10 Preußen: Roter Adler Orden - Satz 1. Klasse in Brillanten
The 1st Class Cross with Diamonds. Gold and enamel, on a beautiful sewn original sash. On the lower cross arm the maker's mark: “J.WAGNER & S.” and the date “28.4.09.”
The medallion ring and suspension ring are set with simili-diamonds. The simili stones are foiled on the reverse as was customary during this period. The Red Eagle in the medallion is separately applied. The translucent red enamel with finely engine-turned ground.
Magnificent example in finest jeweler's quality and absolutely undamaged condition.
The Breast Star of the 1st Class with Diamonds Silver, the medallion gold and enamel. The star body and medallion completely set with simili-diamonds. The simili stones are foiled on the reverse as was customary during this period. The stones of the inner medallion ring are diamonds.
The Red Eagle in the medallion is separately applied. The translucent red enamel with finely engine-turned ground. The gold letters of the order's motto “SINCERE ET CONSTANTER” separately applied in gold on the curved motto ring and chased.
The elaborate setting is pierced on the reverse and gold-plated. The star is constructed to be movable, as was customary with Prussian diamond orders. For this purpose, hinges are located at the ends of the eight longest star rays facing the reverse medallion, allowing the ray bundles to spring back. On the reverse screw medallion the engraved maker's mark: “J.WAGNER & S.” and the date “28.4.09.”.
The final model of the 1st Class with Diamonds (1855–1918) was awarded a total of 142 times. The significance of the diamond decoration becomes clear when comparing this number with the award numbers of the Order of the Black Eagle, which ranked far higher in the Prussian order hierarchy, whose order chain alone was awarded 161 times under Wilhelm II (1888–1918). Awards without chain were substantially more frequent at 335 specimens.
The parsimony in awarding diamond decorations is based on the fact that they typically represented a value of 6,000 Reichsmarks for the Order of the Red Eagle 1st Class with Diamonds. The manufacturers privileged to produce them (Wagner & Sohn and Gebrüder Friedländer) were directed by highest authority to pay these amounts to the recipients upon return and replace the decorations with those set with simili stones.
Since an order award with diamonds was always intended by the Prussian monarchs as an indirect financial grant (diamond decorations were not subject to return), many recipients made use of the right to have the genuine stones replaced with simili-diamonds by the manufacturer and have the equivalent value paid out.
The decorations of recipients who had kept their orders with genuine stones and which remained in family possession were often sold by heirs after their death. In the rarest of cases did the orders get exchanged at the original manufacturers in the manner described above.
Most often the decorations were sold to jewelers who “cannibalized” the orders and destroyed the settings in the process, as there was no necessity to preserve them. Neither did the order decorations have to be returned to the General Orders Commission, nor was there a collector's market at that time.
Only very few complete sets of this order have survived.
Both pieces together in the beautiful original case for a regular 1st Class set of red leather, the lid with fine gold embossing.
Important magnificent set in finest jeweler's quality by the Berlin court jewelers Wagner & Sohn and in absolutely undamaged condition.
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