Great Britain, St Michael and St George Order, Plate XXXV, Wood Engraving, 1844

This original antique wood engraving, colored by hand, shows insignia of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George. At upper left (15) is a breast star of silver rays carrying a red, gold-edged cross with gold rays between the arms; the center shows a winged figure in white trampling a green dragon-like form, within a blue ring lettered with the motto. At upper right (16) is a smaller silver star with the same red cross and center. The two badges in the middle row are white-enameled seven-armed stars edged in gold: one (17) hangs from a gold domed crown with the winged figure at its center, the other (18) from a royal crown with Saint George on a white horse slaying the dragon, both on blue and red ribbons. Across the foot runs a section of the gold collar (19), with a crown, winged lions, chain links, ciphers and white crosses.

The running head at upper left reads "GRANDE BRETAGNE." (Great Britain) and the plate number at upper right "XXXV."; the items are numbered 15 to 19. The blue ring of the star carries the Latin motto "AUSPICIUM. MELIORIS ÆVI", which translates as "token of a better age" and is the motto of this order.

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 plate suits a collection of British orders or a study hung with heraldic material.

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