Der Nachlass Leonrod

70 | Wilhelm Freiherr von Leonrod – A Command- er’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Bavarian Crown The neck decoration delicately wrought in gold by the orders jewellers Hemmerle during the first decade of the 20th century. In mul- ti-coloured gold, chased and on a crown, the edges etched. Enamelled in various colours, the order motto “VIRTUS ETHONOR” (Vir- tue and Honour) in the translucent red inscrip- tion ring on the obverse, the oak leaf wreath translucent green, the acorns in opaque green enamel. The suspension ring stamped “G.H.” for Gebrüder Hemmerle and “750” for 18 car- at gold. The reverse of the right cross arm with a tiny surface chip and a hairline crack. Width 50.5 mm. Weight 31.3 g Together with the customised and worn neck ribbon and the narrow, buttonhole ribbon in the gold-embossed, “GEBRÜDER HEM- MERLE …” presentation case with an old note (tr.) “Commander’s Cross of the Order of the Bavarian Crown”. The conferment of the Knight’s Cross of the Order of the Bavarian Crown automatically elevated the bearer to the personal nobility as “Ritter von…”. According to the statutes of the order, the award of this order in the third gen- eration (Ludwig, Karl, Wilhelm) in 1914 would have granted the Leonrod family hered- itary nobility, if they had not already been made barons in Bavaria since 1813. An exqui- site specimen. 247763 I - II € 4.000