Important knight's jewel of the Spanish branch of the Order - Lot 175

Lot n° 175
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Estimation :
30000 - 35000 EUR
Important knight's jewel of the Spanish branch of the Order - Lot 175
Important knight's jewel of the Spanish branch of the Order of the Golden Fleece Chased gold and enamel knight's jewel. The ram's corpse in high relief, head turned to the right, hangs from the emblems of Philip the Good, founder of the Order: a lighter striking a flint from which flames shoot out, illustrating the Order's motto "Ante Ferit Quam Flamma Micet" (he strikes before the flame shines). The flint is enameled in royal blue, edged in white, with a guilloché background and chased borders. The horizontal flames in relief are enameled red on a guilloché background, underlined by chased gold fillets on the obverse, and convex on the reverse, edged with a striated border. The lighter motif, enameled royal blue and white with chased borders highlighted with foliage and pearls, is adorned with a large relief composition on the obverse, simply engraved on the reverse, depicting a plant garland of varied flowers framed by two fruited laurel branches. The acanthus-leaf hoop is topped by a blue-enameled cross-ring with a white border, through which passes a long red ribbon tie embellished with an openwork slider in blue and white enameled gold adorned with fruited oak twigs. Minor chips to the white enamel of the flint on the obverse, ribbon partially discolored. 127 x 72 mm, gross weight: 144.55 g Spain, early 19th century Important jewel of a knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece, Spanish branch Knight's jewel in chiseled gold and enamel. The carcass of the ram in high relief, its head turned to the right, is suspended from the emblems of Philip the Good, founder of the order: a tinderbox striking a flint from which flames emerge, illustrating the order's motto "Ante Ferit Quam Flamma Micet" (it strikes before bursting into flames). The flint is enamelled in royal blue, bordered in white, with a guilloché background and chiseled borders. The horizontal flames in relief, enamelled in red on a guilloché background and outlined in chiseled gold threads on the obverse, are convex on the reverse and bordered by a striated fillet. The motif of the tinderbox, enamelled in royal blue and white with chiseled borders and highlighted with foliage and pearls, is adorned with an important composition in relief on the obverse, simply engraved on the reverse, depicting a vegetal garland of various flowers framed by two fruiting laurel branches. The acanthus leaf bail is topped with a transversal ring enamelled in blue bordered in white, through which passes a long red ribbon tie, embellished with an openwork gold clasp enamelled in blue and white, adorned with fruited oak branches. Tiny chips on the white enamel of the flint on the obverse, ribbon partially discolored. H. 5 in - l. 2 13/16 in, Weight: 5 oz Spain, early 19th century 857 CH Related works: Bijou ayant appartenu au roi João VI de Portugal (1767-1826), Spada collection, on deposit at the Musée national de la Légion d'honneur et des ordres de chevalerie, inv.22, illustrated inLes trésors de la collection Spada, société des amis du musée national de la Légion d'honneur et des ordres de Chevalerie, Paris, 2008, p. 34. The Order of the Golden Fleece was founded in Bruges by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, on January 10, 1430, the day of his marriage to Isabella of Portugal. Embodying the chivalric values and pomp of the court of the Grand Dukes of the West, it is one of the most prestigious court orders. Linked to the title of Duke of Burgundy, its Grand Mastership has been disputed between Austria and Spain since 1712, with each of the two sovereigns or heads of house continuing to award it. After the accession to the Spanish throne of Philippe duc d'Anjou, grandson of Louis XIV, France traditionally recognized only the Spanish. Translations at the end of the catalog
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