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Miniature five-pointed silver-gilt and green enamel star with ball-tipped finials, with silver gilt rays between the arms, on faceted silver crescent suspension with two five-pointed stars centrally; the face with a circular central green enamel medallion bearing the tughra (cipher) of Sultan Saîd Ali within a beaded silver-gilt ring; the reverse with a circular central silver-gilt medallion inscribed in Arabic characters ‘Ngazidja’ (the local name for Grand Comoro) within a beaded border; on replaced correct ribbon with rosette denoting an award of the officer class.
The Order was founded in the 19th Century by Sultan Saîd Ahmet ben Saîd Ali (1793-1875) who was succeeded by his grandson, Saîd Ali ben Saîd Omar, son of the Sultan of Anjouan. Saîd Ali attempted to unify the sultanates of Grand Comoro and requested French protection on 6 January 1886.
At this point the Order consisted of three classes (knights of single, double and triple star), strictly limited in number and awarded to military and civilians in a two-thirds/one-third ratio. The insignia was a gilt five-pointed star and the ribbon was plain red. Despite, representations, the French government did not recognise the Order. The Order was revised by Saîd Ali ben Saîd Omar on 3 February 1910 during a visit to France, being extended to five classes and the insignia and ribbon changing to that seen in this example. Saîd Ali abdicated shortly thereafter and died in 1916, Grand Comoro becoming a French Colony. He was succeeded by his oldest son, Saîd Ahmet Zaki who was styled ‘Head of the Royal House of Grand Comoro’ and retained the right to award the Order.
On 14 April 1942, France authorised the wearing of the Order on the Comoros and Madagascar and it is recognised by the Grand Chancellery of the Legion of Honour but remains a family order and cannot be classified as a Colonial Order. Grand Comoro is the largest island of the Comoros and is situated at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel, between Madagascar and Mozambique.
The Order is rare in miniature.
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