Maison Bacqueville

Maison Bacqueville is a French manufacturer of civil and military medals, decorations and orders, described as the oldest such house still in activity. Its origins trace to a small firm named Halley, which obtained the right of striking (droit de frappe) in 1790. Around 1860 Octave Lasne took over the Halley firm, and in 1869 he also obtained the right to manufacture coinage for Emperor Napoleon III. The business was located at 5, Galerie Montpensier in the Palais-Royal in Paris, where the shop has remained for more than two centuries. In 1900 the house was acquired by Albert Bacqueville, whose family name it has carried ever since. After two generations of Bacqueville ownership, it was bought in 1980 by the Marck family, specialists in decorations and military uniforms, who remain the current owners. Despite the change of ownership, the name Maison Bacqueville and the Palais-Royal address were retained. Today the company states that it is one of the last three manufacturers holding the right to strike certain French and foreign medals and decorations, including the Légion d'honneur, the Médaille militaire, the Croix de guerre, the Ordre national du Mérite, the Ordre des Palmes académiques, the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, the Ordre du Mérite agricole and the Ordre du Mérite maritime. It operates its own manufacturing workshop at the gates of Paris, which allows it to respond quickly to special orders and to guarantee French-made quality. Its clientele ranges from private individuals (collectors and recipients) to local authorities, companies, town halls, serving and retired military personnel, firefighters and associations. It also produces long-service and corporate medals, town-hall insignia such as collars, sashes, pocket badges and car cockades, and personalised medals and badges. The house maintains a private collection that includes a prototype of the Napoleon III collar and a diploma awarded by Emperor Maximilian of Mexico in 1865. It sells online and through its historic boutique in the gardens of the Palais-Royal in Paris. Eleven months of the year it manufactures Légion d'honneur medals, military medals, Croix de guerre, civil medals, academic palms, long-service medals and decorations for institutions and companies. The company notes that anyone may order a medal or decoration, but wearing one in public without official award is an offence under Article 259 of the French penal code.

The history of Maison Bacqueville begins with a small house named Halley, which obtained the right of striking (droit de frappe) in 1790. Around 1860 Octave Lasne succeeded the Halley firm, and in 1869 he obtained the right to manufacture coinage for Emperor Napoleon III. The shop was established at 5, Galerie Montpensier in the Palais-Royal in Paris, an address it still occupies today. In 1900 the house, then known as Maison Lasne, was acquired by Albert Bacqueville, whose family gave the business its enduring name. Albert Bacqueville is known for producing copies, of quite fine quality in vermeil, of the entirety of the French orders of the Ancien Régime and the Empire. The house remained in the Bacqueville family for two generations. In 1980 the business was bought by the Marck family, specialists in the manufacture of military uniforms and decorations, who are the current owners. Despite the change of ownership, the name Maison Bacqueville was retained and the address in the Galerie Montpensier at the Palais-Royal remained unchanged. The house preserves a private collection that includes a prototype of the Napoleon III collar, recalling that the Emperor rehabilitated the Légion d'honneur created by Napoleon I, as well as a diploma awarded by Emperor Maximilian of Mexico, in Spanish, dated 1865. Today Maison Bacqueville is described as the oldest manufacturer of military and civil medals and decorations still in activity, and states that it is one of the last three manufacturers holding the right to strike certain French and foreign medals and decorations. It operates its own manufacturing workshop at the gates of Paris and sells both online and through its historic boutique in the gardens of the Palais-Royal.

• 1980

  The Marck family, specialists in military uniforms and decorations, buys the house; the name and Palais-Royal address are retained.

• 1900

  Albert Bacqueville acquires the house, which takes the Bacqueville name.

• 1869

  The house obtains the right to manufacture coinage for Emperor Napoleon III.

• 1860

  Octave Lasne succeeds the Halley firm.

• 1790

  The house, then named Halley, obtains the right of striking (droit de frappe).

Historic French atelier and one of the last three holders of the right to strike official French medals and decorations; French-made quality from its own workshop near Paris.

• Légion d'honneur

  Official French order, struck by the house under its right of striking.

• Médaille militaire

  French military decoration produced by the house.

• Croix de guerre 1914-1918 and 1939-1945

  French war crosses for both world wars.

• Ordre national du Mérite

  French national order produced by the house.

• Ordre des Palmes académiques

  French order for academic merit.

• Ordre des Arts et des Lettres

  French order for arts and letters.

• Ordre du Mérite agricole

  French order for agricultural merit.

• Ordre du Mérite maritime

  French order for maritime merit.

• Long-service and corporate medals

  Medals for companies and institutions, including work seniority medals.

• Town-hall insignia

  Collars, sashes, pocket badges and car cockades for municipal use.

1. 1Décorations civiles et médailles militaires - Bacqueville Parisbacqueville-medailles.com
2. 2Une des plus belles pages de l'histoire des médailles et décorations - Décorations civiles et médailles militairesbacqueville-medailles.com
3. 3Maison Bacquevillewikidata.org
4. 4Maison Bacquevillefr.wikipedia.org