COMMANDER'S CROSS AND GRAND OFFICER'S PLATE OF THE ORDER OF THE CROWN OF ITALY THAT BELONGED TO GENERAL MARIE JOSEPH ÉMILE NIEGER, Second half of the 19th century. 26357
Commander's Cross in gold and enamel. Pattée cross, bored, rounded, branches in white enamel linked together by a Savoy knot in braided gold thread. Obverse with a central gold and blue enamel medallion with the crown of the Lombard kings, gold-enamelled white-green-scarlet. Reverse in gold decorated with the Savoy eagle in black enamel bearing the cross of the House of Savoy in white and scarlet enamel. Silk ribbon, tiered with a central white band flanked by two scarlet bands. Diameter 5.1 cm Grand Officer plaque in silver. Eight-pointed star with pommettes, worked in diamond points applied with the Cross of the Crown of Italy in gold and enamel. Fixing by tilting pin. Signed on the back in a round medallion “E. GARDINO SUCC. CRAVANZOLA ROMA”. Diameter 7.7cm. Wooden box sheathed in scarlet morocco. The lid is embellished with the monogram of the King of Italy Victor-Emmanuel in gilded brass surmounted by the royal crown. Interior of the case in black velvet and ivory silk gilded with the name of the manufacturer “DITTA CRAVANZOLA / E. GARDINO SUCC. / PROV. DELLA R. CASA / E RR MINISTERI / CORSO UMBERTO I / 340-341 / ROMA”. H 22cm, width 10.5cm, thickness 4cm.
Kingdom of Italy.
Second half of the 19th century.
Perfect condition, silk of the case lining damaged at the hinge.
HISTORY: Created on 02/20/1868 by Victor Emmanuel II to commemorate the liberation of Lombardy from Austrian occupation, he thereby became the first Italian sovereign, King of Italy. It is intended to reward outstanding civilian and military service. It has five classes. In reproduction, appear the insignia of the commanders and the plaque of Grand Cross. This Order was awarded to French officers who participated in the war of 1859.
BIOGRAPHY: Marie Joseph Émile Nieger (Trie-Château, Oise, May 23, 1874 - Éclaron, Haute-Marne, February 9, 1951) was a French officer and explorer. Enlisted as a soldier in 1893, he was promoted to non-commissioned officer (1895), then he entered the Military School of Infantry, from which he graduated as a cadet in 1898 and became a Saharan officer in 1900. He then served under the orders of 'Henry Laperrine. In 1901, he participated in the conquest of Touat and Gourara. He established a map of the central Sahara at 1/1,000,000 (1901) and, appointed lieutenant in the Touat camel company, was a member of the scientific mission of Pierre Flye Sainte-Marie (October 1904-January 1905). It thus crosses Erg Iguidi, the Eglab massif, reaches Taoudeni and returns via Erg Chache after surveying 2,300 km of unexplored terrain. In 1907, he was commander of the Tidikelt company. In 1909, he seized the Senoussist zaouia of Djanet. In 1910, he was responsible for leading the amenokal Moussa ag Amastan in France as part of the "Touareg Mission". Head of the Transafrican study mission organized by André Berthelot (1912), he left Oran in January, crossed the Sahara, reached Tamanrasset and Agadès and carried out major topographical surveys which were interrupted by the First World War. After the war, he served in Syria, the Rif and then in Algeria. In 1929, he was elevated to the dignity of Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor, as a brigadier general, commanding the region of Meknes.
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26357