Austria-Hungary The Order of St. Stephen

[Elmar Lang]

Hello,

I would like to start a discussion about this high Austro-Hungarian Order, beginning with a curious piece: a Grand Cross breast star of British manufacture.

The diameter is 7,1 cm., quite smaller than usual; the short "flamed" rays are gilt.

The pin is made of gold and on the reverse medallion there is the engraved mark of "Wm. Gray Jeweller 13. New Bond St.".

I know that collectors like "official pieces" more than such foreign-made pieces, but I find this star and highly attractive.

Best wishes,

Enzo

Obverse side:

[Elmar Lang]

Reverse side:

[Elmar Lang]

Detail of the manufacturer's signature:

[Elmar Lang]

...it seems that I still need to learn how to resize pictures.

My sincere apologies,

Enzo

[Yankee]

Hello,

I would like to start a discussion about this high Austro-Hungarian Order, beginning with a curious piece: a Grand Cross breast star of British manufacture.

The diameter is 7,1 cm., quite smaller than usual; the short "flamed" rays are gilt.

The pin is made of gold and on the reverse medallion there is the engraved mark of "Wm. Gray Jeweller 13. New Bond St.".

I know that collectors like "official pieces" more than such foreign-made pieces, but I find this star and highly attractive.

Best wishes,

Enzo

Obverse side:

Hi Enzo

That is one very early 1800's beautifully detailed made star I for one like foreign made stars , much more interesting & much more seldom encountered. It seemed to be an English trademark to use the gold pin, certainly spared no expense. All you need now is to find the badge ..

Sincerely

Brian

[Elmar Lang]

...and here are two Grand Cross sets. The first, with the badge of early manufacture, re-issued with the upgraded suspension, made with old uniface crown adapted with a ribbon ring; the second, belonged to Cardinal Giuseppe Taliani is from the late XIX Century.

[Elmar Lang]

The second set:

[Yankee]

Hi Enzo

Two sets what a fantastic surprise. Was it the norm that high ranking clergy would receive the St.Stephen?

Always thought it was reserved for the nobility & royalty. Can you tell us about Cardinal Giuseppe Taliani, certainly must have been a very important figure to receive such a high honor. Thanks

Sincerely

Brian

[Paul R]

Hi Enzo

Two sets what a fantastic surprise. Was it the norm that high ranking clergy would receive the St.Stephen?

Always thought it was reserved for the nobility & royalty. Can you tell us about Cardinal Giuseppe Taliani, certainly must have been a very important figure to receive such a high honor. Thanks

Sincerely

Brian

What were they awarded for? How many classes were there?

[Yankee]

What were they awarded for? How many classes were there?

They were given to the aristocracy, especially the Hungarian nobility for civil service in the highest degree. There are three classes: Grand Cross

Commander

Knight

Sincerely

Brian

[Elmar Lang]

Hello,

during the reign of Maria Theresia, the two highest merit orders were instituted:

the Military Maria Theresia Order (Milit?r Maria Theresien - Orden), to recompensate officers for the highest acts of gallantry in time of war;

the Order of St. Stephen (K?niglich hohe Ritter-Orden vom Heiligen Stephan dem Apostolischen K?nig), to recompensate the highest civil merits.

Both orders, in their definitive organization were divided into 3 classes: Grand Cross (Gro?kreuz); Commander (Kommandeur) and Knight or Small Cross (Ritter; Klein-Kreuz).

These orders belong to the highest old-Austrian signs of honour and the original pieces are from very rare to extremely rare, in any classes.

In the last 40 years, many copies appeared on the market, mostly made by the famous jewellers Rothe & Neffe in Vienna. These pieces weren't intended to deceive collectors; they were simply made and sold as copies, a last example of the high craftsmanship of austrian order-makers.

Lately, it happens that such copies (especially those of the Maria Theresia Order) appear "upgraded", being struck with faked old-austrian silver (or gold) assay marks. The trained "eye" of a collector can detect such pieces, because of the different workmanship between a pre-1918 and a post-1918 order.

Other copies are made in Hungary, but their quality is so low that even a quasi-absolute beginner won't fall in error.

Best wishes,

Enzo

[Elmar Lang]

Continuing the discussion about the Grand Cross, I'm posting two badges of old manufacture; the first of a very early type, with a simple ring suspension (the crown was fixed to the sash ribbon); the second, of the same period, but "updated" in the 1st half of XIX Century, by order of the Chancellery: in this case, the original uniface crown was modified adding a long suspension ring and a smaller loop to link it to the cross.

The obverse:

[Elmar Lang]

...and the reverse:

[Yankee]

Continuing the discussion about the Grand Cross, I'm posting two badges of old manufacture; the first of a very early type, with a simple ring suspension (the crown was fixed to the sash ribbon); the second, of the same period, but "updated" in the 1st half of XIX Century, by order of the Chancellery: in this case, the original uniface crown was modified adding a long suspension ring and a smaller loop to link it to the cross.

The obverse:

18th century twins.

[ccj]

18th century twins.

You always show high end orders. Do you have high end military merit crosses?

[Utgardloki]

I found that online, I don't know who owns it, but it is a remarkable ensemble.