TracA

A little addendum to my post above from February 11, regarding my surprise that Article 4 of the Otani Medal of Merit Regulations document stated that when recipients of a merit medal are promoted through the ranks, previously received medals of merit shall be returned. While reading Nick Komiya’s thread “On the Story of the Order of the Golden Kite” on the War Relics Forum I was struck by post #26 in which he discussed Imperial Edict 38, March 21 of 1889. Here it was decreed that recipients could only have one rank of the Order of the Rising Sun or Sacred Treasure or Golden Kite at a time. So, for example, receipt of the OST 3rd Class necessitated returning the OST 4th Class previously received (within two weeks time if the recipient lived in Tokyo and within 30 days if the recipient lived elsewhere). Nick Komiya also mentions that this practice was not uncommon throughout Europe, although he notes one difference: in Japan if the recipient died, then the family could officially keep the order instead of having to return it. He states that this requirement, for the ORS and OST, was in place until October 1, 1973. Putting together the fact that the Otani Medal of Merit Regulations document was implemented in 1963 with what I learned and summarized above, then it should be no surprise to me that recipients of Otani Medals of Merit were required to return the previously awarded Medal of Merit upon receipt of the next highest award. It was simply following standard practice. I still have so much to learn. Tracy

Hi Tony, Great to see you pick-up this thread again. Wonderful pictures. All the best, Tracy

Megan, Thank you for the information. It is very helpful. Funny, but before I came back to this post I was thinking to myself "I hope Megan weighs in". All the best, Tracy

Fascinating miniature medal, No One. I’m going to display my ignorance of medals here, but I am surprised to see the rosette on the miniature medal ribbon and ribbon for the ribbon bar. I understand the lapel rosette, indicating receipt of the medal, but would not expect to see the rosette on the ribbons because the miniature medal and ribbon bar ribbon themselves indicate receipt of the medal. I have so much to learn. All the best, Tracy

I couldn’t resist jumping on this thread with my Golden Kite 5th Class. After reading this thread I’m confident that my example is a Type 7.1 Showa. The kanji on the case is silver. Tracy Obverse: Reverse: Close-up of the Kite: Case lid. The harsh light totally washed out the color of the kanji, but it is silver:

Greetings, To quote Monty Python: “and now for something completely different”. Well, it’s not really completely different. It’s just different. This post is not about an Otani merit badge, but rather a document about the criteria for the receipt of Otani merit badges. This document was included with the Violet Blossom Merit Badge that I obtained, tucked inside the cardboard box in which the lacquered case was housed. Translating this document was not easy for me and without the wonders of Google Docs and the Internet it would not have been possible. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of my translation, but I believe that I have come pretty close. Below will be a summary of the document followed by a question with respect to a single kanji that I encountered. Following that will be a picture of the document itself. I thought it odd that the document merely mentioned that the 2nd Class was broken down into two ranks, rather than covering the 2nd Class Additional and 2nd Class like was done for the 1st Class, and then only references the 2nd Class and not the 2nd Class Additional. Also, the document does not mention the 3rd Class and 3rd Class Additional. However, these rules were implemented in 1963. Well, that is at least when they are dated. Perhaps the 2nd Class Additional and 3rd Classes did not exist at that time and they were later additions? I am using the terms “medal” and “badge” interchangeably here, although perhaps I should not do so. I hope that some of you will find this post useful. All the best, Tracy The document is organized into five articles and 10 paragraphs, and for ease I broke it down into 30 distinct columns. The title is “Otani Women's Association Medal of Merit Regulations”, implemented on April 1, 1963 (Showa 38), and promulgated by the Otani Women’s Association Headquarters Office. The regulations start out with the statement that medals of merit are awarded for both outstanding achievements as well as donations of membership funds. The highest referenced achievement is termed “remarkable” and all subsequent references to achievement simply state and restate “secondary to the preceding paragraph”. So, the type of achievement necessary for each medal is not defined. For each medal, however, the dollar amount of the donation is defined. What I found most surprising was the statement in Article 4 (column 26) that when recipients of a merit medal are promoted through the ranks, previously received medals of merit shall be returned. The tiers are as follows: The Antique Blossom Medal of Merit (see below): remarkable achievements or a donation of 80,000 Yen or more. The Chrysanthemum Blossom Medal of Merit: achievements secondary to the preceding or a donation of 50,000 Yen or more. The Cherry Blossom Medal of Merit: achievements secondary to the preceding or a donation of 30,000 Yen or more. The Exceptional Honor Medal of Merit: achievements secondary to the preceding or a donation of 15,000 Yen or more. The Special Honor Medal of Merit: achievements secondary to the preceding or a donation of 10,000 Yen or more. The Exceptional Medal of Merit: achievements secondary to the preceding or a donation of 7,000 Yen or more. The Special Medal of Merit: achievements secondary to the preceding or a donation of 5,000 Yen or more. The First Class Additional Medal of Merit: achievements secondary to the preceding or a donation of 3,000 Yen or more. The First Class Medal of Merit: achievements secondary to the preceding or a donation of 2,000 Yen or more. The Second Class Medal of Merit: achievements secondary to the preceding or a donation of 1,000 Yen or more. In the beginning my eyes “saw” 菫花 for “Violet Blossom” when the first medal was referenced, but upon further examination it appears clear to me that the first kanji is actually 董, so that the highest medal referenced is actually 董花 for “Antique Blossom”. Am I missing something here? Perhaps at one time there was a medal known as the Antique Blossom, and it was replaced by the Violet Blossom? I have been to the Association’s website. Perhaps I should just email them my questions. See below, and note that the second reference is to the Chrysanthemum Blossom medal: Finally, the document itself:

