Orders of Lucca, Military Merit Cross and Service Crosses, Plate XLVII, 1844

This is an original antique wood engraving, colored by hand, showing five decorations of the Duchy of Lucca. At the upper left, item 1 is a gold-edged cross with pale blue arms hanging from a red ribbon gathered into an oval rosette; its green-ringed center shows a crowned horseman holding a staff, and the separate reverse below shows a crowned script monogram in a wreath. At the upper right, item 3 is an openwork gold cross with fleur-de-lis ends and a blue center shield strewn with gold fleurs-de-lis, on a blue ribbon with orange edges, with a small shield showing a figure in a red cloak drawn beneath it. In the center, item 2 is a silver cross with a crowned monogram on a white ribbon with crimson stripes. At the bottom, items 4 and 5 are small gold crosses on ribbons striped in blue and orange, one with a crowned monogram and one with a roman numeral.

The running head reads "LUCQUES." and the plate number "XLVII." The center ring of item 1 is lettered "AL MERITO MILITARE" (for military merit) with a star between the words, and its reverse carries the date "1833" above the monogram. Item 5 bears the numeral "XXX" (thirty). Each piece is numbered below in small figures.

The plate comes from Ordres de Chevalerie et Marques d'Honneur, published by Auguste Wahlen at Brussels, 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 orders of Prussia, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Hanover, Greece, the Roman States, Saxe-Coburg and Brazil. The plates are relief prints, wood engravings colored by hand with watercolor.

The varied ribbons and the small mounted figure give the plate a good deal of incident for its size, and it suits a collection of Italian orders.

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