A Sword Belonging to His Highness the Duke of Orléans

A presentation sword belonging to His Highness the Duke of Orléans will be offered in our forthcoming Coins, Militaria, Arms and Armour and Sporting Sale.

The sword has a straight flared blade in blue and gilt, with scroll motif decoration, gilt metal cross guard, mother of pearl reeded grip. The white leather and gilt metal scabbard, with later fitted velum case, has a  silver plaque inscription reading "Presented by the inhabitants of Stow near Buckingham, to his Royal Highness, the Prince of Orleans, on his marriage on November 5th 1896"

His Royal Highness Prince Emmanuel of Orléans, The Duke of Vendôme, was a Major in the Austro-Hungarian Army. He was not allowed to serve in the First World War, due to an 1886 law barring all Princes of the two former Sovereign Houses of France from being permitted to serve their country in either the Army or Navy, or to hold office in the French Government.

The Prince, undeterred, volunteered with the French Red Cross and was appointed a Principal Delegate on the Belgian Front, also serving as a Director of the Franco-Belgian Hospital in Calais. In 1926, he led an excavation party that unearthed a village of Roquebillière in the Alpes-Maritimes Department, where several Roman tombs were found containing rare jewels, vases and objets d'art.

He married Princess Henrietta of Belgium in Brussels. Henrietta was the daughter of Prince Phillipe, Count of Flanders and Princess Maria of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. Together they were known as the Sporting Duke and Duchess and had four children. Prince Emmanuel was born in 1872 and died in 1931.

Coins, Militaria, Arms and Armour and Sporting Sale is an online timed auction, taking place between 15th and 24th of September 2020.

Estimate: £2,000 – 3,000

Contact Head of Department Julian Smith for more information