About the product

Serbia White Eagle Swords 2nd Class Military Set

£9,995.00

Serbia: Order of The White Eagle Grand Officer, Military Issue with raised swords to both, a very attractive and rare surviving matching set. As awarded to Major Generals during WW1 for service to Serbia.

In stock

SKU: L29774 Category:
Origin: Serbia
Nearly Extremely Fine

Description

Order of The White Eagle Grand Officer, 2nd Class Set, Neck Badge and Breast Star in Silver Gilt and white enamels

Very attractive matching set of superb quality manufacture and well preserved condition, the breast star is perfect and the neck badge has a small chip in the blue ribbon behind the swords, otherwise perfect and retaining much of the original gilding.

With a nice piece of old neck ribbon.

No hallmarks as commonly seen but this style attributed to Arthus Bertrand, Paris, circa WW1 period.

The rare issue with swords was first introduced during 1915, the “War Merit Division” was conferred on officers who showed conspicuous bravery in the field on behalf of the Kingdom of Serbia.

Only 35 of these sets were awarded to British recipients during 1914-18, 34 for WW1 and 1 for other service.

Unattributed but the recipient is likely to have been a high ranking British Officer, for example one recipient awarded by the King of Serbia is noted in the London Gazette of 15th February 1917, as “Major General Walter Campbell CB DSO”.
Another example was Major General Sir George Mark Watson Macdonogh KCMG CB, awarded one of these sets in London Gazette 6th September 1918.

The 2nd Class being typically reserved for Officers in the region of Generals. A 3rd Class neck badge only usually seen awarded to Colonels.