The “Golden Room” of the Ivanovo Museum of Local History named after Dmitry Burylin presents the star of the Order of the Lion and the Sun. The Order commemorated the 10th anniversary of the reign of the second Shah of the Qajar dynasty Fat’h Ali in 1808 (or 1809, according to other sources).
During his reign, Persia established strong diplomatic ties with Russia, Britain and France. According to one version, the new Order of the Lion and the Sun was based on the design of the star of the French Order of the Legion of Honor. The highest degrees of the order were decorated with enamel inlays, just like the “original” award, but they were also lavishly decorated with gold and diamonds. The award served to distinguish the outstanding achievements of the Shah’s subjects in their military or civilian careers, as well as the activities of foreign subjects for the benefit of Persia (Iran).
Initially, the award was not intended for sale: as aforementioned, it was given not only to foreigners but also to the Shah’s subjects. The “Persian” and “foreign” variants of the order are strikingly different when it comes to the depiction of the Persian state symbol — a lion against the rising sun. The central enamel medallion — either red or green, depending on the purpose of the award — shows the lion either standing and holding a shamshir sword or resting against the background of the rising sun. The “peaceful”, “civilian” lion on a green background was intended for foreigners, while the “warlike” lion with a menacingly raised sword — for citizens of Persia. The order ribbons were differentiated accordingly: the ribbon of the Order of the Lion and the Sun awarded to foreign military men, merchants or diplomats, was green, while the ribbon “for domestic affairs” could be blue, navy blue, red or white.
Given that many people received the order, it is not very rare, yet it is still a perfect example of the so-called “Qajar style” — decorative, imperial and monumental all at the same time. The fine details and unique design, where the heraldic images that were canonic since the Safavid dynasty are complemented by the European manner, turn the Order of the Lion and the Sun into an exquisite gem of any collection.
