drclaw

Less than 10 days to go to the auction! It was sold after last year's auction by private treaty sale and the new owner expects an even higher price this year. From: Scene Asia, http://blogs.wsj.com/scene/2013/05/30/will-the-real-chiang-kai-shek-medal-please-stand-up/ As the Hong Kong auction market comes back to life, so does a military medal allegedly worn by former Chinese Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek. When auction house Spink China put the medal up for sale last August, the Taiwanese government questioned its authenticity. Called “Order of Blue Sky and White Sun with Grand Cordon,” the metallic medal with an enamel face features the emblem of the Chinese Nationalist Party, also known as the Kuomintang, and was awarded to Chiang Kai-shek in 1930. Fewer than 300 of the medals were handed out, and they constituted one of the highest military honors bestowed by the Nationalist government. But just days before the Spink China auction, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said it believed that Chiang Kai-shek’s medal was buried with him when he died in 1975. The medal received no bids at the auction and failed to sell. Now, the auction house is trying once again to sell this contested piece of history at an upcoming auction in Hong Kong next month. Anna Lee, Spink China’s vice chairman, said the medal will be featured as the only item on offer at a sale scheduled for June 22. Ms. Lee has estimated the medal will fetch between 8 million and 10 million Hong Kong dollars (US$1 and $1.3 million). If the medal finds a buyer, it will be the world’s most expensive military medal sold at auction, she said. The medal has already changed hands since last summer’s controversy. Its current owner bought it in a private deal after the attempted auction. Ms. Lee did not disclose the owner’s identity. The previous owner obtained the medal at a Taipei antique shop in the 1990s for 10 million New Taiwan dollars (US$333,950), Ms. Lee said. Typically, “Order of the Blue Sky” medals were marked with a number on their back, but this particular medal isn’t numbered. Instead, it has engraved Chinese characters that translate to “Special One.” Ms. Lee says this engraving matches historical photos of Chiang Kai-shek wearing a medal that was flipped on its backside, revealing the marking. The Taiwanese government hasn’t changed its stance on the medal’s authenticity. The Ministry of National Defense did not return phone calls, but earlier this month it told Taiwan’s main news agency that it believes the real medal is buried with Chiang Kai-shek. Ms. Lee argues that Chiang Kai-shek was buried wearing a replica issued specifically for his funeral, and that the original medal bestowed to him in 1930 is the one that is for sale. Taiwanese historian Chuk Hong-ming, who wrote a book on the history of the medal, shares the same view and endorsed Spink China’s sale last year. “Unfortunately, we can’t ask them to open up the grave to find out for sure,” Ms. Lee said.

Thanks JC. What JC is saying is that all of the medals that have appeared in recent years have been in Japan, certainly those that are complete. Many years ago, a single rusty / damaged specimen was unearthed in China.

The 3rd Class is signed by President Feng Guozhang. It appears that the Republic followed the Japanese practice of having the First, Second and Third Class documents personally signed by the head of state. The documents themselves closely copied Japanese award documents with minor differences. The top image features the particular badge / class of the award (in Japanese documents, this image is the chrysanthemum). The bottom image features the lapel rosette (in Japanese awards, this image is the badge of the award). While the original decrees specified that award documents were to be numbered, this did not occur in practice from what I can tell.

This is a beauty and interesting to see the seal on the presentation case. Any sense as to how many were minted? Most would have survived in Japan I'd imagine as you wouldn't want to be found holding one in China after the Japanese surrender.

Wow! This is simply amazing! Thanks for posting these lovely images. I paint 28 mm miniatures and have yet to find the courage to paint 54 mm. 1/6th scale doesn't even feature in my wildest dreams. Was the model pre-sculpted resin or metal? What paint brand did you use?

