Circular silver medal on laterally-pierced ball suspension; the face with a laurel-crowned female head facing right, representative of the French Republic, circumscribed ‘REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE’, signed ‘DANIEL DUPUIS’ (for the great French medallist and sculptor Jean-Baptiste Daniel-Dupuis 1849-1899), the reverse with a rectangular plaque bearing the attribution ‘P. ROUX’ and dated ‘1963’, a lion’s head above, lightning bolts below, imposed on an upright sword, a cog wheel and crossed hammer and quill, oak leaves above to either side, circumscribed ‘MINISTÈRE DE LA GUERRE · HONNEUR TRAVAIL’, signed ‘E M LINDAUER’ (for the great French engraver Edmond-Émile Lindauer, 1869-1942), with Paris Mint cornucopia silver assay marks; on original tricolour ribbon mounted for wear in the French style; in probably original case with slight surface marks..
The Medal was instituted on 28 March 1888 to be awarded to civilian personnel of the Ministry of War for 30 years’ service. It was reorganised and renamed on 15 January 1976.
This example is of the second version (the first being by Hubert Ponscarme).
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