TracA

Despite thinking that my Order of the Sacred Treasure 2nd Class breast star was my last post of an order or decoration with a hallmark, this wonderful piece arrived yesterday. I was delighted to discover that it has a hallmark. Order of the Sacred Treasure 8th class for a female. Just like the Order of the Sacred Treasure 8th class for males that I posted about 10 days ago, this one also has the hallmark 幣 (hei). Enjoy. Tracy Obverse: Reverse: Hallmark 幣 (hei) on the reverse of the 6h bead. Unfortunately I could not get a very clear photo of the hallmark with my phone:

As always, thank you Nick. Tracy

Well, I guess that my last post wasn’t my final installment on this topic. I forgot that I have one more award with a hallmark. Order of the Sacred Treasure 2nd Class breast star with four screws and trident pin construction. (At least I’m considering it a second class breast star instead of an orphaned Grand Cordon breast star. It came in a 2nd Class lacquered case, and I am assuming that it was the case of issue). The hallmark is located on the trident pin fastener and is, I believe, FK, although it was not fully struck so I cannot be 100% sure. Obverse: Reverse: Hallmark FK (?): Case: Medalbed:

Thank you Nick. I am honored to have a piece that made your database. 😃 Tracy

This is my final installment of orders that I own with hallmarks, or at least my final installment until I purchase another such order. This one is my favorite: Order of the Sacred Treasure 3rd Class, four rivets on the reverse in the usual location, and the hallmark ひ (hiragana “HI”) on the side of the bar attached to the leftmost short ray (just before 12h) and the loop through which the cravat loop runs. Obverse: Reverse: Hallmark ひ (hiragana “HI”):

Thank you Nick. This installment of orders that I own with hallmarks is a post-2003 reform Order of the Sacred Treasure Silver Rays. At the 6 o’clock location on the reverse of the paulownia leaves is the hallmark J6. Although it might look like an 8 in my crappy photo, it is a 6. Tracy Obverse: Reverse: Hallmark J6:

Nick, Thank you for the insight. Any guess on what the hallmark would have or should have been, given that it wasn’t punched well enough? Tracy

Today’s post with a hallmark: an Order of the Sacred Treasure, 5th class, for females. There are two screws on the reverse, one at the three o’clock and one at the nine o’clock. The hallmark “ll” is stamped on the reverse of the suspension ball. I note that on the Medals of Asia webpage for two letter and letter/digit marks (https://asiamedals.info/threads/two-letter-and-letter-digit-marks-on-japanese-orders-and-medals.13720/) there is no entry for “ll”. Nonetheless, per that webpage these marks began to occur in 1979 so I date this piece to 1979 or later. I need to work on my photos. They are a little dark. Obverse: Reverse: Hallmark “ll” on the rear of the suspension ball:

…and another one. This time an Order of the Sacred Treasure 8th class with the 幣 (hei) hallmark. Per the Medals of Asia website (https://asiamedals.info/threads/mark-on-japanese-order-who-and-when.15113/) this most likely comes from 造幣局 Zouheikyoku/mint. The known time coordinates are between December 11, 1931 and September 4, 1933. Obverse: Reverse: Hallmark 幣 (hei):

Nick, As always, thank you for generously sharing your vast and deep knowledge of this subject matter. It is very much appreciated. Your website is simply amazing. Tracy

Greetings, 12 years later, I have some additions to this topic. One for tonight, and first up an Order of the Rising Sun 8th Class with what I believe to be the kanji 美, BI as in bijin 美人 “a beautiful woman”. If I have the hallmark misidentified, then I welcome all corrections. Sorry, but the obverse and reverse photos aren’t that great. Obverse: Reverse: Hallmark 美:

Nick, Thank you again. All the best, Tracy

Nick, As always your deep knowledge and expertise are very much appreciated and my collection is richer for it. Once I read your reply about the trace marks of the fitting for the original pin on the reverse of the breast star I could see it immediately. Before your reply I was blind to it. Two more questions, if you don’t mind: I assume that Hirata still manufacturing in the 1890s/1910s. Is that correct? Any idea what the rough end date of Hirata manufacture was? Tracy