This is a real beauty in Morton and Eden's upcoming July 2013 auction. And unlike with our vendor in Ukraine, you know you will receive what you pay for. Plenty of Japanese orders and decorations as well, including a Grand Cordon Rising Sun and Grand Cordon Sacred Treasure. Full catalogue available here: http://www.mortonandeden.com/pdfcats/65web.pdf Manchukuo, Order of the Auspicious Clouds, Second Class set of insignia, comprising neck badge, in silver-gilt and enamels, width 62.5mm, and breast star, in silver, with gilt and enamelled centre, 89mm, in (slightly damaged) lacquer box of issue, good very fine and rare £3,000-3,500

The square plaque on the reverse has some similarities with those stamped on the Republican Order of the Golden Grain and the Order of the Precious Brilliant Golden Grain made by the Tianjin Mint. Interestingly most of those insignia bear the name of the Central Mint in addition to the name of the Order, but some only bore the name of the Order. The Nationalist decorations aren't really my area but I'd be surprised if the Central Mint did not continue producing the new awards of the Guomindang government after 1929 given they had the expertise and tools to do so. I guess this is one of those questions that can only be theorised, never definitively answered. Interesting, only 9 weeks before Operation Barbarossa. One of the reasons for the Japanese occupation of Manchuria and north China was to create a buffer against the Soviet Union. Soviet recognition of Manchukuo was implicit recognition of Japan's regional ambitions. But no doubt Stalin had more pressing concerns in the West!

What a coincidence! It says "Special Class" on the reverse too! It looks amazingly mint for something recently unearthed from Chiang's tomb.

Any sense of who might have made the insignia? My guess is the Central Mint at Tianjin which was of course under Japanese control. Most if not all of these were awarded to Japanese officers, Chinese collaborators and friendly Axis officials. The Soviet Union maintained "normal" relations with Japan until August 1945. Did the Soviet Union recognise any of the Japanese puppets - Manchukuo, Nanjing Government?

Is the large medal on Chiang the White Sky and Blue Sun? I see Zhang Xueliang is still wearing the Rising Sun of the nation that assassinated his father.

Simply superb Nick! A very rare order in practically mint condition. There's very little information about the Nanjing Puppet Orders unfortunately. Only snippets of information. Was this a Special Class + 9 regular classes?

Very nice Markus, I especially like the gold rays. That's very uncommon. It's an early Persian lion so around the 1880s?

Zhang Zongchang (the "Dogmeat General") is photographed wearing the Fifth Class Order of Rank and Merit. Zhang rose to prominence in the Second Zhili-Fengtian War (1924) when he helped his sponsor Zhang Zuolin defeat Cao Kun and Wu Beifu. The 1912-1916 listings don't include Zhang's Rank and Merit so this is evidence that the Order continued to be awarded after 1916 and most likely right up to the defeat of the Beiyang warlords by the Guomintang in 1928. It's likely that awards tapered off after the 1912-16 period for two reasons. First, 1912-16 would have included a flush of awards to the revolutionary generals and others who helped overthrow the Qing Dynasty. Second, 1912-16 was a period when the central government still retained some authority and good relations with the provincial warlords. This changed once the country fragmented and the southern provinces broke away. Even if we extrapolate the same rate of awards for 1912-16 out to 1928, we're looking at less than 1000 awards in total. The actual number is likely to have been considerably less.

So some 267 awards were made between October 1912 and October 1916. And possibly more may have been conferred - if Autengruber and Tammann are correct - until the defeat of the Beiyang Government by the Guomindang in 1928. Almost all of the awards were made to Chinese citizens with only a tiny handful of foreign awards (to the Emperor of Japan and Bogd Khan of Outer Mongolia). This could explain why so few of these have appeared in the West. Yet they are also extremely rare in China.

