A PAIR OF ORDERS OF THE BRAZILIAN NATIONAL ORDER OF THE SOUTHERN CROSS
Brazil: Pair of Orders of the National Order of the Southern Cross (Ordem Nacional do Cruzeiro do Sul)
comprising:

a) Grand Cross of the National Order of the Southern Cross. Silver gilt and blue, white and green enamels reading Benemerentium Praemium. Rev Hallmark of la royale RIO BRASIL, 70 x 70 mm, vertical pinback.
b) Knight of the National Order of the Southern Cross. Silver gilt and blue, white and green enamels reading Benemerentium Praemium. Rev Republica dos Estados Unidos do Brasil surrounding centerpiece of a woman s profile. 65 x 72 mm not including suspension, 147 x 72 mm including suspension.

LOT NOTES
Instituted on December 1, 1822 by Emperor Pedro I

This lot is from the collection of the prominent historical figure Dr. Victor Chi-tsai Hoo, dignitary from the Republic of China, and himself descending from an influential family of diplomats. His father, Hu Weide, was the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Qing Dynasty, and briefly served as the Premier of the Republic of China after Duan Qirui was ousted from Beijing in 1926. He was instrumental in bringing democracy to the Qing Dysnasty and was a member of the Chinese delegation at both the Treaty of Versailles as well as the Hague Peace Conference.

Victor Hoo, coming from such an illustrious family, continued in his father's footsteps as a diplomat for the Republic of China. Having represented China at the League of Nations, Dr. Hoo was later named Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1945, and later became the highest ranking Nationalist Chinese at the United Nations, becoming Undersecretary General. The only member of the higher staff of the United Nations to speak all five official languages fluenty (Chinese, Russian, English, French, and Spanish), Dr. Hoo was socially adept and extremely active on the international stage. He was both a participant and contributor representing the Republic of China's wishes at the most seminal events of the 20th Century, including the Versailles Treaty, the San Francisco Conference creating the UN, Dumbarton Oaks, and many others. It is perhaps for this reason, that Chiang Kai Shek ordered Dr. Victor Hoo to remain at office at the United Nations as long as possible, which he did until the end of his life, at the age of 77.

PROVENANCE
Awarded to U.N. Under-Secretary General Victor Chi_tsai Hoo (1894-1972)
thence by descent in the family