Electoral Hesse, Iron Helmet Crosses, Plate XLII, Wood Engraving, 1844

This original antique wood engraving, colored by hand, shows decorations of Electoral Hesse. At upper left (7) is a black cross with trefoil ends and silver edges, bearing a plumed, visored helmet, on a red ribbon with white stripes. In the center (8) is a plain black cross with silver edges and the same plumed helmet, without a ribbon. At upper right (6) is a pink-enameled Maltese cross edged in gold with crowned gold lions in the angles, hung from a gold crown on a blue ribbon edged in gray. In the lower row are a gray cross with a crowned cipher in a wreath on a red ribbon striped in blue (11), a gold cross with a crowned cipher and blackletter inscription on a red ribbon (9), and a dark medal with a cross in a wreath on a white ribbon with red stripes (10).

The running head at upper left reads "HESSE ÉLECTORALE." (Electoral Hesse) and the plate number at upper right "XLII."; the items are numbered 6 to 11. The helmet crosses 7 and 8 carry the initials ("W K" on 7, "WK" on 8) and the date "1814"; these are the Iron Helmet decorations. Cross 6 bears the monogram "WK" and "VIR TV TI" (for valor). Cross 9 reads "Fur Verdienst und Treue" in blackletter (for merit and fidelity), cross 11 has "10" on its upper arm and German words for ten years of service time on the others, spelled "IAHRE" and "ZEIT" on the side arms, and medal 10 is dated "1814" and "1815".

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.

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