Gilt metal star of David with stippled arms and ball-tipped finials, on swivel Ethiopian crown suspension; the face with an imposed plaque in the form of a cross flory bearing a Latin cross; the reverse plain; height overall excluding suspension ring and loop 94.87mm (3.73 inches), width 51.61mm (2.03 inches); on replaced correct neck ribbon lacking ties and wire loop. The Order was founded by Emperor Yohannes IV in 1874 and amended by Emperor Haile Selassie I after his accession to the throne in 1930, the emperors of Ethiopia claiming direct descent from the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon. Also referred to as the Order of King Solomon’s Seal, the Order of the Seal of Solomon and the Order of the Crown of Solomon, it has been presented to figures as diverse as Queen Victoria (in 1897 on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee) and President Dwight D. Eisenhower. In lower ranks, the order was awarded to individuals for distinguished service to the royal house. A rare example made by local craftsmen.
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