King Christian X of Denmark & Iceland (1912-1947)

  

The Icelandic Order of the Falcon (Hin Íslenzka Fálkaorda)

 

The Icelandic Order of the Falcon was instituted on July 3rd, 1921 by King Christian X of Denmark and Iceland. The Order received new statutes on July 11th, 1944 after the Icelandic declaration of independence from Denmark.

 

The order can be awarded to both Icelanders and foreigners for services to Iceland and humanity.

 

The president of Iceland is the grandmaster of the Order. The Order is awarded based on the recommendations of a five-person council, in rare cases the president can bestow the Order at his or her own initiative.

 

The sash and all ribbons for the Order are made from blue silk with red trims on a white border - the national colors of Iceland. The sash is worn from left shoulder.

 

The Order has three classes; Grand Cross, Grand Knight and Knight. Grand Knight is divided into 2 degrees. 		  


Grand Cross

  


Grand Cross Insignia

  

Grand Cross

 

Current version in gilded silver with sash shown.

 

The insignia is a Latin shaped white-enamel gold cross with expanded arms. The obverse features a falcon, the national bird of Iceland, on an oval blue circle. The reverse features the inscription "Seytjándi Juní 1944" (June 17th, 1944) – the Icelandic Independence Day. Above the order is a lily, which replaced the original royal crown of Denmark.

 

The collar (not shown) is made from gold and consists of two different alternating links: 25 medallions with a falcon on blue background and 25 Icelandic coat of arms.		  


Grand Cross Breast Star - Reverse
   


Grand Cross Breast Star - Obverse

    
The collar is only awarded to the president of Iceland and foreign heads of state.

The breast stars, which are 8-pointed fluted silver stars, vary in size depending on class. The Grand Cross breast star features a cross superimposed on top. While the Grand Knight with Star breast star is slightly smaller.

      


Grand Knight with Star Breast Star - Obverse

  


Grand Knight with Star Breast Star - Reverse

Grand Knight with Star and Grand Knight

 

First type Grand Knight with Star breast star, current version Grand Knight with Star miniature in gold and first type Grand Knight in gilded silver with royal Danish crown shown

 

The Grand Knight class in divided in to two degrees, Grand Knight with Star and Grand Knight. 

 

The insignia is worn by men in a neck ribbon and by women in a bow. 

 

The breast star is surprisingly small, and one of the smallest breast stars in my collection.

 

The Grand Knight class is comparable to the Commander classes of the other Nordic Orders.


 

Knight

 

The Knight insignia (not shown) is identical to that of the Grand Knight, but slightly smaller. It is worn in a cross-mounted ribbon in the same style as the Danish Order of Dannebrog Knight Class.


Grand Knight
with Star
Obverse


Grand Knight - Obverse

  


Grand Knight - Reverse


Grand Knight
with Star Reverse