Workshop history https://asiamedals.info/threads/orders-made-by-pouteau-foyolle-pouteau-paris.29195/.
Knightly Order of St. Catherine with Mount Sinai was created by "Marie de Lusignan", wife of "Guy de Lusignan", self-styled Prince of Jerusalem, of Cyprus and of Armenia. When he died in 1905, her lover took over as "Grand Master", having awarded himself the title "Comte d'Alby de Gratigny". The founder of the Order and her husband were well-known for creating orders for financial gain and social prestige and he seems to have started life named 'Kafta" and to have become a Maronite priest before taking on a royal title. This "enterprise" is still active today https://knighthood_order.tilda.ws/ and "invites to cooperation those who are interested and consider themselves a worthy candidate in the Knights of the Order".
Silver, gilt, enamel.
Size 86 mm.
Catching hook marked with a French silver hallmark "boar's head" and maker's mark "the note "fa" and a yawl between letters LF"
Marks.
Around the central medallion
Knightly Order of St. Catherine with Mount Sinai was created by "Marie de Lusignan", wife of "Guy de Lusignan", self-styled Prince of Jerusalem, of Cyprus and of Armenia. When he died in 1905, her lover took over as "Grand Master", having awarded himself the title "Comte d'Alby de Gratigny". The founder of the Order and her husband were well-known for creating orders for financial gain and social prestige and he seems to have started life named 'Kafta" and to have become a Maronite priest before taking on a royal title. This "enterprise" is still active today https://knighthood_order.tilda.ws/ and "invites to cooperation those who are interested and consider themselves a worthy candidate in the Knights of the Order".
Silver, gilt, enamel.
Size 86 mm.
Catching hook marked with a French silver hallmark "boar's head" and maker's mark "the note "fa" and a yawl between letters LF"
Marks.
Around the central medallion
"Pour Bailler Sa Foi / To Convey Her Faith" /Saint Catherine was born at el-Iskandariya (Alexandria), Egypt, in the late third Century. Famous for her beauty and intellect, she converted to Christianity and refused all offers of marriage. Early in the fourth Century, Emperor Maxentius appointed fifty academics to debate with her but such were her powers of persuasion that they too converted to Christianity. Eventually she was tortured and executed for her faith. It is said that angels transported her body to the peak of Mount Sinaï/.