Gordon and Azyeoman, Thank you both for your kind words. Tracy

No One, Thank you very much. I am quite pleased with the set and glad that I was able to obtain it. Take care, Tracy

Greetings, About a year and a half ago I posted about an Order of the Rising Sun 2nd Class set that I own. That set was an early neck badge with a breast star that had been altered by having the tines removed and replaced with a central screw and nut plate for fastening, in a case that had an incorrect medal bed (the medalbed for the breast star was actually for a 3rd Class neck badge) and was probably not original to the set. As happy as I am with that set, I've always wanted a more traditional set without an altered breast star and in a correct case. I was finally able to obtain one. The set below has some very minor damage to the white and green enamel on the obverse and reverse of the neck badge, but other than that it is in excellent condition. To my delight my suspicion after looking closely at the seller’s photo of the breast star reverse was confirmed once I had the set in hand: the breast star does indeed have the M mint mark on the 6h reverse ray between the bottom of the ray and the catch for the central tine. The neck badge? That has an M mint mark too, on the left side edge of the suspension when one is looking at the obverse of the badge. A matched set, so to speak. The set came with the rosette (no marks on that) and the beautifully lacquered case has gold kanji. Using the Medals of Asia website for information about the M mint mark and silver vs. gold kanji allows me to say this about dating this 2nd Class set: the neck badge and breast star are between March of 1930 and April of 1943, and the gold kanji puts the case up to sometime in 1940 at the latest, assuming that the set was indeed issued in the case and thereby using the M mint mark time coordinates to derive a terminus ante quem for the case. If the set was indeed issued in the case, then I would put the date between March of 1930 and sometime into 1940 at the latest. A note on hallmarks: Never once have I seen a seller mention in a write-up the presence of any hallmarks on any Japanese order or medal for sale, even when such hallmarks can be vaguely or even clearly seen in one of the sellers’ photos. I think that this is a lost opportunity for sellers, as I for one am always on the lookout for orders and medals with hallmarks. I hope that you enjoy this set. Some of the photos are, unfortunately, poorly lit. All the best, Tracy Obverse of the neck badge: Close-up of the neck badge: Reverse of the neck badge: Close-up of the neck badge reverse: M mint mark on the edge of the neck badge suspension: Breast star obverse: Breast star reverse, with the M mint mark barely visible: Breast star M mint mark: Rosette: Finally, the case lid:

Azyeoman, Congratulations on your most recent acquisition. A beautiful specimen coupled with great research that you've done. It's always nice to nab that very desirable piece. I looked at your lots in the Morton and Eden catalog. What a wonderful collection and such amazing research that you've accomplished. A question, if you don't mind: what's it like seeing part of your collection in an auction catalog? I know that someday I too will want to or have to sell my collections, and I've tried to imagine what that would feel like. All the best, Tracy

No One, Fascinating stuff. Thanks for sharing. Tracy

Frank, Now that I'm home and can do a bit more research I realized that the early 1930s time frame of which I was thinking was for the mark 幣 (hei). Known time coordinates are December 1931 to September 1933. See https://asiamedals.info/threads/mark-on-japanese-order-who-and-when.15113/. The mark 美 (bi) is from the Shobidō workshop. I believe that the known time coordinates are from 1900 to to 1929. See https://asiamedals.info/threads/mark-on-japanese-orders-who-and-when.25816/. The M mark was from March 1930 to April 1943. See https://asiamedals.info/threads/mark-m-on-japanese-orders-and-medals-who-and-when.14818/. Tracy