I've translated the Chinese reference as follows and tallied the numbers of awards. 授勋全名单（按年份排列） Honours full list (arranged by year) Order of Rank and Merit 1912年10月09日 (October 9, 1912) 袁世凯、孙文、黎元洪 特授以 大勋位 Yuan Shikai, Sun Wen, Li Yuanhong – Grand Class Rank and Merit 唐绍仪、伍廷芳、黄兴、程德全、段祺瑞、冯国璋 特授以 勋一位 Tang Shaoyi, Wu Tingfang, Huang Xing, Cheng Dequan, Duan Qirui, Feng Guozhang – First Class Rank and Merit 孙武特 授以 勋二位 Sun Wu – Second Class Rank and Merit 1912年10月16日 (16 October 1912) 吴俊升特授以勋五位 Wu Junsheng – Fifth Class Rank and Merit 1912年11月20日 (20 November 1912) 徐绍桢陈其美特授以勋二位 Xu Shaozhen, Chen Qimei – Second Class Rank and Merit 1912年11月25日 (25 November 1912) 刘公特授以勋二位 Liu Gong – Second Class Rank and Merit 1912年12月28日 (28 December 1912) 蒋翊武特授以勋二位_ Jiang Yiwu – Second Class Rank and Merit 邓玉麟特授以勋三位 Deng Yulin – Third Class Rank and Merit 1912年12月30日 (30 December 1912) 张謇、汪兆铭特授以勋二位 Zhang Jian, Wang Zhaoming – Second Class Rank and Merit 1913年01月23日 (23 January 1913) 蔡济民特授以勋二位 Cai Jimin – Second Class Rank and Merit 唐牺之、蔡汉卿、季雨霖、吴兆麟、杜锡钧、王安澜特授以勋三位 Tang Xizhi, Cai Hanqing, Ji Yulin, Wu Zhaolin, Du Xijun, Wang Anlan – Third Class Rank and Merit 王文锦、徐达明、吴醒汉、李作栋特授以勋四位 Wang Wenjin, Xu Daming, Wu Xinghan, Li Zuodong – Fourth Class Rank and Merit 杨玉如、刘英、熊炳坤特授以勋五位 Yang Yuru, Liu Ying, Xing Bingkun – Fifth Class Rank and Merit 1913年02月12日 (12 February 1913) 梁士诒、胡惟德、姜桂题、段芝贵特授以勋二位 Liang Shiyi, Hu Weide, Jiang Guiti, Duan Zhigui – Second Class 谭学衡、熙彦、王占元、曹锟、陈光远、李纯、倪嗣冲特授以勋三位 Tan Xueheng, Xi Yan, Wang Zhanyuan, Cao Kun, Chen Guangyuan, Li Chun, Ni Sichong – Third Class 蔡廷干、刘承恩、靳云鹏、赵倜、卢永祥、周符麟特授以勋四位 Cai Tinggan, Liu Chengen, Jin Yunpeng, Zhao Ti, Lu Yongxiang, Zhou Fulin – Fourth Class 徐树铮、吴光新、蒋廷梓、王金镜、李厚基、何丰林、马继增、施从滨、张锡元、程克特授以勋五位 Xu Shuzheng, Wu Guangxin, Jiang Tingzi, Wang Jinjing, Li Houji, He Fenglin, Ma Jizeng, Shi Congbin, Zhang Xiyuan, Cheng Kete – Fifth Class 1913年03月10日 (10 March 1913) 王隆中特授以勋四位 Wang Longzhong – Fourth Class 1913年03月17日 (17 March 1913) 顾忠深、洪承点特授以勋三位 Gu Zhongshen, Hong Chengdian – Third Class 1913年04月01日 (1 April 1913) 吕公望授以勋三位 Lu Gongwen – Third Class 叶颂清、顾乃斌特授以勋五位 Ye Songqing, Gu Naibin – Fifth Class 1913牛04月02日 (2 April 1913) 王正雅特授以勋四位 Wang Zhengya – Fourth Class 1913年04月10日 尹昌衡特授以勋二位 Yin Changheng – Second Class 1913年04月20日， 余钦翼特授以勋四位 Yu Qinyi – Fourth Class 1913年05月06日 章炳麟特授以勋二位 Zhang Binglin – Second Class 1913年07月03日 孟效曾特授以勋五位 Meng Xiaoceng – Fifth Class 1913年07月09日 葛应龙特授以勋五位 Ge Yinglong – Fifth Class 1913年07月12日 米振标特授以勋五位 Mi Zhenbiao – Fifth Class 1913年07月15日 张作霖特授以勋五位 Zhang Zuolin – Fifth Class 1913年07月18日 张勋特授以勋二位 Zhang Xunte – Second Class 1913年07月21日 张文生特授以勋五位 Zhang Wensheng – Fifth Class 1913年07月27日 方玉普特授以勋五位 Fang Yupu – Fifth Class 1913年07月31日 马继增特授以勋四位 Ma Jizeng – Fourth Class 鲍贵卿、张敬尧特授以勋五位 Bao Guiqing, Zhang Jingyao – Fifth Class 1913年08月03日 孟恩远特授以勋五位 Meng Enyuan – Fifth Class 1913年08月04日 李鼎新、郑汝成特授以勋三位 Li Dingxin, Zhen Grucheng – Third Class 臧致平特授以勋四位 Zang Zhiping – Fourth Class 1913年08月06日， 苏慎初特授以勋三位 Su Shenchu – Third Class 1913年08月08日 马联甲特授以勋五位 Ma Lianjia – Fifth Class 1913年08月31日 殷恭先特授以勋五位 Yin Gongxian – Fifth Class 1913年09月01日 陈廷训特授以勋五位 Chen Tingxun – Fifth Class 1913年09月03日 张勋晋授勋一位 Zhang Xunjin – First Class 刘冠雄特授以勋二位 Liu Guanxiong – Second Class 雷震春特授以勋三位 Lei Zhenchun – Third Class 施从滨晋授勋三位 