Also known as the “Medal of the Viscount of Laguna” or “Medal Lécor”. Breast Badge, 35x26 mm., gilt Silver and GOLD cross with roughly hexagonal arms, chiseled with a border of stylized laurel leaves, the obverse with the upper and lower arm enriched with the dates “1821” and “1822” embossed in gold, while the left and the right ones with an embossed, stylized rose; centre medallion in gold with green enameled leaves above the “Cerro de Montevideo” on blue enameled background, within green-yellow enameled outer circlet bearing the golden inscription “MONTEVIDEO” and a laurel wreath; above, golden suspension bar with engraved ornaments and the winged dragon, symbol of the House of Bragança, to the reverse, the arms with applied, gold embossed dates “1817”, “1818”, “1819” and “1820”, green enameled centre medallion in gold, bearing the inscription “PETRUS / I.B.I. / D.” under a stylized, horizontally arranged, golden laurel wreath; with its original award document, given on July 20th, 1823, to Captain José Bonifacio de Toledo, officer of the Sao Paulo Milicia, for his merits displayed in the years 1818, 1819, 1820, 1821 and 1822, with autographed signature of the Viscount of Laguna.
An extremely rare group of the first military award of Brazil’s Empire, of the highest interest for being complete with its proper award document (where the awarded class is also clearly indicated), generally excellent condition, the paper shows its typical signs of the time past.
Bibliography: David André Levy: “As Campanhas Cisplatinas e a Primeira Condecoração do Império do Brasil”, web-published on www.vilaricamoedas.com/artigos/. I RR!