Spain, Kingdom. A Scarce Neck Collar of the Royal Illustrious and Discreet Noble Chapter of Knights of Mercy, c.1900

(Real Ilustre Y Primitivo Capítulo Noble de Caballeros de la Merced). Instituted January 10th, 1429. (c. 1900). A scarce and extremely fine jeweller-made example of this order, constructed of silver gilt and delicately executed and extremely fine hand painted details, the obverse consisting of a large blood-red enamelled shield with two smaller shields superimposed on the badge and separated by a golden spear, the right shield bears a hand-painted knight in armour holding a spear and galloping on a horse while the left shield bears the united symbols of the Spanish kingdoms Castile, Leon, and Granada, with the collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece along the bottom three sides, suspended from a red enamelled swivel Royal Crown using its faded period original neck ribbon, unmarked, measuring 48.8 mm (w) x 68.4 mm (l), weighing 44.54, extremely well preserved and in overall extremely fine condition.