Private collection.