Orders of Russia, 1844, Paper

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This is an original antique wood engraving, colored by hand, showing insignia under the heading of russia. At upper left … Read more This is an original antique wood engraving, colored by hand, showing insignia under the heading of russia. At upper left is an eight pointed gold star with a blue ring around a red and white cross on a silver center. At upper right is an eight pointed silver star with a green ring of leaves around a white lettered ring and a center bearing a red script s. Below left a broad blue sash carries a badge under a red and gold crown: a black double headed eagle with a white eagle and a red and white cross at its breast. At lower right a red cross with gold eagles between its arms and a red s within a green wreath at the center hangs from a red ribbon with white and black stripes at the edges. The running head reads "russie." and the plate number "lxvii." the items are numbered 17 to 20. The blue ring of star 17 is lettered "pro fide rege et lege" (latin, for faith, king and law), the motto of the order of the white eagle. The white ring within the wreath of star 19 carries, in roughly cut letters, praemiando incitat (latin, it encourages by rewarding), the motto of the order of saint stanislaus. The plate comes from ordres de chevalerie et marques d'honneur, published by auguste wahlen at brussels by the librairie historique-artistique, rue de schaerbeek, 12, in 1844; the half title reads histoire, costumes, décorations de tous les ordres de chevalerie, et marques d'honneur. Auguste wahlen was the pen name of the belgian writer jean-françois-nicolas loumyer (1801 to 1875), and the title page lists his own knighthoods in orders of prussia, sweden, spain, portugal, turkey, hanover, greece, the roman states, saxe-coburg and brazil. The illustrations are relief prints, wood engravings, colored by hand with watercolor. The gold and silver stars above the blue sash and red cross make a well balanced sheet. Condition: light wear to the bottom left, top left and bottom right corners. Age toning, darker at the edges; handling soiling along the edges and scattered foxing in the margins. Printed image clean. This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed. Any framed or interior images are shown for presentation and inspiration only, unless the listing explicitly states that the item is sold framed. See less