Orders, Decorations and Medals

France, Second Empire, Legion of Honour, a superb Grand Cross set of insignia by Krètly, Paris, sash badge, 100 x 69mm., gold and enamel, bearing an ‘eagle head’ (post-1838) stamp mark; breast star, 90 x 90mm., silver, with faceted arms and rays, with back-plate, ‘Krètly, No. 46 Palais Royal, Paris’, reverse with twin prongs and pin fitting, together with a full sash ribbon, extremely fine, virtually perfect and rare in this condition (2) £4000-5000

Sold with original bestowal document of award to ‘M. (Paul) Boudet, Ministre de l’Interieur’, dated 6 November 1864; together with two other associated documents.

Paul Boudet was born in Laval in Mayenne on 13 November 1800. By profession a lawyer, his polital career began with his appointment to the electoral college of Mayenne in 1834. A supporter of the July Monarchy, he was Secretary-General of the Ministry of Justice, 1839-40 and was an Advisor of State. After a period in opposition, he was re-elected as a Deputy in 1842. During the Second Republic he was elected to the Assembly for the constituency of Mayenne and was a supporter of the Prince-President Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte. He was a member of the Council of State during the transition to the Second Empire and in 1863 Emperor Napoleon III appointed him as Minister of the Interior to replace Victor de Persigny. In March 1865 he was named a Senator and later the same year was appointed the Secretary and then First Vice-President of the Senate. Boudet retired as Minister of the Interior in April 1866 and with the fall of the Empire in 1870, he left public life having been one of the few senators to vote against war with Prussia. He died in Paris on 17 November 1877. Boudet was awarded the Legion of Honour, Grand Cross in 1864, having previously been made Chevalier in May 1840, Officer in August 1855 and Grand Officer in August 1862. Sold with some additional copied research.