Schwarzburg, War of Liberation Cross and Medals, Plate LXXVIII, 1844

This is an original antique wood engraving, colored by hand, showing decorations of the two Schwarzburg principalities, all on pale blue watered ribbons with white edges. At the top are both faces of a silver cross set over a laurel wreath, one lettered in Gothic script across the arms, the other dated in an oval at the center. In the middle is a gold cross with a gold medallion bearing a crowned Gothic monogram over a numeral, with a small gold disc below lettered with a Roman numeral. At bottom left are both faces of a bronze medal: a crowned Gothic monogram in a laurel wreath, and a lettered reverse. At bottom right is a ribbon bar with a gold plaque bearing Gothic initials.

The running head reads "SCHWARZBOURG-RUDOLSTADT ET SONDERSHAUSEN." (Schwarzburg Rudolstadt and Sondershausen) and the plate number "LXXVIII." The items are numbered 1 to 4. Cross 1 carries, in miscut Gothic letters, a German dedication to Schwarzburg's brave warriors for the liberation of Germany, and its other face "1814 1815". Cross 2 shows "G F C" over "II", with "XX" on the disc. Medal 4 reads "SCHWARZBURG SONDERSHAUSEN IM DEUTSCHEN FREIHEITS KAMPFE 1814 UND 1815" (Schwarzburg Sondershausen, in the German war of liberation, 1814 and 1815), and the bar 3 reads "G.F.C.II."

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; its 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 plates are relief prints, wood engravings colored by hand with watercolor.

The insignia are set out with generous space on a cream ground, and the plate works well framed on its own or hung with other plates from the same book.

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