Thank you, Greg. Yeah, it just didn't look right to me. Tracy

Frank, Welcome to the forum. Unfortunately I'm on my phone so I have to be brief. At the very least there is the M mint mark of the Osaka Mint, with known time coordinates of 1930 to 1943 (I think, if my memory serves me) and the kanji BI, the mark of a private manufacturer from the early 1930s, again if my memory serves me. I realize, however, that these time coordinates are outside of yur desired eras. Google JapanX's wonderful site called Medals of Asia and click on the Sacred Treasure link. There is a wealth of information and pictures. JapanX is a regular contributor here, so hopefully he'll see this and reply. All the best, and happy hunting for your Treasures. Tracy

No One, Thank you again. I shall take some time and collect some questions for them. It might be fruitful. Tracy

Thank you, No One. Interesting blog post. I will have to try and dig deeper when I get the chance. All the best, Tracy

Greetings, This is the second of the two Otani Women’s Association badges that I referenced above in my January 23 post. I thought that it was the Cherry Blossom Merit Badge, but now I’m not so sure (see below). The badge is 55 mm in diameter, and the attachment is 18 mm wide by 33 mm high to the top of the attached ring. Both are 3 mm thick. The obverse is enameled in white, deep red, blue, dark green, and light blue for the center of 法. All non-enameled surfaces, including the edges of the badge and the attachment, are gilt. The gilt reverse has a finely sandblasted look. The ribbon is a double bow shape, alternating red and white in the following pattern moving from edge to edge: 10 mm red, 2 mm white, 3 mm red, 2 mm white, 3 mm red, 17 mm white, 3 mm red, 2 mm white, 3 mm red, 2 mm white, 10 mm red. There is a pin on the back of the double bow ribbon for fastening the badge onto clothing, but there is also a 35 mm wide by 46 cm long ribbon that fastens to the back of the double bow ribbon so that the entire badge can be worn hanging low from around the neck. This ribbon is not a cravate. The neck ribbon has alternating stripes of light, almost orange red and white in the following pattern: 4 mm red, 3 mm white, 1 mm red, 2 mm white, 1 mm red, 2 mm white, 1 mm red, 7 mm white, 1 mm red, 2 mm white, 1 mm red, 2 mm white, 1 mm red, 3 mm white, and 4 mm red. Like the other Otani Women’s Association badges about which I’ve posted the obverse has a simple one kanji inscription: 法, for “Teachings of Buddha”. The reverse inscription on the badge is in two horizontal rows of stylized kanji. The top row is 菫花有功章 and the bottom row is 大谷婦人會. This is where I’m confused, as I thought that this was a Cherry Blossom Merit Badge but I believe that the first character of the top row inscription is 菫 which means “violet”, as in the flower. Thus the two lines together would be “Violet Blossom Merit Badge” and “Otani Women’s Association”. The case is nicely lacquered and approximately 220 mm long by 140 mm wide by 45 mm high. The medalbed is dark purple and recessed for both the badge and the ribbon. The lid liner is white satin. On the lid in gilt are two columns of beautifully stylized, rather large kanji. The center column reads 菫花有功章 and the lower left column reads 大谷婦人會. Again, just like the reverse inscription on the badge this is “Violet Blossom Merit Badge” and “Otani Women’s Association”. As stated above, I’m confused as I thought this to be a Cherry Blossom Merit Badge but now I’m thinking that the correct name is Violet Blossom Merit Badge. Truth be told, to me the badge design neither looks like a cherry or a violet blossom, firstly because such blossoms have five petals and this badge looks like it has six. Either way, it is a beautiful badge with a beautiful lacquered case and a very nice latch design. I hope that you enjoy it. Tracy Obverse: Reverse: Neck ribbon: Close-up of the fastening edge of the neck ribbon; lovely design work: Case lid: Nicely detailed latch:

