drclaw

Wow! If only 16 were awarded (plus a few surviving stock at Crispulo de Mendoza Zamora), this would make the medal very very rare indeed! The use of General Gregorio del Pilar as the central motif was a canny act by the Japanese. Nothing like using a local resistance fighter as a symbol against the evil previous colonial regime. Thanks for sharing this information. It's fascinating stuff!

Thanks Nick. I've only ever seen one other of these. This one appeared on ebay last year, an 8th or 9th Class I believe, also cased, and was described as the "Order of the National Seal". It sold at a handsome price after some stiff bidding. I wish I'd saved the images. Interestingly, the use of three stars to denote the Fourth Class is consistent with the Nationalist orders, which in turn followed the practice of the Striped Tigers. Presumably, the different classes would be: First (three stars), Second (two stars), Third (one star), Fourth (three stars), Fifth (two stars), etc.

Yes indeed! I really like the design of these and they're not that easy to find for the same reason - there were only awarded for a very short time and most people quickly discarded them after the war. These particularly suffer from verdigris in the silver metal - a problem you rarely if ever encounter with Japanese awards or even Chinese awards.

Ah, that's very interesting history. I believe a lot of Chinese collectors have the same view when it comes to the Chinese Nanjing Puppet Government orders although that's changing. Do you know how many Tirad Pass Orders were awarded? It was a little difficult to read the original article so sorry of these questions were answered already. But what is the significance of the "Tirad Pass" and who is the chap who is depicted on the medal obverse? Thanks for sharing your knowledge on a fascinating topic!

Dark, what is the popular view in the Philippines about President Laurel's wartime regime? It is interesting how history has differently treated "collaborators" in the Pacific War depending on your stand point. Ho Chi Minh was a "collaborator" but revered in Vietnam as a nationalist and anti-colonialist freedom fighter. The same could be said of Sukarno in Indonesia. Wang Jingwei is universally condemned in China and Taiwan as a "Hanjin" or traitor, akin to a Benedict Arnold or Vikdun Quisling. However, many now argue that Wang's joining the Japanese was motivated by a genuine belief that the war was lost and there was a need to ameliorate the suffering of Chinese under Japanese occupation.

Thanks for posting this Dark. A rare medal indeed! I've just posted something of similar vein in the Chinese section. The original English article is fascinating stuff. "Bandit suppression" was a popular euphemism by the Japanese in occupied territories ....

Like candy for grown men! I can see why the Lion and Sun has captured your soul, like in that Chekhov short story

The case with the Chinese inscription San Deng Guo Hui Zhang or "Fourth Class National Seal Medal or Order"

Just arrived from the Galerie Numismatique auction - a Nanjing Puppet Government Order of the National Emblem, Fourth Class. Images are from Galerie Numismatique. The name of the order, taken from the inscription on the box, is Guo Hui Zhang. Guo Hui can be translated as "National Emblem" and "Zhang" means badge, medal, decoration or order. There is very little information on this rare order. The widely accepted view is that it was awarded by the Wang Jingwei Nanjing Puppet Government (the Reorganised Government), possibly between 1943-45. A new theory in China is that it might have been awarded by Zhang Xueliang (the Young Marshal), successor and son of the Manchurian warlord Zhang Zuolin (the Old Marshall, the Mukden Tiger), after he joined Chiang Kaishek and the Guomindang Government in December 1928 following the Northern Expedition. There is little if any documentation or references for either. Following the Japanese invasion of China in 1937, local administrations were set up in the Japanese controlled areas of China. The Provisional Government of the Republic of China was established 14 December 1937 in Beijing and the New Reformed Government of the Republic of China was set up in Nanjing on 28 March 1938. On 30 March 1940, these governments were merged into the Reorganised National Government of China under Wang Jingwei. On 9 January 1943 the government declared war on the U. S. and Great Britain. The regime claimed to be the legitimate national government of China and Wang the legitimate successor to Sun Yatsen. The government took pains to use the same symbols of the Guomindang government although there was a tussle with the Japanese over the flag. The Japanese wanted the old five coloured bar flag of the 1912-28 Republic of China, which was also incorporated in the flag of Manchukuo, but relented. The White Sky Blue Sun Red Field flag could be displayed inside government offices but outside, needed to be displayed with an added pennant declaring the anti-Communist nature of the government. The Guomindang White Sun is the central motif of the medal, together with plum blossoms (the plum blossom would be officially designated the national flower of the Republic of China / Taiwan in 1964). The Guomindang colours white, blue and red feature. Interestingly, the reverse is inscribed with the number 752 so quite a few were awarded. Surviving specimens are however very rarely encountered. Most would have been awarded to Germans, Japanese and local Chinese collaborators and most would have been destroyed by their recipients. Being discovered with one as a Chinese would have meant a probable death sentence with the return of the Nationalists after the Japanese surrender. Most of the Nanjing Puppet Orders suffer from enamel rot and heavy tarnishing of the silver. These were being made in wartime conditions by a regime under occupation by Japan which is reflected in the quality of the workmanship and materials. The silver of this example is noticeably of poorer qualiy although the workmanship of the medal and the enamelling is high. The case is wood covered with vinyl paper strips. There are no maker's marks. It may have been made in Nanjing or by the National Mint in Tianjin which was also under Japanese occupation. http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_12_2012/post-11630-0-99872000-1355437419.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_12_2012/post-11630-0-09819700-1355437448.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_12_2012/post-11630-0-90208700-1355437474.jpg

Congrats on a wonderful purchase, Markus. I have wanted one of these for a long time but have had to be disciplined. The design of the Brilliant Star Order, and the quality of the workmanship of this example, is simply breathtaking. Next will have to be a Brilliant Star badge with the portrait of Sultan Hamad bin Thuwaini! Incidentally, it wasn't mentioned in the earlier posts that I could see, but that superb group awarded to Dr George Macdonald sold for 30,000 Swiss Francs at the 2008 UBS auction. It belonged to Professor Gustav Tammann after all. Wonder if he ever did complete his study on the Orders and Decorations of Zanzibar.

