Paul L Murphy

I have the reference book in question so send me a pm with the details and I will check it for you.

These are unit pocket badges, not beret badges.

Does he have any details as to the numbers awarded of the Order of United Glory ?

Prices of Manchurian items seem to have jumped considerably in recent months. I was outbid this week on a group of Manchurian award certificates, nothing scarce, which went for double what I would have expected to pay 12 months ago. Just as well I bought almost all the medals and orders years ago when there was little interest in them !

Hi Alex, Yes the case is what dates it. Regards, Paul

This award is from the 1980s-90s. Value should be less than $100. You need to buy my book, there is a chapter on the Red Cross !

I am outside of London at the moment so I will reply once I get back and have my reference books and notes to hand.

Linas, Unfortunately there are very few collecting areas where one can venture without doing a lot of homework beforehand. Chinese orders are particularly difficult since they are heavily faked. In addition, a number of the breast stars you have shown are pure fantasy pieces created to deceive. Unless and until you have read extensively on the subject I would recommend you save yourself from being badly burned. The age old advice of only buying from reputable dealers or auction houses very much applies here. Regards, Paul

Any that I have seen have been plastic.

Linas, This is a very poor quality fake. If you look through the earlier pages in the Japan section you will find photos of a real one, which is totally different. Before you start spending money on expensive Chinese and Japanese orders I suggest you buy whatever books are available and read them, as well as looking at examples of the genuine article in auction catalogues etc. If not, you will be badly stung by the Chinese fakers out there since they churn out an amazing quantity of this garbage. If you had the chance to buy a real Japanese Marshal`s badge you should expect to pay in excess of US$40,000 for one, and there were only ever 32 awarded. Regards, Paul

The bottom of the cup is the maker`s name. It is a retirement commemorative for the 15th Infantry Regiment.

I will see if I can get you one but they are about $30 each since it is unused original silk ribbon, not a modern weave.

The ribbon on mine is a replacement but it is the correct ribbon colours. I have no idea what the ribbon is on the one you have got, but it is incorrect for this medal :cheers:

It says "Continuous Service Commemorative" on the front and "Komatsu" (a name) on the reverse (most likely the maker). There is nothing to indicate the date.

Here is a picture of the one I have in my collection.

I am pretty sure the hat indicates it is the arms of an Anglican bishop. The papal tiara or Catholic bishop's hat are depicted different in heraldry. The left hand side is possibly the coat of arms of his diocese, with the right hand side being his personal coat of arms. This is a common way of depicting arms for bishops and archbishops. If you can find a British town with the left hand coat of arms you might be pretty close.

I just had a look at the photos in the Lounge. Definitely they would look good here, it is a lovely piece.

Both look ok. The one on the right is a posthumous certificate to the next of kin of a Captian who was KIA. A very scarce cert indeed.

Somebody has made this up. War medals were awarded on a straight ribbon even when given to a female recipient (I have 1904-05 medals to female nurses and they are the normal issue medal, not a bow ribbon). Commemorative medals and orders were worn on a bow ribbon, as were Red Cross medals. War medals were not.

All large medal certificates should have the watermark, many of the smaller documents do not. Can you post pictures of the documents that concern you and I will give my opinion on them.

From the examples I have seen it was from the April 1940 mass award for the China Incident.

The screws suggest a later piece but the amount of crazing in the white enamel work suggests it was made some time ago. Even if we explain the screws the hinge attachment is still weird !

I would expect it to be gold.

Very strange, I have never seen these screw heads or that reverse fitting on Japanese orders before.

A very nice group indeed. It is always a pity when these turn up with documents missing but having anything that pins it down to a specific man and unit is always very nice.