Item number: M231

Year: AD 1889-1914

Material: Gold, Silver-Gilt and Enamel

Size: 270.0 x 24.5 x 3.3 mm / Chain 113.0 x 113.0 cm

Weight: 20.45 g

Provenance: Morton & Eden 2024

This is a gold chain featuring a set of 12 miniature Orders. These Orders span three continents—Europe, Asia, and Africa—and originate from a total of 10 countries. Most of the Orders are from European countries, but the set also includes medals from the Kingdom of Dahomey and the Kingdom of Cambodia, both of which became French protectorates in the latter half of the 19th century. Therefore, it can be boldly inferred that the owner of this Orders set was likely a French diplomat, politician, or nobleman during their lifetime.

The Orders in the set, from left to right, are as follows:

Europe has a rich history of awarding Orders. After being awarded a medal, recipients often commissioned private jewellers to create miniature replicas. These replicas allowed recipients to display and wear their honours more conveniently. Additionally, upon the recipient’s death, the state typically required the return of the original Orders, making these replicas cherished heirlooms for their descendants.

物件編號: M231

年代: 公元 1889-1914 年

材質: 黃金, 銀鍍金和琺瑯

尺寸: 270.0 x 24.5 x 3.3 mm / 鍊子 113.0 x 113.0 cm

重量: 20.45 g

來源: 莫頓與伊登 2024

這是一條以金質鍊子串連，總計12枚的迷你勳章組。這些勳章橫跨歐亞非三洲，總計10個國家。結合勳章多來自歐洲國家，並且包含達荷美王國和柬埔寨王國，公元19世紀下半葉陸續成為法國保護國的勳章。故能大膽推測，這組勳章的主人生前，極可能是某位法國外交官、政治家或貴族。

勳章組從左至右，分別如下：

歐洲擁有豐富的勳章歷史，授勳者獲得勳章之後，往往會委託民間珠寶商代為製造迷你複刻品，以方便授勳者對外展示和配戴。再來授勳者過世後，國家通常會要求遺族上繳勳章，故複刻品是得以供後人留念的傳家寶。