Austria, Imperial. An Order Of The Iron Crown, Ii Class With Swords, By A.e Kochert, C. 1918

(Kaiserlicher Orden der Eisernen Krone). Reinstituted in 1815 by Emperor Franz I. Military Division. Type III (1860-1918). A II Class Order of the Iron Crown constructed of bronze gilt, consisting of a Lombard Iron Crown presenting green, red and white-enamelled jewels, which rests on the two-headed Austrian eagle with sword and orb, with a blue enamelled central shield showing on the obverse the imperial initial F and on the reverse the year 1815, surrounded by a 1920s addition green enamelled war decoration, above which resets crossed swords and an imperial crown with internal red enamelled cap, the reverse of the crown pendilia presents the makers mark of A.E Kochert and a star hallmark indicating bronze gilt, measures 35.78 (w) x 66.59 (h), weighs 35.6 grams (including ribbon), attached to it’s period neck ribbon by an elongated suspension loop with white enamel detailing, light gilt wear on decoration particularly around the crown, small enamel wear on the on the crown and on green war decoration, overall in very fine condition.

Footnote: The Order of the Iron Crown was originally established by Napoleon I on June 5, 1805, just a few days after his coronation as the King of Italy. This order was awarded for services to the crown in military, administration, arts and literature. In 1809, the insignia was altered, with the inscription in Italian and small beads were added to the points of the crown. The order was dissolved in 1814, when the “Austrian” Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia was founded in place of the French control. The Lombardo-Venetian Kingdom joined the Austrian Empire in 1814 and was under control of the Emperor of Austria. The Napoleonic order of the Iron Crown became the Austrian ‘imperial’ dynastic order. By January 1816, the new statues were approved by Emperor Franz I, and the order was officially restored on his birthday, February 12, 1816 as the “Austrian Imperial Order of the Iron Crown.”