CM16 ROYAL ORDER OF MONISERAPHON
  Ordre Royal du Moniseraphon
(Meday Moniseraphon)

founded in one class on February 1 and April 18, 1905; raised to three classes September 9, 1948; and then to five classes in 1961
  For: service in the fields of instruction, justice, administration, science, literature, and fine arts
  Design: Obverse: in gold, two sprays, the left of laurel with berries, the right of palm, the center two smaller sprays holding a goblet on which rests the book of a scholar;
    Reverse: the invertion of the obverse
  Ribbon: First type: golden yellow or yellow
    Later type: light violet - possibly used for a while in the later days of the Kingdom before 1970

This award resembles closely the French Order of Academic Palms, and has also been called the Order of Historical, Literature, and Scientific Merit, or the Royal Order of Merit of Cambodia.  Its name can be transliterated in different ways, such as Palm du Muni Seraphon.  Awards could be proposed by the Ministries of National Education, Justice, Finance, Religion, Health, and Information.

Except for the sash, star and commander grade, the Royal Order of Moniseraphon appears fairly frequently on the market.  

It has been revived by the current Kingdom.

16/1 Grand Cross / Grand-Croix / (Moha Serivodho or Mohasereivadh)
  Design: star – as above 85mm across, but on squarish silver star consisting of four sets of five faceted silver rays with four smaller sets of three between, surmounted with a standard gold 40mm badge;
    sash badge – as above 50mm across, with sash
  Ribbon: sash 100mm; first, golden yellow; later, pale violet; service bar – with rosette and two gold wings

Royal Order of Moniseriphon grand cross
16/1 Grand Cross
With the presentation card to Monsieur Jacques Maziol, French Minister of Construction (1962-1966).

Royal Order of Moniseriphon star
16/1 Star

16/2 Grand Officer / Grand-Officier / (Vorsenea)
  Design: star – as above, 85mm;
    breast badge – as above, 40mm across, with rosette on suspension ribbon
  Ribbon: 45mm; service bar - with rosette with one gold and one silver wing

Royal Order of Moniseriphon grand officer
16/2 Grand-Officer
Royal Order of Moniseriphon grand officer
16/2 Grand-Officer

Royal Order of Moniseriphon star
16/2 Star


16/3 Commander / Commandeur / (Thipden)
  Design: badge – as above, 50mm across, suspended from a cravat
  Ribbon: 45mm; service bar - with rosette and silver wings

Royal Order of Moniseriphon commander
16/3 Commander

16/4 Officer / Officier / (Senea)
  Design: breast badge – as above, 38mm across, with rosette on suspension ribbon
  Ribbon: 38mm; service bar - with rosette
Royal Order of Moniseriphon officer
16/4 Officer
Royal Order of Moniseriphon officer mini
16/4 Officer - Miniature

16/5 Knight / Chevalier / (Assarutti)
  Design: breast badge – as above, 38mm across, with suspension ribbon
  Ribbon: 38mm; service bar – without rosette
Royal Order of Moniseriphon - Knight
CM16 Royal Order of Moniseraphon - Knight
original ribbon
Royal Order of Moniseriphon - Knight
CM16 Royal Order of Moniseraphon - Knight
possibly used violet ribbon

Half-Size Reduction

Royal Order of Moniseriphon - Demi-Reduction
CM16 Royal Order of Moniseraphon - Half-Sized Reduction (23mm x 32mm)


Variations (Officier and Chevalier)

There are many small variations in manufacture of this order, some locally made ones being crudely made of gilt silver or base metal or of an artisan manufacture.

1. Type with Palm on Top of Laurel

1.1 Type with high relief and fine detail
Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison
1.1a Copy of 1.1 ?
Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison
Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison Leaves Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison Leaves

1.2 Type with flat leaves having leaf edge ridges
Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison
1.3 Type with flat leaves without leaf edge ridges
Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison
Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison Leaves Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison Leaves

1.4 Type with flat leaves and drooping lower top leafRoyal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison

Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison Leaves  

2. Type with Palm Underneath of Laurel

2.1 Type without palm and leaf veins
Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison
2.2 Type with veined laurel leaves
Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison
Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison Leaves Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison Leaves

2.3 Type with veined palm leaves (37mm)
Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison
2.4 Copy of 2.3 ? (39mm)
Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison
Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison Leaves Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison Leaves

2.5 Type with highly veined leaves (~40mm)
Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison

Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison Leaves  

3. Type with Palm on Top and Underneath of Laurel

3.1 Type with palm wrapping top and bottom of laurel tip
(from www.semon.fr/DECORATIONS_CAMBODGE.htm)
Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison

Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison Leaves  

4. Current type / Post 1995: palm on left; laurel with berries on right

4.1 Dual side type
Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison Leaves
4.1 Uniface Type
Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison Leaves
Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison
4.3 New Uniface Type - Made in China ?
Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison Leaves
 
Royal Order of Moniseraphon Comparison  

Manufacturing

cambodia royal order of moniseraphn pendant
Unfinished Pendant Stamping for a Miniature

Prices

M. Delande in 1938 sold the Palme du Muni Seraphon for 500 Francs in pure gold and for 40 Francs in gilt silver. Others were manufactured by Chobillon.  (If anyone has any maker catalogs with listing/prices, please let me know.)

Some catalog excerpts:

cambodia royal order of moniseraphon prices
Betrand - 1932

 

Current Kingdom Types (re-instituted October 5, 1995)

Current awards are worn with the badge flipped opposite to the previous awards - with the laurel berries on the right.

cambodia royal order of moniseraphon commander - current type
16/3 Commander - Current Type

cambodia royal order of moniseraphon knight - current type
16/5 Knight - Current Type