Sweden – Order of Vasa (Knight)

Description

The Order of Vasa was instituted by King Gustaf III on 29 May 1772 to reward achievement in a number of fields then coming to prominence and importance, such as agriculture, technology and commerce.

The I. class was entirely in 18K gold.  

White enamel ball-tipped Maltese cross with gold Swedish crowns between the arms, on crown suspension; the face with an oval central medallion bearing a a gilded crowned sheaf, emblem of the Vasa dynasty, encircled by a red enamel ring inscribed in gilt 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.