drclaw

Fascinating stuff! The hysterical commentary by the Chinese - who were in the midst of the Cultural Revolution - is something you don't see much of today, except from North Korea. 40 years ago, everyone in Beijing wore Mao suits ...

Congratulations Markus! These are rare and extraordinarily beautiful pieces. The quality of the enamel painting make these true works of art. Something which can't be said for the later Persian made insignia. Thanks for sharing these.

Fascinating stuff. It says they used potassium cyanide as a photographic fixer! Whatever you do, DON'T dab your finger on your tongue to clean a smudge on Wu's face ... Never thought our little armchair hobby could be so potentially fatal!

Nick, these ones have always intrigued me, namely how they printed his face onto a medal in a way where it didn't rub off with normal usage. Most of the ones I've seen were uncased and with the image almost completely intact. Was a 'glaze' fired over the image to seal it?

Thanks very much KimKan, no rush. Cheers

Hi KimKan, Would it be possible to share any images of the Bacqueville 2nd Type 3rd Class? I've only ever seen the 2nd Class and find the Bacqueville Dragons especially beautiful. The sash badges for the 2nd Class have the arms enamelled in white as opposed to plain silver. Regarding the size of the 1st Type 3rd Class neck badges, there seems to be enormous variation. Most are tiny at around 50-60 mm in diameter (compared to 89 mm for the 2nd Type 3rd Class) yet some photographs of recipients show very large badges. Is it possible that the sizes of the 1st Type badges shrank over time?

Thanks Nick and David for taking the time to share. I really enjoyed looking at these beauties and they're not something you see every day.

Thanks very much KimKan. It's not all that easy to tell from the photograph alone so this is very useful information. The conversion from a neck badge to a breast badge is interesting, possibly to convert it into a jewellery broach.

Congratulations Markus. A superb set from a quality maker. I find it fascinating that many of the 'new' Middle Eastern awards founded in the 1950s resemble the old Ottoman Order of Medjidie abolished three decades earlier. Memories of the Ottoman Empire must have improved with age. Or perhaps it was just nostalgia.

Could be Nick, could be. But the centre medallion in the photo appears red. That said, you can never trust these hand-tinted photographs in getting the colours right.

That is REMARKABLE! Not only have we identified a maker of the Double Dragon, they're still operating today! Incidentally, the Proposal and Statutes for Amending the Order of the Double Dragon Design, dated 13 March 1897, stated: 'The insignia would be produced by “the best craftsmen from Tianjin and Shanghai using western moulds for silver decorations to achieve a very fine finishing”. We know the First Type Double Dragons were awarded as late as 1901/1902 before being replaced by the Second Type in 1902.

That's the one! And the sash is the same colour too. Well spotted Nick! The big breast star in the coloured photo looks like either the Auspicious Clouds or the Pillars of the State. I'm guessing it's the Auspicious Clouds as the senior Order equivalent to the Order of the Rising Sun.

Here are two interesting images of Puyi's Empress Wanrong of Manchukuo. She is wearing a sash and what appears to be two breast stars. These have me stumped. They don't look like the Order of the Orchid Blossom, especially the smaller badge which has a dark circular ring in the centre medallion. Any ideas? Could it be an award of one of the small number of countries that gave diplomatic recognition to Manchukuo? Unfortunately these are the best images I've been able to find. http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_01_2014/post-11630-0-86193400-1388566976.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_01_2014/post-11630-0-41919500-1388566992.jpg

Here's one from a French auction in 2012 (?). I can't recall the name of the auction house unfortunately.

Stunning piece! I've never encountered a Chinese makers' mark on a Second Type Double Dragon, but this is the second one I've seen on a First Type Double Dragon. I can't make out the top character but the last two are tian (Heaven) and bao (Precious).

Nick, is the Grand Cordon to the last Satsuma daimyo in a museum or a private collection? It is an amazing piece of history in a period of monumental change in Japan.

Absolutely stunning Nick! Thanks for sharing this treat. Merry Christmas guys and thanks for all your contributions and posts this year. Ours can be a lonely hobby (it's not like you can wander into your local pub and discuss insignia variations on the Order of the Golden Kite ...). But being part of this community really makes a difference.

