Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very attractive original 19th-century French Second Empire-era officer’s gorget, of the type associated with reserve, National Guard, and Gendarmerie service. By the 18th and 19th centuries, the gorget had evolved from its earlier function as protective armor into a largely ceremonial military insignia worn at the throat or upper chest as a visible indication of rank, authority, or duty.

The gorget is constructed from brass and has developed a rich age patina across the surface. At the center is a silver-colored applied plate depicting the Gallic Rooster with wings spread above crossed flags. The flags bear the motto LIBERTÉ / ORDRE PUBLIC, translating to “Liberty / Public Order.”

The gorget is constructed out of brass which has tarnished to a lovely patina, and features a silver plate of the Gallic Rooster with its wings spread standing overtop of crossed flags that bear the old French motto established by the First Consul, Napoleon Bonaparte, Liberté / Ordre Public which translates to “liberty, public order.” In the Middle Ages, the Gallic Rooster was widely used as a religious symbol, the sign of hope and faith. It was during the Renaissance that the rooster began to be associated with the emerging French nation. With time, the French kings adopted the rooster as a symbol of courage and bravery.

The gorget measures 5 ⅝” long and 4” wide. The leather backing is retained, but it is partially detached.

The combination of the Gallic Rooster, crossed flags, Liberté / Ordre Public motto, brass body, and surviving leather backing makes this a particularly interesting example of French 19th-century military and public-order insignia. Its construction and symbolism place it firmly within the tradition of officer gorgets used as visible emblems of authority during the Second Empire era.