Austria, Imperial. An Order Of The Iron Crown, Iii Class Knight In Gold, By Rothe, C. 1910

(Kaiserlicher Orden der Eisernen Krone). Reinstituted in 1815 by Emperor Franz I. Civil Division. Type III (1860-1918). A beautiful III Class Order of the Iron Crown constructed of Gold, consisting of a Lombard Iron Crown presenting green, red and white-enamelled jewels, which rests on the two-headed Austrian eagle with sword and orb, with a blue enamelled central shield showing on the obverse the imperial initial F and on the reverse the year 1815, marked on the base of the pendilia and the suspension ring with an FR in a diamond denoting Rothe manufacturing, a city mark A denoting Vienna, and a Gold mark identifying former Austro-Hungarian Empire, 1866-1872 with a purity of 750/1000, measures 29.15mm(w) x 55.95mm (h – inclusive of cross adorned crown suspension), weighs 22.9 grams (including ribbon), attached to it’s period triangular ribbon by an elongated suspension loop with white enamel detailing, enamels in pristine condition, a superb decoration in extremely fine condition.

Contained in it’s original hardshell case of issue, presenting a brown leather exterior stamped “OSTERR. KAISLERLICHER ORDEN DE EISERNEN KRONE III. CLASSE”, the interior presenting a crème coloured velvet recessed medal bed with silk lid interior stamped with ROTHE makers mark, base presents a sticker identifying No. 373 1911, hinge and clasp fully functional, light wear to exterior and discolouration on medalbed, otherwise in near extremely fine condition.

Footnote: The Order of the Iron Crown was originally established by Napoleon I on June 5, 1805, just a few days after his coronation as the King of Italy. This order was awarded for services to the crown in military, administration, arts and literature. In 1809, the insignia was altered, with the inscription in Italian and small beads were added to the points of the crown. The order was dissolved in 1814, when the “Austrian” Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia was founded in place of the French control. The Lombardo-Venetian Kingdom joined the Austrian Empire in 1814 and was under control of the Emperor of Austria. The Napoleonic order of the Iron Crown became the Austrian ‘imperial’ dynastic order. By January 1816, the new statues were approved by Emperor Franz I, and the order was officially restored on his birthday, February 12, 1816 as the “Austrian Imperial Order of the Iron Crown.”