Gilt metal and red and white enamel Maltese cross with gilt ball-tipped finials, a gilt laurel wreath between the arms, on gilt oval wreath suspension with laterally-pierced ball and ring for ribbon suspension; the face with a circular central gilt medallion imposed with a full-face female head, indistinctly signed, within a red enamel ring inscribed in gilt letters ‘MERITE PHILANTHROPIQUE FRANÇAIS’, a five-pointed gilt star at the base; the reverse plain; diameter 40.07mm (1.58 inches); on original ribbon. The Union Philanthropique des Oeuvres Françaises was founded in Paris in 1937 to encourage charitable works. In 1954 the Union merged with Oeuvre Humanitaire, founded in Toulouse in 1920, and subsequent awards have been made by the Comité de Récompense de l'Oeuvre Humanitaire et du Mérite Philanthropique for voluntary humanitarian, social and philanthropic achievement. For philanthropic merit, the Committee awards the equivalent of a Grand Cross, a Grand Officer, a Commander, an Officer, a Knight, as in this example, and gold, silver and bronze medals. Recent French honours legislation has required non-state awards not to use the ranks of Orders and therefore the five highest ranks are now entitled Grand Gold Medal Cordon with Cross, Grand Gold Medal with Star, Grand Gold Medal with Ribbon, Grand Gold Medal and Grand Silver Medal, as in this example, even though it is gilt!
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