France, Second Republic. A Legion of Honour in Gold, Officer’s Cross, c. 1860

(Ordre National de la Légion d’honneur). First instituted May 19th, 1802. Model of the Second Republic (c. 1860 issue). An award of fine craftsmanship, constructed of 18 karat Gold and delicately executed blue, red, white, and green enamels, consisting of a five-pointed star with dual ball finials, with a green enameled laurel and oak wreath in the quadrants between the arms of the cross, the obverse with a round central Gold medallion showing the rightward facing profile of Napoleon, surrounded by a dark blue enameled ring inscribed with “Napoléon Empereur des Français” in Gold capitalized lettering, the reverse with a matching central medallion depicting an eagle in Gold surrounded by a dark blue ring of enamels inscribed “Honneur et Patrie” with laurels at the base, suspended from a hollow swivel crown with red, blue, and green enameled “gems”, with a pierced ball and Gold swivel ring for suspension from its period original ribbon featuring a large rosette, hallmarked on the ring but undecipherable, measuring 40.5 mm (w) x 61.0 mm (l) including its crown suspension, weighing 19.61 grams, with light to moderate flaking to the enamels on the green enameled wreath and blue enameled rings, with the white enamels on the arms of the cross well preserved, in very fine condition.