Shi Congbin – Third Class 1913年09月08日 张文生晋授勋三位 Zhang Wensheng – Third Class 殷恭先晋授勋四位 Yin Gongxian – Fourth Class 白宝山、陈德修、方更生特授以勋五位 Bai Baoshan, Chen Dexiu, Fang Gengsheng – Fifth Class 1913年09月10日 王怀庆、李钦特授以勋五位 Wang Huaiqing, Li Qin – Fifth Class 1913年09月11日 李际春特授以勋五位 Li Jichun – Fifth Class 1913年09月14日 杨善德特授以勋三位 Yang Shande – Third Class 何丰林特授以勋四位 He Fenglin – Fourth Class 吴长植、刘起垣、潘鸿钧、张克瑶特授以勋五位 Wu Zhangzhi, Liu Qiyuan, Pan Hongjun Zhang Keyao – Fifth Class 1913年09月19日 徐宝珍授以勋五位 Xu Baozhen – Fifth Class 1913年09月22日 覃师范特授以勋五位 Tan Shifan – Fifth Class 1913年10月02日， 夏炎甲特授以勋五位 Xia Yanjia – Fifth Class 1913年10月10日 世续、徐世昌、赵秉钧特授以勋一位 Shi Xu, Xu Shichang, Zhao Bingjun – First Class 朱瑞、蔡锷、胡景伊、唐继尧、阎锡山、张凤翙、张锡銮、倪嗣冲、张镇芳、周自齐、陈宦特授以勋二位 Zhu Rui, Cai E, Hu Jingyi, Tang Jiyao, Yan Xishan, Zhang Fenghui, Zhang Xiluan, Ni Sichong, Zhang Zhenfang, Zhou Ziqi, Chen Huan – Second Class 汤芗铭晋授勋二位 Tang Xiangming – Second Class 蒋尊簋、孙毓筠、庄蕴宽特授以勋三位 Jiang Zun Gui, Sun Yuyun, Zhuang Yunkuan – Third Class 张绍曾、陆建章特授以勋四位 Zhang Shaoceng, Lu Jianzhang – Fourth Class 屈映光特授以勋五位 Qu Yingguang – Fifth Class 1913年10月15日 张殿如特授以勋五位 Zhang Dianru – Fifth Class 1913年10月16日 黄士龙特授以勋五位 Huang Shilong – Fifth Class 1913年10月20日， 杨增新特授以勋三位 Yang Zengxin – Third Class 1913年10月27日 张载阳、徐乐尧特授以勋五位 Zhang Zaiyang, Xu Leyao – Fifth Class 1913年10月29日 蒋雁行、马毓宝特授以勋四位 Jiang Yanhang, Ma Yubao – Fourth Class 1913年10月31日 周骏特授以勋四位 Zhou Jun – Fourth class 张毅、刘存厚、彭光烈、孙兆鸾、陈廷杰特授以勋五位 Zhang Yi, Liu Cunhou, Peng Guanglie, Sun Zhaoluan, Chen Tingjie – Fifth Class 1913年11月07日 米振标晋授勋三位 Mi Zhenbiao – Third Class 张殿如晋授勋四位 Zhang Dianru – Fourth Class 1913年11月10日 陈镇藩、孙发绪特授以勋五位 Chen Zhenfan, Sun Faxu – Fifth Class 1913年11月14日 常德盛特授以勋五位 Chang Desheng – Fifth Class 1913年11月23日 蒋作宾、史久光特授以勋五位 Jiang Zuobin, Shi Jiuguang – Fifth Class 1913年11月29日 吴俊升晋授勋三位 Wu Junsheng – Third Class 1913年11月30日 王汝贤、康永胜、尹凤山、赵清衢特授以勋五位 Wang Ruxian, Kang Yongsheng, Yin Fengshan, Zhao Qingqu – Fifth Class 1913年12月20日 申保亨、张建功特授以勋五位 Shen Baoheng, Zhang Jiangong – Fifth Class 1913年12月23日 赵尔巽特授以勋二位 Zhao Er Xun – Second Class 1914年01月01日 阮忠枢特授以勋三位 Ruan Zhongshu – Third Class 唐在礼、蓝天蔚特授以勋四位 Tang Zaili, Lan Tianwei – Fourth Class 蒋作宾晋授勋四位 Jiang Zuobin – Fourth Class 梁士讦、李燮和特授以勋五位 Liang Shijie, Li Xiehe – Fifth Class 1914年01月10日 梅馨特授以勋五位 Mei Xin – Fifth Class 1914年01月17日， 向瑞琮特授以勋五位 Xiang Ruicong – Fifth Class 1914年01月30日 陈文运特授以勋五位 Chen Wenyun – Fifth Class 1914年02月08日 谢汝翼特授以勋五位 Xie Ruyi – Fifth Class 1914年04月25日 萧良臣特授以勋五位 Xiao Liangchen – Fifth Class 1914年06月27日 李绍臣特授以勋五位 Li Shaochen – Fifth Class 1914年08月09日 刘镇华特授以勋五位 Liu Zhenhua – Fifth Class 1914年08月20日 宝德全特授以勋五位 Bao Dequan – Fifth Class 1914年09月04日 韩麟春特授以勋五位 Han Linchun – Fifth Class 1914年10月08日 王揖唐、杨度特授以勋四位 Wang Yitang, Yang Du – Fourth Class 1914年10月21日 张作霖晋授勋四位 Zhang Zuolin – Fourth Class 1914年11月15日 王纯良特授以勋五位 Wang Chunliang – Fifth Class 1915年01月02日张弧特授以勋四位 傅良佐、陆锦、章遹骏、袁乃宽特授以勋五位 Fu Liangzuo, Lu Jin, Zhang Yujun, Yuan Naikuan – Fifth Class 1915年01月13日 马存发特授以勋五位 Ma Cunfa – Fifth Class 1915年01月31日 田作霖特授以勋五位 Tian Zuolin – Fifth Class 1915年02月07日 田中玉特授以勋五位 Tian Zhongyu – Fifth Class 1915年02月09日 赵倜晋授勋二位 Zhao Ti – Second Class 1915年02月11日 周金城特授以勋五位 Zhou Jincheng – Fifth Class 1915年02月22日 朱泮藻特授以勋五位 Zhu Panzao – Fifth Class 1915年02月23日 龙觐光特授以勋五位 Long Jin Guang – Fifth Class 1915年06月25日 徐尚武特授以勋五位 