Persia Homayoun Lion & Sun Grand cross

[Markus]

Persia Homayoun Lion and Sun Grand Cross

Pahlavi period 1925-41

A new system of official honors was instituted by the Pahlavi dynasty. The Lion and Sun decoration was continued, with major modifications, from the Qajar period. The five classes of the Lion and sun for civilians persisted under the name Homayoun. The Homayoun was a simplified and modernized version of the original Qajar Lion and sun. The badge consisted of a central medallion bearing an enameled disk of the lion with upraised sword andthe rising sun, framed within a six-pointed star; the star was a similar badgesuperimposed upon a sunburst with eight points; the third class consisted only of the star, without the badge. The first class was worn with a green sash bordered in red stripes, the second class suspended from a red-bordered green ribbon by means of a rosette. There was also a Homayoun medal, with three grades, of gold, silver, and bronze, intended for lower-ranking civil servants. In the last decades of the Pahlavi dynasty it ceased to be awarded. The breast badges with the eight enameled green rays were the first type issued and later breast badges had no enameled rays. The manufacture of this posted breast cross medal was the French firm Arthus Bertrand.

Any additional information and photos pertaining to this order would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Marcus

Edited January 21, 2011 by Markus

[Guest IMHF]

Very nice Piece

Lorenzo

[Markus]

Thanks Lorenzo!

I love your Iraq military collection and have read all your posts. I recently purchased an El Rafidain Breast star and commander cross from the Kingdom era. They are getting quite hard to come by and the prices have zoomed up. I think that order goes way to the top of my list of the most beautiful orders ever made. Keep us updated on your great collection!

Regards,

Marcus

Very nice Piece

Lorenzo

[James Hoard]

Persia Homayoun Lion and Sun Grand Cross

Pahlavi period 1925-41

A new system of official honors was instituted by the Pahlavi dynasty. The Lion and Sun decoration was continued, with major modifications, from the Qajar period. The five classes of the Lion and sun for civilians persisted under the name Homayoun. The Homayoun was a simplified and modernized version of the original Qajar Lion and sun. The badge consisted of a central medallion bearing an enameled disk of the lion with upraised sword andthe rising sun, framed within a six-pointed star; the star was a similar badgesuperimposed upon a sunburst with eight points; the third class consisted only of the star, without the badge. The first class was worn with a green sash bordered in red stripes, the second class suspended from a red-bordered green ribbon by means of a rosette. There was also a Homayoun medal, with three grades, of gold, silver, and bronze, intended for lower-ranking civil servants. In the last decades of the Pahlavi dynasty it ceased to be awarded. The breast badges with the eight enameled green rays were the first type issued and later breast badges had no enameled rays. The manufacture of this posted breast cross medal was the French firm Arthus Bertrand.

Any additional information and photos pertaining to this order would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Marcus

Marcus,

Thanks for posting this lovely image.

The Order of Humayoun (which means' the August') was an entirely new order and had nothing to do with the earlier Qajar Order of the Lion and Sun.

Although the image of the Lion and Sun was used for the new order, this is a national symbol and used in many instances. On the contrary, that Order of the Lion and Sun had become so discredited and so associated with corruption that everybody, the Pahlavis and even the last Qajar Shah wanted to drop any association with it. Indeed, if one looks at the Humayun, the only link is in the use of the Iranian national symbol, though even then the illustration is very different. The ribbon, shape of the badges and stars, classes, method of wear, are all different.

For comparative purposes if one looks at the British system of honours, the use of the St George symbol (and even name) for the George Cross, George Medal or the Order of St Michael and St George does not mean that all of these are part of the Order of the Garter!

Cheers,

James Hoard

[Markus]

Marcus,

Thanks for posting this lovely image.

The Order of Humayoun (which means' the August') was an entirely new order and had nothing to do with the earlier Qajar Order of the Lion and Sun.

Although the image of the Lion and Sun was used for the new order, this is a national symbol and used in many instances. On the contrary, that Order of the Lion and Sun had become so discredited and so associated with corruption that everybody, the Pahlavis and even the last Qajar Shah wanted to drop any association with it. Indeed, if one looks at the Humayun, the only link is in the use of the Iranian national symbol, though even then the illustration is very different. The ribbon, shape of the badges and stars, classes, method of wear, are all different.

For comparative purposes if one looks at the British system of honours, the use of the St George symbol (and even name) for the George Cross, George Medal or the Order of St Michael and St George does not mean that all of these are part of the Order of the Garter!

Cheers,

James Hoard

Thanks James for your addition. It is very hard to find substantial info on this order. The info I have posted was pulled off an Iranian site. I really love the enamel work on this order and admire the simplicity of the design.

Regards,

Marcus

[oamotme]

James,

Thanks for your post - most enlightening - I had assumed, wrongly, that one was merely a modified reestablishment of the other. However your comments concerning the use of a national symbol ring true.

Many thanks,

Owain

[Markus]

Here is another version of this order courtesy of Babar. The 360 degrees sun rays and bearded lion are fantastic! Usually they were made by Bertrand in Paris. I have seen the breast star with green ray, no green rays, and a bearded lion with 360 degree sun rays.

Edited January 24, 2012 by Markus

[Markus]

This is a full set of the order that recently was on Hermann Historica site.

[Mitya Ivanov]

"The 360 degrees sun rays... fantastic"

It's rare, yes. I don't believe this is some special grade, I'm sure this is just [one of] the earliest versions of this order - maybe the earliest one. NB the Sun here (on Hermann Historica's and Babar's images) still has face - like Qajarian LS-emblem. The later Homayouns received ground under the lion but the Sun lost its face.

[Mitya Ivanov]

'Babar's' star with 360-rays Sun has no green rays.

This version has: http://www.najafcoins.com/Images/o1910.jpg

And this one - too:

Funny:)

[JapanX]

'Babar's' star with 360-rays Sun has no green rays.

Because Babar's s star belong to 2nd class and Markus star belong to 1st class ;)

[Mitya Ivanov]

Oh! Sure! What a stupe am I:)

おかげで

[JapanX]

Oh! Sure! What a stupe am I:)

おかげで

Mitya my pal! I don't read neither Japanese nor Chinese or Korean etc.etc.

P.S. I see you are not busy with this president elections ;)

[Mitya Ivanov]

President elections? Lough over lol:)

I've copypasted this japanese 'thank you' from the Internet:)