2 Electorate of Bavaria - Order of Saint Michael - Early embroidered breast star, 1721.
Founded on September 29, 1693 by Elector Joseph Clemens, Archbishop of Cologne and Duke of Bavaria. The order was intended exclusively for the high nobility (the knights of the order had to present a proof of nobility and had to be of Roman Catholic religion) and was equipped with splendid regalia. Thus, in addition to the actual decorations, the knights of the Order wore splendid insignia and swords.
The knights of the order were divided into a spiritual division, the so-called blue flag, and a secular division, the so-called white flag. The two flags were each divided into three classes. The 1st class consisted of nine ecclesiastical and nine secular Order Commanders or Grand Crosses. They had the exclusive right to wear the orders' collar chain.
The 2nd class consisted of four ecclesiastical and four secular officers of the Order, who, unlike the Knights of the Grand Cross and regular Knights, did not have St. Michael but the Order's motto "Quis ut Deus" in the front medallion of their badges. The 3rd class consisted of 18 ecclesiastical and 18 secular knights of the Order, who wore a smaller version of the Order's cross on a ribbon instead of the collar chain.
In the statutes of 1721 the regulation to wear an embroidered cross of the order (breast star) on the left breast was provided.
The Order enjoyed a high reputation throughout the 18th century. In 1799, Elector Maximilian Joseph (later King of Bavaria) gave back the Grand Mastership he had received by canonical election because, after inheriting the Electoral Palatinate and Bavaria, he held several Grand Masterships of other Orders and considered them incompatible with the office of Grand Master of the Order of St. Michael.
In his place, Duke Wilhelm (of the Birkenfeld line of the House of Bavaria) was elected Grand Master on April 12, 1799. He was given the title "Herzog in Bayern" (Duke in Bavaria) and was head of this last remaining side line of the Royal House of Wittelsbach. The legendary Empress of Austria Elisabeth "Sisi" also was a member of this branch of the Wittelsbach family.
After attaining the royal dignity (1806), King Max. I. Joseph approved the continuation of the Order in the Kingdom of Bavaria and in 1813 the Order was listed in the Bavarian Court and State Manual under the name "Ritter-Haus-Orden vom St. Michael, dessen Großmeisterstelle mit Königlicher allerhöchster Genehmigung einem Prinzen des Hauses übertragen ist".
After the death of Duke Wilhelm, King Ludwig I transformed the Order into the Order of Merit of St. Michael on January 18, 1837. He gave it new statutes, devided it in different classes (grades) and a slightly different design and determined that the old form of the Order should no longer be awarded. However, the previous knights were expressly allowed to continue wearing the decorations.
During the period of the Order's existence from 1693 - 1837, a total of only 289 Knights of the Grand Cross and 119 ordinary Knights were appointed.
All insignia of the Order are therefore of great rarity.
Embroidered cross of the Order according to the statutes of 1721. Gilt silver lantern and silver threads, black silk thread embroidery. On the back cover paper with handwritten maker's inscription: "J. f. de Bois Brodeur de son a. e. d. Bav." (J. f. de Bois embroiderer to His Serene Highness the Duke of Bavaria)
Magnificent and splendid breast star in the finest quality of bullion embroidery dating from the reign of the Archbishop and Elector of Cologne Klemens August of Bavaria (1723 - 1761).
This piece of insignia is illustrated and described in Klingbeil/Thies, Orden 1700 - 2000, Vol. I., p. 116 ff.
It is the only known embroidered pectoral cross of this order according to the statutes of 1721 still in existence today.
Not even the museums of the State of Bavaria have another piece.
Truely magnificent breast star of the highest rarity.
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