BRUNSWICK, ORDER OF HENRY THE LION, GRAND CROSS SET OF INSIGNIA |

1834-1835, Cambridge No. 2, comprising sash badge of early style with smooth-backed ‘W’ monograms in angles surmounted by crowns with red-enamelled cauls, attributed to August Lemme,  minor enamel losses but delicate work on the face of the badge generally in good original condition, some flaking and traces of repair to the plainer enamel on reverse and breast star, by Friedrich Wilhelm Streuber, in pierced silver with gold and enamel centre, reverse with gold brooch-pin and backplate engraved F. STREUBER HOF GOLD U. SILBERARBEITER IN BRAUNSCHWEIG, ‘No. 2’ below in the style of other Cambridge insignia, with sash, traces of past repair including re-alignment of brooch-pin hinge and keeper, very fine to extremely fine

Awarded to Prince George of Cambridge by H.H. William, Duke of Brunswick on 27 February 1835 and offered with the original manuscript letter of appointment with English translation, in original envelope bearing the Brunswick seal. Prince George’s father Adolphus, 1st Duke of Cambridge was one of the seven first Knights Grand Cross of the Order, founded on 28 April 1834 (Duke Wilhelm’s 28^th birthday). Adolphus’s set of insignia of the Order was included in the 1904 auction of Decorations of the Dukes of Cambridge (lots 766 and 767), and is very probably the Princely Grade type described and illustrated by Klenau, Graf Arnhard, Orden in Deutschland und Österreich, vol. 2, Offenbach, 2008, where the breast star (pp 152-153, no 1182) carries the engraved ‘No. 1’ in the distinctive Cambridge style and is firmly attributed to the 1st Duke.