Electoral Hesse, Golden Lion Insignia, Plate XLI, Wood Engraving, 1844

This original antique wood engraving, colored by hand, shows insignia of Electoral Hesse. At upper left (1) is a breast star of silver and pale blue rays, its center a crowned lion barred in red and white on blue, within a red lettered ring. At upper right (3) is a white Maltese cross star with a gold ring around a crowned gold lion on blue. Lower left (2) is a large oval gold badge with a crowned gold lion rampant on red inside a lettered frame, hung on a red ribbon tied in a bow. In the center (5) is a red-enameled cross edged in gold and white with a crowned gold lion on blue in a red oval, shown with a small blue oval reverse bearing a crowned monogram. Lower right (4) is a crowned red cross with white rays between the arms and the same lion center, again with a blue reverse disc and cipher, on a red ribbon.

The running head at upper left reads "HESSE ÉLECTORALE" (Electoral Hesse) and the plate number at upper right "XLI."; the items are numbered 1 to 5. The rings and frame read "VIRTUTE ET FIDELITATE", Latin for "by virtue and fidelity", the motto of the Order of the Golden Lion. The blue reverse ovals carry the interlaced initials "WK", under a crown on the reverse of 5.

The plate comes from Ordres de Chevalerie et Marques d'Honneur, published by Auguste Wahlen in 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 the 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 repeated red and gold lion makes a handsome display plate for a collection of German orders.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.