This is an order cross from the era of King Frederick II of Prussia, circa 1750/60. An officially issued and awarded original specimen, meaning it was officially distributed and conferred by the Order Chancellery. The manufacture can be attributed to Samuel Colliveaux (1708-1790), who was exclusively entrusted with the production of the Pour le Mérite order insignia since 1740. Made of gold, with strongly domed blue enamel on both sides. The crowned cipher “F” and the inscription in applied gold foil with black drop shadow, the motto “Pour le Mé = rite” still in cursive script. Complete with golden double ring and a long original neck ribbon, length approximately 58 cm. Only lightly worn, the enamel and inscription still undamaged, condition 2.

The goldsmith construction of the cross is typical for pieces from the 18th century. The enamel of the cross arms is particularly strongly domed on this piece as well. The lettering was burned into gold foil (not painted), the crown surrounded by painted white pearl dots.
Particularly impressive is the exceptionally fine preservation for its age. The order thereby possesses a most impressive and beautiful appearance.
This Pour le Mérite is one of the finest examples of its kind and one of the rarest Prussian orders to have come onto the market in recent years. Officially issued specimens, meaning those manufactured and awarded by official commission such as the piece offered here, are of the greatest rarity and have survived only in minimal numbers.
A piece of the same manufacture is located in the Deutsches Historisches Museum and is illustrated in the reference work “Orden 1700-2000” by Karsten Klingbeil, Volume 3, page 58.

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Prussian Order Pour le Mérite

The Order Pour le Mérite represents one of the most significant military decorations in Prussian and German history. King Frederick II, known as Frederick the Great, established this order on January 9, 1740, with official confirmation on May 31, 1740, as part of his efforts to elevate Prussia as a major European power. The order superseded the Ordre de la Générosité founded on May 8, 1667 by Elector Frederick William of Brandenburg. The French designation reflected the leading international language of the era and corresponded to the preferences at Frederick's court.

The production of the order's insignia was commissioned exclusively to goldsmith Samuel Colliveaux (1708-1790) from 1740, whose workshop was responsible for the characteristic quality of eighteenth-century pieces. Later, court jeweller Daniel Baudesson (1716-1801), who served in this position from 1766, also undertook the production. The early examples are distinguished by particular craftsmanship features: the lettering was not painted but created by burning gold foil into the enamel, while the crown was surrounded by painted white pearl dots. Around 1777/78, the script style changed from cursive writing to Roman Antiqua lettering under Baudesson. From 1832 onwards, the gold letters were no longer made from gold foil but inlaid in metal.

The Maltese Cross with blue enamel and golden eagles between the arms was symbolically based on the emblem of the Order of Saint John. The upper arm bears the crowned Prussian royal cipher “F” for Frederick under a golden crown. The motto “Pour le Mé=rite” runs from the left arm to the right, ending at the bottom arm. The eighteenth-century examples were constructed of gold with strongly convex blue enamel on both sides. The ribbon was black with silver-white edge stripes and measured approximately 58 centimeters in length for early pieces.

Until 1810, the order was awarded for both military and civil merit and consisted of only one class. On January 18, 1810, King Frederick William III restricted the award to serving military officers for extraordinary merit in combat. The order was conferred as recognition of extraordinary personal achievement, not as a general marker of social status. Membership was for life unless renounced or revoked. A separate civil class, the Pour le Mérite für Wissenschaften und Künste, was established on May 31, 1842 by King Frederick William IV for achievements in sciences, humanities, and arts.

During its nearly 180-year military history from 1740 to 1918, a total of approximately 5,430 to 5,750 persons received the military Pour le Mérite. Frederick the Great awarded approximately 900 to 924 orders during his reign (1740-1786). The first recipient was Colonel Hans Christof Friedrich von Hacke in June 1740. Among the early civil recipients was Voltaire in 1750. Frederick William III awarded the highest number during his long reign (1797-1840), while Frederick William IV awarded only 32 to 36 orders. Wilhelm I awarded about 300 and Wilhelm II approximately 850, mostly during World War I. Of the total number, more than 1,500 were foreigners.

Additional distinctions were introduced over time: Oak Leaves in March 1813 for extraordinary or repeated merit, the Crown in 1844 for fifty-year jubilee recognition (147 documented awards), and the Grand Cross in 1866, which was awarded only five times, including to King Wilhelm I of Prussia (1866), Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm and Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia (1873), Tsar Alexander II of Russia (1878), and Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke (1879).

During World War I, the order gained international fame, particularly among German fighter pilots. It was informally called the “Blue Max” after flying ace Max Immelmann. Immelmann and Oswald Boelcke received the first aviation awards on January 12, 1916. Initially, fighter pilots qualified after downing eight enemy aircraft (1916); this rose to sixteen to twenty by early 1917 and approximately thirty by war's end. Manfred von Richthofen received the order in January 1917. From October 10, 1916 onwards, the crosses were made from gilt silver with 938/1000 silver content and marked accordingly. The order could not be awarded posthumously.

The military class ceased with the end of the Prussian monarchy in November 1918. Ernst Jünger, who died in 1998, was the last living military recipient. The civil class was re-established as an autonomous organization in 1923 with revised rules. During the Nazi era (1933-1945), it was re-absorbed into the state honors system, and several Jewish members and dissidents were deprived of their awards. After World War II, the civil class was re-established in 1952 by Federal President Theodor Heuss. It continues to be awarded today under the oversight of the Federal President of Germany, limited to 80 members (40 German, 40 foreign). Civil class recipients included Albert Einstein (1923), Käthe Kollwitz (1929, first female recipient), and Ernst Barlach (1933).