Xu Shangwu – Fifth Class 1915年10月05日 陆征祥特授以勋三位 Lu Zhengxiang – Third Class 曹汝霖特授以勋四位 Cao Rulin – Fourth Class 1915年10月09日 施愚、顾螯、江朝宗、崑源、马龙标特授以勋四位 Shi Yu, Gu Ao, Jiang Chaozong, Kun Yuan, Ma Longbiao – Fourth Class 张士钰、吴炳湘、王廷桢、李进才特授以勋五位 Zhang Shiyu, Wu Bingxiang, Wang Tingzhen, Li Jincai – Fifth Class 1915年10月13日 荫昌特授以勋三位 Yin Chang – Third Class 1915年10月18日 田文烈特授以勋三位 Tian Wenlie – Third Class 1915年10月31日 李耀汉特授以勋五位 Li Yaohan – Fifth Class 1915年11月10日 日本天皇特授以大勋位 Emperor of Japan – Grand Class 1915年11月25日 白宝山特授以勋四位 Bai Baoshan – Fourth Class 1915年12月04日 胡令宣特授以勋五位 Hu Lingxuan – Fifth Class 1915年12月11日 萧良臣特授以勋四位 Xiao Liangchen – Fourth Class 1915年12月15日 杨善德晋授勋二位 Yang Shande – Second Class 1915年12月23日 徐国樑、崔振魁、王桂林、邓瑶光特授以勋五位 Xu Guoliang, Cui Zhenkui, Wang Guilin, Deng Yaoguang – Fifth Class 1916年01月08日 张.树田、卓特巴扎普、谭庆林特授以勋五位 Zhang Shutian, Zhuo Te Ba Zha Pu (Mongolian general Babu Jabu), Tan Qinglin – Fifth Class 1916年01月17日 殷贵特授以勋五位 Yin Gui – Fifth Class 1916年01月23日 刘友才特授以勋五位 Liu Youcai – Fifth Class 1916年02月15日 博克多哲布尊丹巴呼图克图汗特授以大勋位 Bogd Khan of (Outer) Mongolia – Grand Class Rank and Merit 1916年02月24日 周骏特授以勋三位 Zhou Jun – Third Class 戴桢、刘虎臣、阎相文特授以勋五位 Dai Zhen, Liu Huchen, Yan Xiangwen – Fifth Class 1916年02月25日 杨增新晋授勋二位 Yang Zengxin – Second Class 1916年02月27日， 张鹏舞特授以勋五位 Zhang Pengwu – Fifth Class 1916年03月07日 李文富特授以勋四位 Li Wenfu – Fourth Class 1916年03月09日 张敬尧晋授三位 Zhang Jinyao – Third Class 1916年03月11日 杨起元特授以勋五位 Yang Qiyuan – Fifth Class 1916年03月13日 刘湘特授以勋五位 Liu Xiang – Fifth Class 1916年03月21日 齐燮元特授以勋四位 Qi Xieyuan – Fourth Class 1916年03月27日 黄鵠举特授以勋五位 Huang Huju – Fifth Class 1916年04月04日 刘一清、杜文泳、张庆云特授以勋五位 Liu Yiqing, Du Wenyong, Zhang Qingyun – Fifth Class 1916年04月08日 周文炳特授以勋四位 Zhou Wenbing – Fourth Class 卢金山、李福林特授以勋五位 Lu Jinshan, Li Fulin – Fifth Class 1916年04月15日 王陵基、吴恒瓒、宫邦铎特授以勋五位 Wang Lingji, Wu Hengzan, Gong Bangduo – Fifth Class 1916年04月17日 张中和特授以勋五位 Zhang Zhonghe – Fifth Class 1916年04月18日 马福祥特授以勋四位 Ma Fuxiang – Fourth Class 1916年04月23日， 黄国樑、赵戴文特授以勋五位 Huang Guoliang, Zhao Daiwen – Fifth Class 1916年04月24日 管云臣特授以勋五位 Guan Yunchen – Fifth Class 1916年04月29日 熊祥生、吴新田特授以勋五位 Xiong Xiangsheng, Wu Xintian – Fifth Class 1916年05月03日， 田树勋、王承斌特授以勋五位 Tian Shuxun, Wang Chengbin – Fifth Class 1916年05月05日 萧良臣特授以勋三位 Xiao Liangchen – Third Class 1916年05月10日 陆宗與特授以勋四位 Lu Zongyu – Fourth Class 1916年05月12日 马鸿宾特授以勋五位 Ma Hongbin – Fifth Class 1916年05月14日 马廉溥、姜占元特授以勋五位 Ma Lianpu, Jiang Zhanyuan – Fifth Class 1916年05月24日 靳云鹏特授以勋二位 Jin Yunpeng – Second Class 王学彦、马良特授以勋五位 Wang Xueyan, Ma Liang – Fifth Class 1916年05月30日 张作霖特授以勋三位 Zhang Zuolin – Third Class 冯德麟特授以勋四位 Feng Delin – Fourth Class 1916年07月06日 李烈钧特授以勋二位 Li Liejun (Jiangxi warlord allied to Guomindang, revolt against Yuan Shikai) – Second Class 1916年10月09日 孙文特授以大勋位 Sun Wen – Grand Class Rank and Merit 蔡锷、唐继尧、陆荣廷、梁启超、黄兴、岑春煊特授以勋一位 荫昌、曹锟、刘显世、王占元、吕公望、柏文蔚、吴俊陞、张敬尧、胡汉民特授以勋二位 Cai E (led revolt against Yuan), Tang Jiyao (Yunnan warlord allied to Cai E), Lu Rongting (Guangxi Warlord), Liang Qichao, Huang Xing, Cen Chunxuan, Te Shouyi, Xun Yiwei, Yin Chang, Cao Kun, Liu Xianshi, Wang Zhanyuan, Lu Gongwang, Bai Wenwei, Wu Junsheng, Zhang Jingyao, Hu Hanmin (Guomindang) – Second Class TOTAL AWARDS Grand Class – 6 First Class – 10 Second Class – 51 Third Class – 38 Fourth Class – 41 Fifth Class – 121 TOTAL 267

