The Spirit of the Lion

With The Spirit of the Lion - Orders of Belgium, Antti Ruokonen has created the definitive work on the five Belgian Orders of Chivalry (Order of Leopold I, Order of the African Star, Royal Order of the Lion, Order of the Crown and Order of Leopold II.).

The book goes over their history, development, technical details and numerous variations, with comparing overviews of the different kind of crowns and centres, allowing the reader to identify manufacturers and manufacturing time of pieces. Also included are numerous photos of holders, bestowal documents, cases and detail photos of markings.

The book is lavishly equipped with large-sized images to bring this fascinating topic to life. If you are looking for an in-depth look into Belgian Orders or are interested in European Orders & Decorations in general, this is the book for you. Main contents include:
256 images of Orders insignia, cases, documents, recipients, insignia details, etc.
All five Belgian Orders described, with measurements, details, types, ribbons, award details and more
Biographies of King Leopold I & Leopold II
Biographies of three knights of Belgian Orders
A short history of modern Belgium
Hierarchy and timeline of Belgian Orders
A healthy appendix with two document groups, ribbons, insignia centres, manufacturer marks and more.

This is the 1st US Edition, different only in size (8,5" x 11") to the 1st Edition published in Finland (A4)."