One of the grades of the Saxon Order of Albert
was the 5th grade, the so called Small Cross. It was renamed in Honor Cross in
1858. With awarding the last cross on
November 27, 1875, only a total of 362 Honor Crosses had been issued to loyal citizens.
As known to many collectors,
the Order of Albert was awarded for over 23 years with
its initial design. This design featured in the medallion
the bust of Herzog
Johann den Beständigen instead of the founder of the of the house of Wettin
and the Albertinien family line, Herzog
Albrecht der Beherzte (Albert). After discovering the
mistake the so called "Bäckermütze" vanished quietly.
This was concluded in a non publicized edict of the
ministry of interior affairs on January 26, 1875.[1] This
act triggered the complete renewal of the orders
statues. With the rewriting several changes were made.
Among those the golden medal was
changed into the Albert Cross (Albrechtskreuz) and the
Smaller- or Honor Cross was changed into the knight
cross 2nd class. All legal bearers of the order
decorations were granted the right to exchange all 1st
type decorations for the new "regulated and corrected" badges.
All of this is cause for the
rarity of the 1st type decoration especially for the Smaller- or Honor Cross of the Order of
Albert. I personally know only of 3 original pieces in
collections.
[1]
"Die Orden des Königreiches
Sachsen" 1997; D.Weber; Paul Arnold; P.Keil
