Greece, Order of the Redeemer Insignia, Plate XXXVII, Wood Engraving, 1844

This original antique wood engraving, colored by hand, shows insignia of the Kingdom of Greece. At upper left (1) is a breast star of pearled rays touched with pale blue, its center a white cross in a green wreath within a blue lettered ring. At upper right (2) is the badge, a white-enameled, gold-edged cross in a green wreath, hung from a gold crown on a pale blue ribbon edged in white, with a small round reverse showing a gold laureate head. Below are a pale blue cross in a wreath with a crown over crossed swords (3); a pale blue cross with a lozenged shield at its center, on a ring without ribbon (4); a pair of black crosses with gray edges (5); and a pair of bronze crosses (6), the pairs and cross 3 on pale blue ribbons.

The running head at upper left reads "GRÈCE." (Greece) and the plate number at upper right "XXXVII."; the items are numbered 1 to 6. The ring of the star carries a Greek legend meaning "thy right hand, O Lord, is glorified in strength", the motto of the Order of the Redeemer, and the small reverse of badge 2 gives the name and title of King Otto in Greek. Crosses 3, 5 and 6 bear the same name and title across their arms, cross 4 carries a Greek dedication naming the fatherland, and the second crosses of pairs 5 and 6 name Bavaria.

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.