A very good article by Kristian Fischer that summarises the Battle of Tsushima and the implications for naval tactics and development. "Naval tactics, at least as concerns line of battle combat, were fundamentally altered as a result of Tsushima. Previously, massed naval combat had been thought of in Nelsonian terms; two long lines of enemy warships, pummelling each other to bits on parallel courses. After Tsushima, it became clear that maneuverability also had a part to play, and that faster, well-organised ships could outfight slower, more heavily armed ones." "Tsushima also became the birth place of the Japanese ”decisive battle” doctrine, in which she would strive to conserve her battlefleet at all costs for a final confrontation with an enemy. Japan held on to this doctrine all the way through World War II, ironically whilst developing new ideas about the massed use of aircraft carriers that made ”decisive battle” obsolete." "On the technological front, Tsushima was seen as a vindication for the advocates of big guns and speed in naval combat. Britain's First Lord of the Admiralty, Jon Fisher, used it as the final argument to force through the construction of the first of a brand new type of all big-gun battleship, the HMS Dreadnought. She was laid down a mere five months after the battle and joined the fleet the following year, rendering every older battleship obsolete. Interestingly enough, the Japanese laid down their first all big-gun ship, the Satsuma, two weeks before Tsushima, but took four years to complete her construction." http://www.wargamer.com/article/3400/historical-article-the-battle-of-tsushima

"terrible tactic + terrible ammunition (problems with fuses + problems with explosiveness)" I agree. A lot of English language works also emphasise Russian antique battleships pointing to Admiral Nebogatov's Third Pacific Squadron: the battleship Imperator Nikolai I and the coastal defence ships Admiral Ushakov, General-Admiral Apraxin and Admiral Senyavin. On paper, it might seem handy to have these along for the additional big guns. The coastal defence ships weren't TOO obsolete being only around 10 years old from completion with a max design speed of 16 knots. But Imperator Nikolai I certainly was. Launched in 1889, her speed of 14 knots was 4 knots slower than the Japanese fleet which was a significant factor tactically. It's fascinating how naval ships were so quickly outdated in that period of rapid evolution in naval design. A battleship might be obsolete after 3 years. Compare that to the Age of Sail where you could have ships happily serving 30+ years. In WWII, most of the main powers still used WW1 vintage battleships that had been modernised. Currently, the Russian navy still has in commission the Kirov-class battlecruiser Petr Velikiy. The first ship of the class, the Kirov was launched in 1977 although the Petr Velikiy was launched some 20 years later. It's still a class that's almost 40 years old - like the CSS Alabama and USS Monitor sailing off to fight in the Battle of Tsushima. The USS Ticonderoga-class cruiser Bunker Hill was launched in 1985 and is still in commission. It seems that in the modern age, it is the electronics and weapon systems that matter, not so much the platform. Back to Admiral Nebogatov's antique squadron. Imperator Nikolai I (flagship) Laid down: 1886. Launched: 1889. Commissioned: 1891 Displacement: 9500 tonnes Armament: Two 12-inch, four 9-inch, eight 6-inch Speed: 14 knots Admiral Ushakov, General-Admiral Apraxin and Admiral Senyavin Laid down: 1892. Launched: 1893. Commissioned: 1895 (Admiral Ushakov) Displacement: 4900 tonnes Armament: Four 10-inch, four 4.7-inch Speed: 16 knots For comparison, the Mikasa Laid down: 1899. Launched: 1900. Commissioned: 1902 Displacement: 15,100 tonnes Armament: Four 12-inch, fourteen 6-inch Speed: 18 knots

Nick, what's the popular view of Russian historians about the Battle of Tsushima? Personally, I think it was an extraordinarily brave act on both sides. The Russians sailed halfway around the world, knowing they would fight a fresh, formidable fleet at the end of the voyage despite being completely exhausted. The Japanese faced a Russian fleet more than twice their size: 10 battleships / coastal defence ships versus four battleships. The Russians fought their guns to the last and only surrendered the next day when they were completely surrounded.

Other interesting things from the movie clip: * Admiral Tojo is shown commanding, 'old style', on the open deck as he did in the actual battle - he was wounded in the thigh by a shell splinter but refused to leave his post. This was grossly irresponsible as a single lucky shot might have incapacitated him and his entire staff, threatening the Japanese command of the battle. * Admiral Rozhestvensky is shown commanding under cover, presumably in the conning tower - he too was wounded in the battle and had been evacuated to a destroyer when his flagship the Suvorov sank * Numerous small fires can be seen burning on the superstructure of the Russian ships - the Japanese used shells filled with 'shimose' which worked similar to napalm, causing numerous fires * The Japanese armoured cruisers can be seen forming part of the line of battle (as did the Russian armoured cruisers) This is particularly interesting as it shows an important point in the evolution of naval warfare. Prior to the launching of HMS Dreadnought, there wasn't all that much difference between battleships and armoured cruisers. Battleships typically had four 10-, 11- or 12-inch guns in two turrets, and a heavy secondary armament of 6-inch guns. Armoured cruisers typically had four 8-inch guns in two turrets, and a heavy secondary armament of 4-, 5- or 6-inch guns. In tonnage terms, they were not that dissimilar and some armoured cruisers were actually larger than battleships. They were however lighter armoured and a couple of knots faster. Once HMS Dreadnought was launched, countries began building battleships with ten or more heavy guns. In terms of displacement, they were twice, three times as large as armoured cruisers. Given the massive disparity in firepower now, armoured cruisers no longer had a place in a main battle-line. The British still insisted on keeping them so and in the Battle of Jutland, the Grand Fleet lost three armoured cruisers with heavy loss of life after they strayed within range of German dreadnoughts and battlecruisers. They never should have been there. Some argue the battlecruiser was effectively a super armoured cruiser. It too sparked debate over whether they had a place in a main battle-line and go toe-to-toe against battleships. The British lost three battlecruisers at Jutland although this was largely due to poor ammunition handling procedures as opposed overly thin armour. HMS Hood DID however meet her end against Bismarck because of her horribly thin deck armour. But that's another story.

