Sweden, Orders of the Seraphim and of the Sword, Plate LXXIX, 1844

This is an original antique wood engraving, colored by hand, showing insignia of the Swedish Orders of the Seraphim and of the Sword. At top left is a silver star in the form of a cross with ball tips and winged cherub heads between the arms, its blue center bearing the monogram IHS with a cross above, two small crowns beside the cross and one below: the star of the Order of the Seraphim. The crowned gold badge of the same order hangs below on a pale blue watered ribbon, with the same blue center and cherub heads. A collar section between them shows a winged cherub head between two blue patriarchal crosses on gold chain. At top right is the silver star of the Order of the Sword, a cross with ball tips, its blue center showing an upright sword between crowns. Its crowned gold badge, with swords between the arms, hangs at lower right on a yellow ribbon edged in blue, above a small blue reverse disc. A second collar section shows a sword wound with a ribbon between lengths of chain.

The running head reads "SUÈDE." (Sweden) and the plate number "LXXIX." The items are numbered 1 to 6. Star 1 and badge 2 carry the monogram "IHS", and the reverse disc 5 reads "PRO PATRIA" (for the fatherland).

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.