Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An Interesting Franco-Dutch ‘Napoleonic Wars/Restoration’ group of five attributed to Thomas Dixon, latterly of Boston

Netherlands, Order of the Netherlands Lion (2), Knight’s breast badge, 61 x 40mm., gold and enamel, nearly extremely fine; together with a related dress miniature award, 25 x 16mm., gold and enamel, some enamel damage, very fine; France, Restoration, Decoration of the Lily (3), ‘Cross of the Lily’, breast badge, 68 x 43mm., silver and enamel, design and size based on the Legion of Honour, obverse: bust of Louis XVIII right, ‘Fidelite Devouement’; reverse: fleur de lys, ‘Vive le Roi’, enamel damage mainly to blue central surround, good very fine; another, 25 x 15mm., silver and enamel, obverse: bust of Louis XVIII, ‘Louis XVIII 1814’; reverse: fleur de lys, ‘Vive le Roi’, enamel damage, very fine; another breast badge, crowned ‘starburst’ design, 20 x 12mm., silver, nearly extremely fine, all but last with original ribbon, Crosses of the Lily suspended from plain white ribbons (5) £800-1000

Ex Spink 27 April 1999, lot 846.

The decorations mounted in a gilt frame (approx. 195 x 160mm.), on the back of which is a paper label inscribed in ink, ‘Crofses of Orders of Knighthood of Thomas Dixon, Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion, and of the Order of the Lily. The French Order is the silver and white enamel Crofs & was given to Thos. Dixon in 1814 (Aug.14) and the Netherlands Order some years after. Thomas Dixon, K.N.L., K.L. died in Boston in 1849.’ An associated and separate paper is inscribed very similar to the above but has in addition, ‘Property of Wm. A. Stewart, 7.05.1971. Granville’s Ferry, Annapolis County, Nova Scotia.’