Here's a little festive fun.

An unidentified Qing officer wearing the Double Dragon breast star.

Yinchang (1859-1928) was a Manchu who served as Qing Minister of War shortly before the outbreak of the 1911 Revolution. After the Revolution, he was made a full General by Yuan Shikai and appointed Chief Military Aide-de-camp to the President. He later became Chief of the General Staff and in 1923 received the title of Marshal. He is wearing the sash badge of the Second Class Double Dragon around the neck as was common practice at the time. He also appears to be the gentleman on the far left in #1 wearing the five-petal Second Class badge around the neck. Yinchang was a senior Manchu but not a prince so that explains why he is wearing the Second Class, not the First Class. From Wiki: In the Qing Dynasty In the beginning Yinchang was a student of Guozijian. In 1872 he learned the German language at the Tongwen Guan, Beijing. In 1877 he was sent to Germany as a third-class of secretary-translator of the Chinese Legation at Berlin. During his stay in Germany he studied military science and subsequently married a German wife. In 1884 he returned to China, on same December he was appointed a translator for the Germany military officer who posted to the Qing Dynasty. In June 1885 Yinchang was appointed a translator of the Tianjin Military Academy, later he was promoted to the manager of this school. The late President of the Republic of China Feng Guozhang was a student under his direction. In winter 1899, he took charge of the negotiation about railways and mines in Shandong with Germany, and signed the constitution for railways and mines in Shandong (山東路礦章程). In 1901 he became a Deputy Lieutenant-General commanding the Plain White Banner Garrison (正白旗漢軍副都統). In 1901 Yinchang accompanied Zaifeng, Prince Chun to Germany with the special mission to convey China's regret about the Boxer Rebellion. In same July he was appointed the Chinese Minister to Germany (Berlin) and therefore didn't return to China with the Prince. On next month he also held the Chinese Minister to Netherlands. In 1905 he was recalled and returned to China. At the end of the year he was appointed the director of the Nobles' College (貴冑學堂總辦). In September 1906 he became Commander-in-Chief in Jiangbei (江北提督), and two months later, was (right) vice-president of the Army Board (陸軍部右侍郎). In September 1908 he was reappointed to the Chinese Minister to Germany (he duly went to post in Spring 1909). In March 1910 he was recalled and returned to China for appointing to the acting President of the Board of War (陸軍部尚書). In the Xinhai Revolution and the Beiyang Government In September 1910 Yinchang became Inspector-General of all the Army divisions stationed the vicinity of Beijing (訓練近畿陸軍各鎮大臣). Three Months later, he was given the Portfolio of War. In May 1911 Yikuang, Prince Qing established his Cabinet, Yinchang stayed in office. On the outbreak of the Xinhai Revolution in same October, Yinchang tried to quell the revolutionary army in Hubei, but he couldn't command the army of Qing Dynasty which was influenced by Yuan Shikai. In next month Yinchang resigned from his post, while Yuan established his Cabinet. After the establishment of the Republic of China, Yinchang was invited to the High Diplomatic Advisor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In December 1912 he was made a Full General and was appointed to the head of a military burearu to the President's Office (總統府軍事處處長). In May 1914 he was appointed to Chief Military Aide-de-Camp to the President by Yuan Shikai. In December 1917 he became Chief of the General Staff. In January 1919 he was reappointed to Chief Military Aide-de-Camp to the President by Xu Shichang. In October 1923 he was received the title of Marshal with "Zhuang Wei" (莊威將軍). He died at Beijing in 1928.

Beautiful, Markus. Congratulations on your latest purchase. The enamel painting of the lion is exquisite. I like how the grass in the foreground is a darker shade. It's one of the most naturalistic lions for this Order.