*The Royal Victorian Order, an original fitted case of issue for the Collar of the order by Harold Stabler, in red leather with gilt embossed title ‘Royal Victorian Order / Collar / No. 3’, silk-lined with interior label ‘Harold Stabler, 34 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, London W.’, some wear and splitting to interior silk lining, externally excellent, with a little wear in places, push button depressed, and small stained areas to red leather, but generally very good and extremely rare. From the estate of Baron Moncheur (1857-1940), Belgian diplomat and Ambassador the Great Britain (1917-1927). The order of service from his funeral states that he was awarded the Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order with Collar (Grand Officier de l’Ordre de Victoria avec Collier) during his tenure as Belgian Ambassador to the United Kingdom (1917-1927), amongst a variety of other European and World Orders. The Book ‘Royal Service, Volume I’ by Galloway, Stanley and Martin, confirms this entitlement by stating that the Collar of the Royal Victorian Order was issued to foreign ambassadors (provided that they were not already entitled to the collar or chain of a higher order). Typically, this was only for the duration of their time in office, after which the collars were returnable. Moncheur, however, is shown in ‘The Royal Victorian Order’ by Galloway (page 303) as being specifically permitted to retain his G.C.V.O. collar for his full lifetime. We can only presume that Moncheur’s collar was properly returned upon his death, while the case remained in his possession.

Estimate: GBP 1000 - 1500