Orders of Baden, Order of Fidelity Insignia, Plate VII, Wood Engraving, 1844

An original antique wood engraving, colored by hand with watercolor, showing seven insignia of Baden. At the upper left is a silver rayed star (1) bearing a red cross edged in gold, with interlaced double C monograms between the arms and an orange center showing a monogram above green hills. At the upper right is a silver star (3) in the form of a cross over rays, its gold center showing a griffin with a shield. In the middle row are a red cross (2) with gold double C monograms between its arms, hung from a crown on a yellow ribbon with gray stripes, its white center showing a red monogram over green hills; and a white cross (4) within a green laurel wreath, hung from a crown on a yellow and red ribbon, its red center bearing a gold monogram inside a blue lettered ring. Across the foot are three lengths of red watered ribbon edged in yellow, each with a bar: two in silver (5, 6) and one in gold (7).

The plate is headed "BADE" (Baden) at the upper left and numbered "VII." at the upper right, with items 1 to 7. The star (1) is lettered "FIDELITAS." and the cross (2) "FIDELITAS" (Fidelity), the motto of the Order of Fidelity. The star (3) is lettered "FUR RADENS EHRE.", the B of BADENS cut as an R (For Baden's honor), and the cross (4) carries the same legend. Each bar carries Gothic initials and a crowned shield, followed by the numerals XII, XVIII and XXV.

The plate comes from Ordres de Chevalerie et Marques d'Honneur, published in Brussels in 1844 by the Librairie Historique-Artistique, rue de Schaerbeek, 12, with the title page reading "publié par Auguste Wahlen"; the half title is 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.

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