Italian States, Kingdom Of The Sicilies. A Royal Order Of Francis I, Knight With Crown, C.1880 Auction Hallmarked silver Second Award clasps

Hallmarked silver Second Award clasps are rare

Towns of Preston and Hespeler

The black patent leather visor has a chin strap composed of two strands of twisted gold-coloured bullion wire resting along the top edge

hand-engraved text and images on the obverse and text on the reverse

clasp retains on reverse about 99% of the original finish

Italian States, Kingdom Of The Sicilies. A Royal Order Of Francis I, Knight With Crown, C.1880 Auction Hallmarked silver Second Award clasps(Reale Ordine di Francesco I). Instituted 1829. A superb example exhibiting extremely well executed detailing, with a white enameled Maltese Cross in Gold, featuring hand etched and detailed Gold fleur de lis in each quadrant, with a Gold obverse centre exhibiting an engraved cyphre of Francis I, surrounded by a green enamelled laurel wreath and a finely blue enamelled border with the Latin Motto De Rege Optime Merito (King most deserving), reverse