A Chinese source (http://book.chinaiiss.com/chapter/1908da-jun-fa/2335696.html) gives the recipients of the Order of Rank and Merit as recorded by the Republic’s honors list. Over a four year period from 9 October 1912 to 9 October 1916, 267 awards were conferred. These comprised: six Grand Class; 10 First Class; 51 Second Class; 38 Third Class; 41 Fourth Class; and 121 Fifth Class. The list reads like a Who’s Who of early Republican China. Unsurprisingly, warlords and generals not Confucian scholars dominate. This reflects the leading role played by soldiers in overthrowing the Qing Dynasty as well as militarization of Chinese politics under Yuan Shikai. We can also see the steady rise of Yuan allies like the Manchurian warlord Zhang Zuolin as he is awarded the Fifth Class, the Fourth Class and finally the Third Class in one of the last two awards of the Rank and Merit conferred by Yuan Shikai before his death. The first awards (9 October 1912) were to the leading revolutionaries and to Yuan and his Beiyang Army lieutenants: the Grand Class to President Yuan Shikai, Sun Wen (Sun Yat-sen) and Vice-President Li Yuanhong; the First Class to Tang Shaoyi, Wu Tingfang, Huang Xing, Cheng Dequan, Duan Qirui, Feng Guozhang; and the Second Class to Sun Wu. The last awards listed were a group of 18 conferred by new President Li Yuanhong on 9 October 1916. The awards are dominated by the southern warlords and Guomindang leaders who led the revolt against Yuan Shikai when he proclaimed himself Emperor including Sun Yat-sen (who received another Grand Class), Cai E, Tang Jiyao, Lu Rongting, Huang Xing and Hu Hanmin. No awards of the Rank and Merit are listed after this date by the Chinese source. Interestingly, Yuan Shikai died on 6 June and the Order of the Precious Brilliant Golden Grain founded by new President Li Yuanhong on 7 October 1916. Li was a staunch Republican and the Rank and Merit was closely associated with Yuan Shikai’s imperial ambitions. This lends support to the suggestion that awards of the Rank and Merit ceased in 1916. Autengruber and Tammann (UBS 2008 Tammann Auction Catalogue) however report that the name of the Order was changed to the Order of Merit in 1916 and titles of nobility no longer conferred with the award. Yuan Shikai, who had proclaimed himself Emperor the following December, officially abolished his 83-day old monarchy on 22 March. They also write that Duan Qirui received the Grand Class in 1919.

