The Royal and
Distinguished
Spanish Order of
Charles III(miniature),
Collar Class
Portrait of Charles III of Spain
Source: Museo Nacional del Prado
Source: Museo Nacional del Prado
Item number: M26
Year: AD 1771
Material: Sterling Silver, Gilt and Enamel
Size: 60 x 103 mm
Weight: 15.66 g
Manufactured by: Madrid
Provenance: La Galerie Numismatique 2023
The full name of the Order is the “Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III” (Real y Distinguida Orden Española de Carlos III ). Established in AD 1771 by King Charles III to celebrate the birth of his grandson, the heir to the throne, after four years of the crown prince’s marriage. Since AD 1847, this Order has been open to Spanish civilians. The Charles III Order has five classes, and this commissioned miniature version is a silver-gilt replica of the first-level “Collar” insignia and collar set crafted by artisans. (Refer to the table for details.)
| Grades of Order | Member restriction | Type of ribbon and Decoration |
| Collar (Collar) | Limited to 25 Spanish citizens (not including members of Spain’s royal family) | A silk band, 101 mm wide, light blue, with two white stripes, 6 mm wide, running parallel 4 mm from the edge of the ribbon/ Without decoration. |
| Grand Cross (Gran-Cruz) | Limited to 100 Spanish citizens (limit excludes government ministers) | A silk band, 101 mm wide, light blue, with a central white stripe 33 mm wide/ With a decoration of Crown on ribbon. |
| Commander by Number (Encomienda de Número) | Limited to 200 Spanish citizens (limit excludes government ministers) | A silk band, 101 mm wide, light blue, with a central white stripe 33 mm wide/ With a decoration of king’s monogram on ribbon. |
| Commander (Encomienda) / *Dame’s Rosette (Lazo de Dama) | Unlimited | A silk band, 101 mm wide, light blue, with a central white stripe 33 mm wide / With a decoration of Order on ribbon. |
| Knight’s Cross (Cruz) | Unlimited | A silk band, 101 mm wide, light blue, with a central white stripe 33 mm wide / Without decoration. |
| * “Dame’s Rosette” is the title for female recipient | ||
The collar is symmetrical, featuring a laurel wreath enveloping the Roman numeral “III” (representing Charles III). On both sides, it is adorned with a sequence of “lion, castle, knight’s helmet, castle, lion, laurel wreath.” Behind the lion and laurel wreath, there is an engraving indicating the purity mark of 925 sterling silver.
As for the insignia hanging below the collar, it features the same design as the official version. It is a blue Maltese cross outlined with white enamel on the edges. Each of the eight tips of the cross is adorned with a gilded small ball, and the four sides are set with royal symbols, the golden fleur de lis.
The central gilded oval section is surrounded by blue enamel and depicts the image of the Immaculate Conception. The inclusion of the Immaculate Conception symbolizes Charles III’s belief that, through the protection of the Virgin Mary, the royal family can give birth to a male heir. In contrast to the official version, which uses enamel for the painted image of the Virgin Mary, the miniature version remains unpainted. Additionally, the back of this miniature version lacks the king’s name surrounded by a laurel wreath, as seen in the official version, and the inscription “VIRTUTI ET MERITO” is also absent.
項鍊級西班牙皇家傑出
查理三世勳章(迷你版)
物件編號: M26
年代: 公元 1771 年
材質: 925純銀, 鍍金和琺瑯
尺寸: 60 x 103 mm
重量: 15.66 g
製造地: 馬德里
來源: 貨幣畫廊 2023
勳章全名為「西班牙皇家傑出查理三世勳章」(Real y Distinguida Orden Española de Carlos III)。公元1771年時任國王的查理三世為慶祝兒子，即皇太子和妻子結縭四年，總算產下一名男嬰所設立的勳章。自公元1847年起，該勳章已經全面對西班牙平民開放。查理三世勳章依序有五個等級，此件委託工匠額外打造的迷你版，即是以銀鍍金工法仿造的第一級「領級」(Collar)綬章和項鍊組。(見表格)
| 勳章級別 | 人數限制 | 綬帶的類型和裝飾品 |
| 項鍊級 (Collar) | 限制在25名西班牙公民 (不包括西班牙皇室成員) | 一條淺藍色絲質綬帶，寬101 mm，距離緞帶邊緣4 mm處，兩側各有一條寬6 mm白色條紋/不帶裝飾。 |
| 大十字級 (Gran-Cruz) | 限制在100名西班牙公民(不包括政府部長) | 一條淺藍色絲質綬帶，寬101 mm，正中央有一道 33 mm 寬的白色條紋/ 綬帶有皇冠的裝飾。 |
| 指定數字的指揮官級 (Encomienda de Número) | 限制在200名西班牙公民(不包括政府部長) | 一條淺藍色絲質綬帶，寬101 mm，正中央有一道 33 mm 寬的白色條紋/ 綬帶有國王字母縮寫的裝飾。 |
| 指揮官級 (Encomienda) *女士蝴蝶結級 (Lazo de Dama) | 無限制 | 一條淺藍色絲質綬帶，寬101 mm，正中央有一道 33 mm 寬的白色條紋/綬帶有勳章的裝飾。 |
| 騎士十字級(Cruz) | 無限制 | 一條淺藍色絲質綬帶，寬101 mm，正中央有一道 33 mm 寬的白色條紋/ 不帶裝飾。 |
| * 「女士蝴蝶結級」是專門給予女性授勳者的頭銜稱謂 | ||