Greetings, Recently I obtained this wonderful cased ORS 2nd class set at auction, from the Michael Quigley collection. A noted collector, longtime OMSA member, and intimately involved in the third edition (2000) of Peterson’s “Orders and Medals…”. The case came in an outer wooden box with pictures of an ORS 2nd class set (but not of this particular set) and on the pictures were written “early circa Meiji (Harado)” by, I assume, Michael Quigley. Per Peterson p. 22 (2000) the badge and star have the hallmarks of Hirata manufacture: the enamel is yellowish-white and the grooves between the rays are slightly wider than all other ORS medals that I own. In addition, the badge is light, only weighing 54.3g compared to the weight of a 3rd class ORS badge that I own (era of manufacture undetermined) coming in at 66.6g. Finally, the width of the rays for the 2nd class badge and star are about 1mm, while the width of the rays for the aforementioned 3rd class badge is 2mm. Regarding the breast star, I assume that two of the four screws are replacements because the slot on the heads run the width of the heads, unlike all other pictures that I’ve seen of such screws. But the most fascinating aspect of the set is the fastening mechanism for the breast star: no pins, but a screw in the center of the reverse inscription. The screw has a thin, concave nut that has two eyelets on it and two punch marks. Alas, even with 3.5X cheater glasses and a 25X magnifying glass I cannot make out what the marks are. I was unable to find pictures of such a breast star during my numerous internet searches, but I have a vague memory of seeing such a fastener on an ORS breast star a very long time ago (perhaps just over 20 years). Finally, the presentation case, I think, is not original to the set. It looks “too modern”. As an aside, the breast star medalbed is missing and in its place is a medalbed for a 3rd class badge. Interestingly under this medalbed for the star a small square of the wood is unlacquered and it has two characters painted on it. Pictures below, but some questions that I have are: I assume that the reference to “Harado” is a reference to “Hirata”, or is it a reference to a different manufacturer? Thoughts on whether or not this set was manufactured by Hirata? If so, estimated dates of manufacture? What to make of the screw fastener on the breast star. Anyone else seen one of these types of ORS breast stars or have pictures of one? Any idea what the punch marks on the screw nut could be? As always, I am very grateful to all responders. Obverse of the badge: Reverse of the badge: Breast star obverse: Breast star reverse: Screw nut and punch marks: Case lid: Two characters painted on an unlacquered portion of the box under the 3rd class badge medalbed substituted for the actual breast star medalbed. Do the characters symbolize 42?

Nick, As always, thank you for sharing your deep knowledge. It is much appreciated. Tracy

Greetings, I recently acquired a cased OST 2nd class breast star, and I am assuming that the case was the case of issue for the star. The star is of typical obverse design and the reverse has a trident pin construction with a two-letter hallmark, which looks to me like FK. I note, however, that the reverse does not have rivets; it has screws. The case is octagonal and the medalbed has individual slots for each of the three pins as well as horizontal, rectangular slots for the hinge base and the hook/catch for the end of the central pin. Per the Medals of Asia website I have determined that this breast star was manufactured sometime in or after 1979. Any further information about it would be most welcome. In addition, any information about the octagonal case would also be welcome. Pictures below. Thanks! Tracy Order of the Sacred Treasure 2nd Class Breast Star - Trident Pin Construction obverse: Order of the Sacred Treasure 2nd Class Breast Star - Trident Pin Construction reverse: Order of the Sacred Treasure 2nd Class Breast Star - Trident Pin Construction FK (?) hallmark: Order of the Sacred Treasure 2nd Class Breast Star - Trident Pin Construction case lid. My word, I wish that I could eliminate the reflection: Order of the Sacred Treasure 2nd Class Breast Star - Trident Pin Construction medalbed:

Thanks Nick. Tracy

Greetings, I have some questions about Order of the Sacred Treasure breast stars. According to Peterson’s “Orders and Medals” third edition, there is no difference between Grand Cordon/1st class and 2nd class breast stars. So, if one simply had a breast star with no award certificate and no box (let’s set aside the possibility that the award certificate and/or box were not originally matched to the breast star), then there would be no way to tell if the breast star was a 2nd class award or a Grand Cordon award. Is this correct? Are there no other possible consistent, subtle differences that would allow one to tell the difference between a Grand Cordon breast star and a 2nd class breast star? Perhaps there is a pattern of silver vs. gilt on the eight sets of four white enameled rays? Thank you for your expertise. Tracy

Nick, Thank you. Much appreciated. Tracy

Greetings, I’m brand new to this forum and this site. I started collecting Japanese orders, decorations, and medals about 20 or 21 years ago, stopped altogether around 2006, and then about a year ago got back into it (with a bit of a vengeance, I might add) when trying to fill some holes in my collection. Despite owning Peterson’s “Orders and Medals…” since I began collecting I consider myself a novice. I have over the past several weeks, however, scoured GMIC’s Japan forum for its troves of absolutely great information as well as bookmarked and regularly visited JapanX’s outstanding Medals of Asia website. I also have memories of visiting Rich Catalano’s previous website back in the day as well as having some contact with Paul Murphy. Enough about me. I recently purchased at auction a wonderful Order of the Rising Sun second class set that I hope to post some pictures of and ask some questions about in the future. For now, however, I have a simple request. On the bottom of the presentation box is a sticker with the following writing “Japanese Order of the Rising Sun 2nd class” and then “p21”. I am assuming that “p21” stands for page 21 of Peterson’s work but the third edition (which I own) does not begin discussing the Order of the Rising Sun until page 22. Would anyone have an older edition of Peterson and be able to tell me what is discussed on page 21 or, if it is permitted on GMIC, post a picture of page 21? Thank you all. Tracy