Orders of Prussia, Pour le Mérite Badge and Crosses, Plate LXI, 1844

This is an original antique wood engraving, colored by hand, showing decorations of Prussia. At upper left a black cross pattée edged in pale blue, with a crown, the letters FW, a sprig of oak leaves and a date, hangs from a black ribbon with white borders. At upper right a round badge with a blue ring, gold crowns at its four points and an eagle on a gold center within a ring of gold crosses hangs from a ribbon of black and white. In the center is a plain white Maltese cross. Below left a white Maltese cross edged in gold, with black eagles in its angles, hangs from a black ribbon; at lower right is a larger black cross of the same form as the first, again with crown, FW, oak sprig and date.

The running head reads "PRUSSE" and the plate number "LXI." The items are numbered 9 to 13. The blue ring of item 9 is lettered "POUR LE MERITE" (French, for merit). The two black crosses, items 10 and 11, are lettered "FW" and dated "1815".

The plate comes from Ordres de Chevalerie et Marques d'Honneur, published by Auguste Wahlen at 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 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 black ribbons and crosses set against the bright blue badge make a striking, graphic sheet.

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