France L?gion d'honneur

[saschaw]

Actually I'm "Imperial German" and never in other forums, but once I bought a French Legion of Honour that I want to show you. When I bought it I thought it's from the 1er Empire, but now I know it's later, presumably a veryyy early piece from 2nd Empire. It seems to be mixed, is definitely not a typicall example to any epoche. I hope you like it as I do ...

[Hendrik]

Hello Saschaw,

A 2nd Empire cross with 1st Empire obverse central medallion, I think, and as such perhaps a less common "hybrid type". The regime changes prior to 1870 in France (monarchies turning into republics and empires or vice versa) caused some alterations to already awarded crosses : it didn't look well to wear an imperial cross when there was a king on the throne etc. ...

On your cross, strangely enough, one imperial medaillion seems to have been changed into an older one - it may be a case of the original centre having too much damage and being replaced by an old one that was still in stock with a jeweller.

Nice one with not too much enamel damage for its age !

Cheers,

Hendrik

[g_deploige]

Dear Saschaw,

the centers are OK, at the end of the periode Pr?cidence 1851-1852 the L?gions d'honneurs had the same form as the end of the first Empire (4the model), the only difference is the ribbon below where the leaves are knot together, In the first Empire there was no ribbon pulling down. The crow of your Ldh is a Second Empire (with eagles)

Guy

[saschaw]

Thanks Gentlemen, so it's most likely a hybrid time from very early IInd Empire, right?

Nice one with not too much enamel damage for its age !

No no, the enamel is actually worse than it looks like on the picture ...