Spain, Facist State. An Order Of The Cross Of St. Raimond De Penafort, Cross Of Honour, Collar Badge With Chain & Star, C.1955

(Orden de la Cruz de San Raimundo de Peñafort). Instituted in 1944. A finely presented collar of the order in a fitted leather case, featuring:

Collar Chain Badge: featuring a two-piece construction, the insignia illustrating St. Raimond de Penafort above a ribbon banner inscribed "IN JURE MERITA" in silver gilt with red, white and blue enamels, with eight genuine diamonds forming the halo around the saint's head, the insignia mounted via two pins to a cross base in silver gilt with white enamels, inscribed "S. RAY / MVN / DVS" on the arm at 12 o'clock and "PENNA / FORTI" on the arm at 6 o'clock, each of the eight points on the cross with ball finials, the areas between each of the arms with a cord in a figure-eight pattern, the badge measuring 49 mm (w) x 73 mm (h) inclusive of its wreath suspension.

Collar Chain: housing twenty-three icons, in alternating positions: six of which illustrate the bust of St. Raimond de Penafort in silver gilt with red, white, blue and yellow enamels, the bust mounted to a silver gilt rectangular base with a voided centre, measuring 29.2 mm (w) x 18 mm (h) each inclusive of their loops; six illustrate a shield insignia bearing the scales of justice surmounted by a sunburst and inscribed "JUSTICIA" above a scroll below, the insignia mounted to a silver gilt rectangular base with a voided centre, measuring 29.2 mm (w) x 19.2 mm (h) each inclusive of their loops; the eleven positions between each of the icons housing a large rectangular base in silver with a gilt reverse, incorporating a voided centre that frames a cord in a figure-eight pattern, measuring 43 mm (w) x 19.8 mm (h) each inclusive of their loops; each of the icons with two loops affixed on either side and linked by a single chain link; the collar collar measuring approximately 870 mm in length.

3. Breast Star: featuring a two-piece construction, the insignia illustrating St. Raimond de Penafort above a ribbon banner inscribed "IN JURE MERITA" in silver gilt with red, white and blue enamels, with fourteen genuine diamonds forming the halo around the saint's head, the insignia mounted via two pins to a cross base in silver gilt with white enamels, inscribed "S. RAY / MVN / DVS" on the arm at 12 o'clock and "PENNA / FORTI" on the arm at 6 o'clock, each of the eight points on the cross with ball finials, the cross backed by a downward-pointing sword and framed by crossed branches of leafing, the breast star measuring 68 mm (w) x 68 mm (h), with an ornate Spanish-style vertical pinback flanked by dual stays.

4. Miniature: featuring a two-piece construction, in silver gilt with red, white, orange, yellow and blue enamels, incorporating the same basic design as that used on the collar badge, measuring 16.5 mm (w) x 19.3 mm (h), with button hole attachment.

Most of the enamelled items exhibit traces of brown residue, the enamels and diamonds themselves intact, very light contact, one of the icons bearing the bust of St. Raimond de Penafort is slightly askew versus its rectangular base, together, near extremely fine.

The awards are housed in a wooden-framed presentation case, the lid and sides in blackish-maroon and displaying a series of brush-like strokes, the outer border of the lid embossed in leafing, the underside in maroon fabric, the inside lid in white satin and bearing the impressed image of the facing breast star, the medal bed in black felt, with a raised area in the centre that has triple slots that house the breast star, along with a recessed circle that houses the miniature, the surrounding lower area framing the aforementioned two awards and housing the collar chain and its badge, the latter pinned in place on a raised pin, the case with dual clasp closures and measuring 162 mm (w) x 258 mm (h) x 38.5 mm (d), exhibiting light scuffing and wear on the exterior, case better than very fine.

Footnote: The Order of the Cross of St. Raimond de Penafort was instituted on January 23, 1944 and awarded for services to law and justice, in five grades: Cross of Merit, Cross of Honour, Cross of Distinction Class 1, Cross of Distinction Class 2, Knight, along with Medals of Judicial Merit in Gold, Silver and Bronze Grades.