Digital museum showcasing the collection of worldwide legends over the years! 千古不朽博物館展示多年來收藏的世界傳奇故事!
The Order of the Cincinnati
(Miniature)
辛辛那提勳章
(迷你版)
Item number: M222
Year: AD 1902
Material: Gold and Enamel
Size: 59.4 x 9.7 x 3.8 mm
Weight: 2.3 g
Provenance: Katz Auction 2024
This is a miniature Order of the Cincinnati from the year AD 1902, featuring a three-part design. At the top, the ribbon is azure blue with white borders on either side. In the middle, there is a golden spiral suspension loop, and at the bottom, there is the “Eagle” celebrating the victory of the American Revolutionary War. The history of the Order of the Cincinnati spans over two hundred years, with over fifty different versions documented throughout history, reflecting changes from the AD 19th-century designs to the AD 20th-century standardisation efforts.
The Order of the Cincinnati is crafted from gold and adorned with enamel decorations, functioning as a double-sided order. Its name derives from the ancient Roman hero, Cincinnatus. The obverse of the order displays a bald eagle with downturned wings and an olive branch in its talons,emphasising the establishment of a peaceful American republic and the soldiers’ return to civilian life.
The central medallion of the Cincinnati Eagle depicts on the obverse Cincinnatus receiving a sword from the Roman senators, while on the reverse, Cincinnatus is crowned by the figure of Pheme, the personification of fame. The ribbon’s azure blue and white colours symbolise the fraternal bond between the United States and France. While all Cincinnati Eagles adhere to this general design, no single specific version is official. Over the past two centuries, more than fifty variations of the Order have been produced.
The organisation that awards this Order is the Society of the Cincinnati, founded in AD 1783, whose members are direct descendants of officers who served in the Continental Army and assisted in the victory of the American Revolutionary War.
It wasn’t until AD 1902 that the Society of the Cincinnati chose a design submitted by Bailey Banks & Biddle of Philadelphia. The standard-sized order and its miniature version introduced a new specification characterised by a more naturalistic head, pointed wings, and a spiral suspension loop.