Ten-pointed silver star, alternate arms enamelled red and green, with chiselled rays between the arms, with three-looped silver bow suspension; the face with a circular central green enamel medallion bearing the name of Muhammad III as-Sadiq in silver Arabic characters within a faceted silver border; the reverse plain with Tunisian silver hallmark and dated ‘١٢٩١’ (AH1291 = AD1874); diameter 59.9mm (2.36 inches); enamel chips to the central green enamel medallion (see illustrations); on a short length of display ribbon. The Order, whose name means ‘The Order of Victory’, was instituted in 1837 by Ahmad I ibn Mustafa, Bey of Tunis and reformed in 1857 by his successor Muhammad II ibn al-Husayn. It was effectively the National Order of Tunis from its foundation until its suppression after independence in 1957. This example is from the reign of Muhammad III as-Sadiq (1859-1882) and is dated 1874. This example was in the collection of J. Coolidge Hills, Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A. before 1913, in the collection of the Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A. from 1913 to 1967 and in the collection of the American Numismatic Society from 1967 to 2006. A good, early, locally-made example of impeccable provenance.
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