Republic of Argentina: Order of the Liberator San Martin

[Megan]

Instituted: 17 August 1943.

Awarded: To foreigners who are considered worthy of the highest honour and recognition of the Argentinian nation.

Collar:

 

Grand Cross: Badge

 

[heusy68]

Hello Gentlemen, 

Here is a Grand Officer of the Order of San Martin, in Argentina (like in Belgium, Dem Rep of Congo (1960-71), the Zaire till 1977, Zanzibar, the 2nd Class of a National Order is/was only a breast star. If my memory is good some chinese Order from the period 1929-37 had also the 3rd Class (or 1st Grade 3rd Class should I say), only as breast star.

Regards to all.

    Emmanuel

Edited December 26, 2018 by heusy68

[Megan]

That's interesting, Emmanuel... poking around on a mostly defunct corner of the Argentinan Chancellory website, it appears that the insignia for the Grand Officer class does indeed consist solely of a breast star.

Here's the link: https://web.archive.org/web/20120409224548/http://www.cancilleria.gov.ar/portal/cancilleria/condecoraciones/sm_granoficial.html  (archived in 2012)

Here's one that Spinks are selling in the new year:

The star is silver apart from the 'wavy rays' which are 18 karat gold. It's 90mm in diameter, the same size as the Grand Cross star, which is made completely of gold. I have an image of that somewhere as well... I just prefer to post on my own site before here :)

Edited December 26, 2018 by Megan
Correcting my spelling :)

[Megan]

Here, as promised, is the Grand Cross star - a magnificent gold beast!

[heusy68]

Hello Gentlemen & Hello Megan,

Here is the Commandor of the Order of San Martin.

Regards 

    Emmanuel

[heusy68]

Here are 2 Officer's of Order of San Martin, 

Size, dimension, it's not what is important, what made this Officer's, is the small silver-gilt laurel crown between the badge and the ribbon.

From Argentinian status, Officer never have a ribbon with rosette !!!!

Regards.

    Emmanuel

[heusy68]

Here is a 5th Class, Caballero del Orden de San Martin,

This class, as you can see has no silver-gilt laurel crown between badge and ribbon.

This class is much much scarcely awarded than any other class of the Order of San Martin.

That specific Order I bought it in Madrid in 2003, said to be part by the seller from a small group of award belonged to a low level employee of the Spanish Royal Household. I bought several other awards from this group, but the document were not in offer. So I have no proof that then seller said.

On the precedent post, I stated that size do not matter, the explanation is that the pendant of the badge of this 5th Class is bigger than the 2 Official ( 4 Th Class ) from my collection. But as I believe this 5th Class was produced in the early 1970ies , and the 2 4th Classes I own were produced earlier somewhen in the 1950ies or 60ies, this could also be an explanation.

The Order of San Martin is only awarded to foreigner, with the sole exception of Eva Peron, who as a gift of the Argentinian Nation was awarded a Collar of the Order of San Martin in gold with diamonds.

Regards.

    Emmanuel

Edited December 27, 2018 by heusy68

[heusy68]

A recent event in the History of the Order of San Martin, is that on 11 August 2017, Dictator Maduro from Venezuela was stripped from his award of Grand Collar of Order San Martin by President Macri, an award he gotted from President Cristina Kirchner in 2013.

https://www.lanacion.com.ar/2052125-en-que-consiste-la-orden-del-libertador-san-martin-que-le-retiraron-a-maduro 

Best regards.

    Emmanuel

Edited December 28, 2018 by heusy68

[heusy68]

 I had the opportunity to visit Foundation Pinochet in Santiago do Chile in February 2016. It's a private Museum, you have to write them at least 24 hours ahead of your visit (or like myself being lucky).

General Augusto Pinochet was awarded Gran Collar of the Order of San Martin on 29 April 1976 by General Jorge Videla. And here I join the photo.

His collar among 90 % of all awards General Pinochet was awarded during his life is in the museum of the Foundation Pinochet.

I have to add, that doing some research in the last 12 hours, there is also a controversy in Argentina about, if they have stripped Maduro from his Collar of Order san Martin, they should also strip General Pinochet & General Stroessner from Paraguay from their respective Collar of San Martin, and here I add the link (it's in spanish).

http://nacionalypopular.com/2017/08/21/macri-negri-y-la-quita-de-condecoracion-a-maduro-pinochet-el-mas-distinguido/ 

General Augusto Pinochet & General Stroessner have passed away in 2006, in December & August 2006 respectively.

Regards.

     Emmanuel

Edited December 28, 2018 by heusy68

[heusy68]

Hello Gentlemen,

It is sad not to have a full color photo of it, but Eva Peron was awarded a special collar of Order of San Martin, made for herself.This Collar entierly of gold & platinum was made of 4574 elements, which 3821 are of platinum and gold, and 753 precious stones (diamonds, emeralds, and rubies). This collar differs from future Collar for Head of States, because as you can see, the links on the Collar ,represents each one , the Coat of Arms of the 14 Provinces of Argentina.

http://evita3.marianobayona.com/14jun06.html 

You can read this page, indication on the collar are at the bottom of the text.

Regards to all.

    Emmanuel

[Megan]

Great stuff, Emmanuel. Yes, I just found out about Eva Peron's special collar as well, but that's the only image I can find of it. Unfortunately it did not survive the military coup in 1955, being taken apart and all the gems sold off.

The design was quite different from that in use today – although the badge of the Order was suspended from a laurel wreath with a curved sabre and Andean condor, the centre link of the collar from which it hung depicted the National Coat of Arms with four flags, and the rest of the Collar was made up of the shields of the then fourteen provinces united by a double chain of drums (representing the Tacuarí drum, based on a legend of a young drummer boy at the 1811 battle between Spanish loyalists and revolutionaries) and closing of laurels with a great sun's finale in back.