Well, I was so inspired by this thread to watch "The Last Emperor" again on BluRay. Of course I had to hit the pause button in the Xinjing palace ball room scenes to gawk at the medals. Bertolucci was an absolute stickler for historical accuracy in getting the right medals unlike the 99% of modern Chinese films with their fantasy bling. Puyi was wearing the Collar and star of the Orchid Blossoms, the stars of the Auspicious Clouds, Illustrious Dragon, Pillars of the State and Chrysanthemum. Given only two Orchid Blossom collars are known to have been awarded (Puyi and Hirohito), those at least would have been reproductions. Various other Japanese / Manchukuo officials were wearing Orchid Blossoms and Auspicious Clouds. One question I have is the numbers of awards. James Peterson's book provides numbers for Manchukuo orders but only for a six or seven year period 1934-1940. Does this suggest NO awards of Manchukuo orders were made after 1940? Or is this because the extant records only go up to 1940 and that more awards may have been made after that year?

What an unusual medal. And further confirms my suspicion that the Republic had medals to commemorate almost everything. I would have imagined that this - being kidnapped by one of your own subordinates and forced to agree to a united front with the Communists - was a humiliation Chiang Kai-shek would have rather forgotten about, not celebrated with a commemorative medal. Zhang Xueliang who spent 50 years of his life in house arrest in retribution for his actions is something of a hero in mainland China.

