REGIMENTAL STANDARD OF THE “REGIMIENTO DE CABALLERÍA DE LA EMPERATRIZ”

Mexico, Second Mexican Empire (1864–1867). A silk tricolor standard (green–white–red) painted with the Mexican national arms—eagle with serpent alighting on a nopal cactus above a wreath, beneath a curved painted scroll reading “REGIMIENTO DE CABALLERÍA DE LA EMPERATRIZ”; the corners embroidered in gilt thread with small crowned monograms, very likely the cipher of Empress Carlota; now mounted and framed. 23 1/4 x 23 1/4, frame 27 7/8 x 27 15/16 in.

Executed in the European manner favored under Emperor Maximilian, the flag combines a bold, hand‑painted central device with applied titling to identify the Empress’s Cavalry Regiment, one of the elite formations of the short‑lived Imperial Army. The use of crowned ciphers in the corners and the formal arched legend place the piece firmly within the iconography of the French‑sponsored regime.

Survivals of imperial regimental colors from the Second Mexican Empire are of the greatest rarity. Many standards were destroyed or altered following the restoration of the Republic in 1867; extant examples are largely in institutional collections. Bearing the name of the Empress’s cavalry and retaining its royal corner ciphers, the present color is an important and evocative artifact of Maximilian’s regime, linking court, army, and national symbolism at a moment of profound political experiment. Its completeness and legible devices make it a highly desirable acquisition for museums and advanced collections of Mexican and transatlantic nineteenth‑century history.

Note: This lot cannot be packaged and shipped in-house. Successful bidders winning items marked as being packaged and shipped by a third-party service are responsible for paying the third party directly. We are happy to offer complimentary drop-off service to local third-party packing/shipping companies in Columbus, Ohio.