Netherlands, Kingdom. An Order Of Orange-Nassau, I Class Grand Cross Case, C.1950

(Ordre van Oranje-Nassau). Instituted in 1892. Hardshelled design on both the lid and base, wooden-framed, the exterior with a steel blue pebbled cloth covering on all sides, the lid bearing the Royal Dutch Crown in gold-coloured ink, inside lid lined in navy blue satin, padded, marked "Kanselarij der Nederlandse Orden 's-Gravenhage" (Chancellery of the Netherlands Orders The Hague) and exhibiting the impressions of the once present badge and breast star, a navy blue fabric-wrapped cardboard insert placed within the base and incorporating a raised platform in navy blue felt, with recessed medal beds for the awards, dual-hinged, single clasp closure, measuring 143 mm (w) x 267 mm (h) x 51.7 mm (d), wear, scuffing and light soiling evident on the exterior, the fabric-wrapped cardboard panel coming away from the body of the back wall of the base, one small hole in the navy blue felt of the medal bed from the pinback of the breast star, very fine.

Footnote: The Order of Orange-Nassau is a civil and military Dutch order of chivalry founded on April 4, 1892 by the Queen regent Emma, acting on behalf of her under-age daughter Queen Wilhelmina. The order is a chivalric order open to "everyone who has earned special merits for society". These are people who deserve appreciation and recognition from society for the special way in which they have carried out their activities. The lower grades of the order are comparable with the ranks of the Order of the British Empire in the United Kingdom, but titles, prefixes or post-nominals (other than academic ones) are not used in the Netherlands (the only exception being for members of the Military William Order).