Item number: M373

Year: AD 1898-1905

Material: 14ct Gold and Enamel

Size: 69.0 x 69.0 x 15.0 mm

Weight: 41.45 g

Provenance:

1. Czerny’s 2024

2. Janice Lane Young

3. Marie Psyachi

This is an order established on July 16, AD 1878, by Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II, known as the “Order of Charity” (Nishan-i Şefkat). It was created to honour women who made outstanding contributions and was divided into three distinct classes. In AD 1922, following the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, this order was officially abolished.

This star is an accessory of the first-class order. For a complete set, it must be accompanied by a sash and a badge. The star features a red enamel-painted five-pointed star, surrounded by radiant decorations inlaid with diamonds and purple gemstones. Among these, purple rubies and green enamels form intricate floral and botanical motifs, adding to its elegance.

At the centre of the five-pointed star is a golden disc engraved with the tughra of Abdul Hamid II. To the right of the Sultan’s tughra is the Ottoman imperial title “Gazi,” granted to the Sultan. Below, the disc bears the issuance year “١٢٩٥” (1295) in accordance with the Ottoman Rumi calendar, corresponding to AD 1878. Surrounding the disc is a green enamel band inscribed with three Ottoman Turkish phrases: “Humanity,” “Assistance,” and “Patriotism,” which were abolished after the establishment of the Republic of Turkey. The reverse of the order features a five-pointed star motif surrounded by a laurel wreath.

The establishment of this order dates to the Russo-Turkish War of AD 1877–1878, the eleventh such conflict between the Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empire, along with Balkan insurgent forces supported by Russia. During the war, many refugees fled to the Ottoman capital, Istanbul. Lady Austen Henry Layard, the wife of the British ambassador to Istanbul, provided significant aid to these refugees. In recognition of her contributions, Sultan Abdul Hamid II established this order, specifically intended to honour women. Recipients of the order were selected regardless of nationality, and the award was not required to be returned to the government upon the recipient’s death.

According to information provided by the auction house, the original owner of the order was Marie Psyachi, the wife of Rufus W. Lane, who served as the U.S. Consul in Smyrna (modern-day Izmir) from AD 1898 to AD 1905. The order was later passed down to the ambassador’s niece, Janice Lane Young.

物件編號: M373

年代: 公元 1898-1905 年

材質: 14ct 黃金, 琺瑯

尺寸: 69.0 x 69.0 x 15.0 mm

重量: 41.45 g

來源:

1. 車爾尼拍賣行 2024

2. 珍妮絲·萊恩·楊

3. 瑪麗·賽奇

這是一枚公元1878年7月16日，鄂圖曼土耳其蘇丹阿卜杜勒-哈米德二世為獎勵作出傑出貢獻的婦女而設置之「慈善勳章」，總共有三個等級。公元1922年土耳其共和國成立後，該勳章也連同遭到廢止。

這枚星章為一級勳章的配件，完整的組合還需要搭配一條大綬帶和一枚獎章。這枚星章的外觀為紅色琺瑯彩繪的五角星，周圍以鑲嵌鑽石和紫色珠寶的光芒作為裝飾，其中紫色紅寶石和綠色琺瑯構成優美的花草圖騰。

五角星中央的黃金圓盤，鐫刻著阿卜杜勒-哈米德二世的花押，蘇丹花押的右側是鄂圖曼帝國授予蘇丹的頭銜「加齊」，下方為按照鄂圖曼帝國的「魯米曆」標示之發行年份「١٢٩٥」(1295) 相當於公元1878年。而在圓盤外圍有一圈環繞的綠色琺瑯，以土耳其成立共和國後廢除的鄂圖曼土耳其文標示「人道」、「援助」和「愛國」三個銘文。勳章背面則尚有一個以月桂花環圍繞的五角星裝飾。

這枚勳章的設立背景為公元1877至1878年間，鄂圖曼土耳其和俄羅斯帝國及其扶植的巴爾幹半島反叛勢力進行的第十一次俄土戰爭。這一場戰爭中許多的難民流落至首都伊斯坦堡，英國駐伊斯坦堡大使奧斯丁·亨利·萊亞德的夫人提供許多的援助。阿卜杜勒-哈米德二世為感謝大使夫人的貢獻，設立這一枚旨在頒發給女性的勳章以資獎勵，對象不分國籍且得獎者過世後不需要繳交回政府。

根據拍賣行提供的資訊，勳章的原主人是公元1898至1905年間，擔任美國駐士麥那(今 伊茲密爾)領事館大使魯弗斯·W·萊恩的夫人瑪麗·賽奇所有。這枚勳章後續再輾轉傳給大使的姪女珍妮絲·萊恩·楊。