Sweden – Merit Cross of the order of Vasa. (Silver)

Description

The Merit Cross of Vasa was instituted on 25 November 1895. It was only awarded to foreigners, mainly to court personnel on various state visits abroad. This class was seldom awarded which makes it one of the rarest of the Swedish orders.  

Silver Maltese cross with Swedish crowns between the arms, on crown suspension. The face with an oval central medallion bearing a gold crowned sheaf, emblem of the Vasa dynasty, encircled by a red enamel ring inscribed in gold characters “GUST. D. III INST. MDCCLXXII” (Gustaf III instituted 1772); the reverse identical to the face. On original ribbon and in original fitted case of issue by C.F. Carlman, court jeweller, Stockholm.This is the first type with the wide, flat crown 1895- ca 1910. Made by C.F. Carlman