Interesting! Thanks for posting these Nick. The Gazette is especially fascinating and lists decorations awarded to RAF servicemen from Denmark (Order of Dannebrog) and the US (Legion of Merit), as well as China.

A handsome tiger indeed. That "9I" digital mark is still a mystery.

Very nice, Chris, thanks for sharing! It's in superb condition. Always thought this was the most distinctive medal designed by Japan / Manchukuo. Like a Klingon Bird of Prey

Wow, thanks for these Nick (and David). That's the first time I've seen the colour of the sash of the Illustrious Dragon. Even James Peterson's books doesn't have an image of the sash. Only one has appeared on the international market in the last 5 years that I'm aware of - a single sash badge.

Well this is an interesting one. If you've just been awarded a bling Golden Grain but are too modest to wear at home when visitors come calling, why not commission a large vase as a centrepiece for your living room .... It was attributed as "probably Lao Tian Li" on the basis that Lao Tian Li made orders for the Republic. I've yet to encountered a Lao Tian Li Order of the Golden Grain which were exclusively (other than the odd foreign made insignia) produced by the Central Mint at Tianjin. Also, all of Lao Tian Li's cloisonne vases, etc, proudly bore the Lao Tian Li stamp. This particular vase does not. http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_05_2013/post-11630-0-17933200-1369776563.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_05_2013/post-11630-0-73454700-1369776574.jpg

Very nice Nick! I especially like the elegant, pointed star corpus of #783. The painting of the lion looks like it is an early Persian specimen. Would you agree?

Very nice Nick. I like the St Stanislaus in #85 and 87. Looking at the plume on the Japanese officer's cap got me wondering. We know that the Chinese Republic / warlord uniforms were designed by our friend General Munthe who modelled them off the Swedish Royal Guard complete with white egret plumes. But we also know that the Republic was strongly influenced by Japan. I don't know enough about 19th century European uniforms but were plumes more of a Central / Eastern European style - Russian, Austrian, etc? I wonder where the Japanese military uniforms were inspired from.