Item number: M221

Year: AD 1914-1962

Material: Silver

Size: 92.2 x 29.6 x 2.0 mm

Weight: 20.4 g

Provenance: Champion Macau Auction 2024

This medal is the Colonial Medal, initiated in AD 1893 by France, awarded to individuals serving in French colonies or protectorates and participating in colonial military actions. The depicted artefact has one clasp bearing the French word “Chine,” denoting the colonial territory.

The medal is a circular silver medal. On the obverse side, it features a profile portrait of Marianne, the national symbol of the French Republic, wearing a helmet and a laurel wreath. The inscription “République française” (French Republic) encircles the portrait on both sides. Below the medal, there is a small inscription bearing the name of the French sculptor Georges Lemaire, who designed the medal. On the reverse side, half of the Earth is depicted resting on an anchor, with the inscription “Medaille Coloniale” in French below, indicating the name of the medal as the Colonial Medal. The suspension of the medal and ribbon is designed with laurel branches. The ribbon itself alternates between blue and white, with one clasp bearing the inscription “Chine” attached to it.

On June 6, AD 1962, France issued a decree renaming the “Colonial Medal” to the “Overseas Medal,” a designation that remains effective as of today(AD 2024).

This medal belongs to the second official type manufactured by France between AD 1914 and AD 1962, notable for its single-sided suspension.

The attached “Chine” clasp on this medal is unofficial, produced by the Parisian manufacturer Arthus Bertrand, which is also the official maker of the Legion of Honour in France. Beginning with the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki in AD 1895 until AD 1939, veterans who served in China began wearing colonial medals with such “Chine” clasp.

物件編號: M221

年代: 公元 1914-1962 年

材質: 銀

尺寸: 92.2 x 29.6 x 2.0 mm

重量: 20.4 g

來源: 冠軍拍賣 2024

此枚為法國於公元1893年開始頒發的殖民地獎章，上方掛有殖民地「Chine(中國)」的銘牌。此獎章授予那些在法國殖民地或保護國服役、參與殖民地軍事行動的人員。 

獎章的外型為圓形銀質獎章，獎章的正面為法蘭西共和國的國家象徵「瑪麗安娜」的側面肖像，頭戴頭盔與月桂花環，左右兩側環繞有「République française (法蘭西共和國)」的字樣。獎章下方有小字刻有設計此獎章的法國雕塑家「 Georges Lemaire 」的名字。背面則為東半面的地球疊放在錨上，下方以法文刻有「Medaille Coloniale」的字樣，其意為此獎章的名稱殖民地獎章。獎章與綬帶的懸掛處以月桂枝葉作為設計，綬帶的顏色藍白相間，另外綬帶還掛有「Chine (中國)」字樣銘牌。 

公元1962年6月6日法國頒布法令，以「海外獎章」的名稱取代「殖民地獎章」，一直至公元2024年仍有效力。

此枚獎章屬於法國官方於公元1914-1962年間製造的第二版獎章，特點是懸掛處為單面設計。

這枚獎章上附的「Chine」銘牌屬於非官方銘牌，由巴黎製造商Arthus Bertrand製造，該製造商同時也是法國榮譽軍團勳章的官方製造商。在公元1895年簽訂《馬關條約 》後直到公元1939年間，在中國服役的退伍軍人開始配戴這類附「Chine」銘牌的殖民地獎章。