Five-pointed white enamel star imposed on a ten pointed rayed star with crown suspension; the face with a central circular silver medallion with blue enamel Arabic inscription which may be translated as ‘What benefits Egypt owes to the Nile, her source of prosperity and happiness’ within a beaded border; the reverse plain; on correct, possibly replaced full neck ribbon with ties; in original excellent speckled blue fitted embossed case of issue, the exterior with the crowned Egyptian cipher, the interior with the maker’s mark ‘J.LATTES, FOURNISSEUR DE S.H. Le SULTAN, CAIRE-GENÈVE’ and fitted for a Commander’s award. From 1922, Egypt was a kingdom and the maker’s mark referring to ‘S.H. Le Sultan’ rather than ‘S.M. Le Roi’ indicates that this example is a very early award, pre-1922. The romantically named Order of the Nile was established in 1915 by Sultan Husayn Kamil to reward persons, military or civilian, who had rendered useful service to Egypt. Unlike most pre-1952 royal awards, the Order of the Nile was continued after the Revolution, though without the crown. A really superb early example of the Order.
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