Your absolutely right Paul, there are many people who collect miniatures and these have real historical value, especially with provenance. It's fascinating how times and fashions change. There was an elegant age when the bestowing of orders was standard practice in international diplomacy and that created a whole industry plus related paraphanelia like miniatures. Now miniatures chains have gone the way of top hats, fob watches and starched collars. It does surprise me that miniatures are now being faked. But if there's a buck in it ...

Yeah, it really does come down to individual tastes and interests. Personally, I would rather save for 20 years for an original than acquire a still pricey collector's copy. I have the same curiosity when it comes to Miniatures. They are by no means "copies" or reproductions, and many are exquisitely made by leading court jewelers and have historical value. But at the same time they are not official awards as such being privately commissioned pieces (I'm excluding here, those miniatures that were awarded as part of an official insignia set).

Omigosh, my heart would have skipped several beats after lifting a supposedly solid package only to hear loose, tinkling sounds coming within. I'm glad the document itself is largely intact. Rich, it's long time I subscribed to your excellent newsletter. Will send you a PM about subscribing and picking up back-issues too.

Wow! What an interesting thread! I really enjoy reading these sorts of stories of folks researching unusual medals in their collections and their possible recipients. Thanks gents for sharing this.

Very interesting, thanks for sharing this! The design of the medallion seems a little rough compared to the usual high quality that you would expect from Japanese decorations. Could it be of local Chinese manufacture?

Thanks for posting Nick! I've always wondered why the Pillars of the State are so rare compared to the Auspicious Clouds It was founded on 14 September 1936, just two years after the Auspicious Clouds on 1 March 1934. It corresponded to the Sacred Treasure which was fairly liberally awarded to Japanese officers.

Very nice pick-up! Thanks for sharing. Always impressed by the quality of the lacquer cases of Japanese decorations but know next to nothing about them. I'd assumed that they were all produced by the Japanese Mint but it would make sensue that ribbons, lacquer cases, etc, were sub-contracted to specialist manufacturers. Is Kobayashi Lacquerware a frequently encountered manufacturer of cases?

Thanks for posting these Markus. I never get bored looking at the workmanship and beauty of this Order. Any theories as to which French jeweller might have produced #668? The enamel painting of the lion is superb!

Very nice pick up gents. Thanks for sharing! I think Nick's theory of old stocks of rosettes or cases being used is very plausible. It was mentioned on the China thread for example, that the Government of Taiwan continued to award 1930s type insignia as late as the 60s and 70s because they were sitting on crates of the stuff that they had shipped over to Taiwan after they were defeated by the Communists. I've also seen quite a few examples of Qing Double Dragons where the sash badges and the breast stars are of the same manufacturing style and CLASS, but of the different GRADE. The same manufacturing style suggests they were awarded as an original set. Maybe the workshop only had the incorrect sash badges at hand. Or the recipient thought the incorrect badge was "prettier" and wanted that instead. Who knows ... So I wouldn't be too worried, Dieter, about your "SU" rosette. It might still be an original set as awarded. Gavin

Here's an interesting question. Most collectors would categorise the Manchukuo Orders alongside the Japanese awards, while the Wang Jingwei Puppet Government awards are usually categorised alongside Chinese awards. Why is this? Some possible reasons: The Manchukuo orders were mostly (all?) produced by the Osaka Mint and share the same very high quality as typical Japanese orders. James Peterson for instance includes the Manchukuo awards in his book on ODM of "Japan and Associated States". The Wang Jingwei orders (Order of United Glory, Order of the National Emblem) were produced locally with the limited resources of the Puppet Government in occupied territory. The quality is noticeably poorer with enamel rot and verdigris a common problem.

And from a purely functional protection, how practical / effective were these helmets in combat?

Thanks for posting these Bob. We don't see many Republic militaria images now that Lorenzo is no longer a member. I recall seeing Iraqi propaganda films before the Second Gulf War with images of burly, handle-bar moustached soldiers marching to the theme of Star Wars. One of the Hussein boys was obviously a fan. Would you know how much these original helmets are selling for these days? Gavin

Very nice pick-up, thanks for sharing! The style of the kanji is a little unusual. Does this particular style align with a certain period of manufacture? I do like the lower level Sacred Treasures with their simple, understated yet elegant design.

Hmmm, very interesting! Thanks for posting these. Fushimi received the Manchukuo Order of the Orchid Blossoms (only 34 awards I believe) but Yamamoto only received the Auspicious Clouds.

Paul, I reckon your award was more likely awarded to a German by the Chinese Legation in Berlin. A German Kiaochow official, or a German in the Maritime Customs Service (there would have been quite a few), would most likely have received a locally made piece although it is possible he (or she) might have privately commissioned the Godet insignia back in Berlin.