Thank you, Peter. Much appreciated. Tracy

Greetings, Full disclosure here: I’m screening a purchase. If that’s not allowed, then please let me know. I have an opportunity to buy an 1870 EK I through private sale and although the obverse doesn’t scream “inauthentic” to me the reverse pin is giving me some consternation. The seller doesn’t indicate any markings on the reverse and I cannot find pictures of an 1870 EK I with exactly this type of pin, although it does look similar to what Previtera shows on pp. 111 and 113 of his Iron Times (1st ed.). Please note that I’m not trying to claim that the cross below is a Godet or a Wagner (pp. 111 and 113, respectively). I have not been given any dimensions. As I still very much consider myself a “babe in the woods” with respect to 1870 EKs, any and all assistance/judgements are welcome. Thank you! Tracy Reverse (seller’s photo): Obverse (seller’s photo):

Peter, Thank you very much for the link. I'm going to keep my eye on this and I might get involved later in the week. All the best, Tracy

Thank you, No One. I'm glad that you enjoyed it. All the best, Tracy

Recently I’ve obtained two more Otani Women’s Association badges. First up is the 2nd Class Merit Badge. The badge is approximately 30 mm in diameter. The obverse is enameled in what looks like mustard yellow, yellow green, white, and red with darker silver colored (1) un-enameled edging and (2) what could be two smooth leaves at 12h and 6h. The double bow ribbon is a shade of green, quite faded on the ends. The box is constructed of wood (balsa?), and it is 75 mm wide by 75 mm long by 20 mm high. The top edges are slightly beveled. On the lid in silver characters are two columns of kanji. The center column reads 二等有功章 for “Second Class Merit Badge”. The left column starts at a line below the bottom of the second kanji in the central column, and reads 大谷婦人會 for “Otani Women’s Association”. Instead of a medalbed, placed on the bottom of the box is a square of cardboard with the top wrapped in what looks to be white contact paper. On the obverse is the character 法 for “Teachings of Buddha”. On the reverse is a horizontal two line inscription. The top row is 二等有功章 (with the third kanji a bit stylized) for “Second Class Additional Merit Badge” and the bottom row, in seal/fancy script, is 大谷婦人會 for “Otani Women’s Association”. There is no purple ink stamp on any of the four sides of the box. I hope that you enjoy this simple badge. Tracy Obverse: Reverse: Box lid:

Thank you, Nick. I agree that it's a shame the sticker was removed. It would've been nice to have the awardee's name. Tracy

Nick, Thank you for posting the correction to the old thread. Good information. I've added it to my documentation. All the best, Tracy

Greetings, I never thought that I’d come across an OST 3rd Class, cased, for females, much less get the chance to own one. However, I was able to bring this wonderful piece into my collection. As it is an OST for a female, it is not worn via a cravate around the neck. Rather, the decoration is suspended from a bow with a pin on its reverse. Luckily I was able to obtain the decoration with its case and rosette, and as a “bonus” it has the hallmark BG on the reverse of the ball through which the loop is suspended. Peterson doesn’t indicate that the size of the decoration itself would be any different than a decoration for a male, but I was curious so I took some measurements. The OST 3rd Class for females (flat back) weighs 34 g. I also weighed three other 3rd Class OSTs that I own, all for males. It was difficult to weigh just the badges, so each value probably includes, to a varying degree, some weight added by the cravate loop. My four rivet type weighed 37.3 g; my flat back for males weighed 39.4 g; my two rivet type weighed 38.6 g. The OST 3rd Class for females (flat back) measured as follows: 52 mm wide from the left edge of the top 9h ray to the right edge of the top 3h ray, and 52 mm high from the edge of the left 12h ray to the edge of the left 6h ray. Measuring from the same points for my other 3rd Class examples for males garnered the following results: the four rivet type was 53 mm; the flat back for males was 52 mm; the two rivet version was 54 mm. The bow is 36 mm wide with two 4 mm yellow stripes 3 mm from each edge. The middle and edges are a beautiful pale blue. The lacquered case is of a greater width than 3rd Class cases for males, as it must accommodate the width of the bow. The case is 124 mm wide by 116 mm long by 32mm high. Since there is no cravate to store inside the case, the recessed medalbed is not hinged. It was difficult to get a good picture of the BG hallmark on the reverse of the ball with my cell phone. In hand it is clear that the vertical line of the “B” is absent, most likely because the curvature of the ball resulted in a poor strike. On JapanX’s Medals of Asia website the Two-Letter and Two-Digit Marks of Japanese Orders and Medals pages https://asiamedals.info/threads/two-letter-and-letter-digit-marks-on-japanese-orders-and-medals.13720/ indicate that hallmarks beginning with a “B” are (as of now) known to be from February 27, 1980 to April 29, 1981. Given that information I would tentatively date this OST 3rd Class for females between those date coordinates. I hope that you enjoy this wonderful piece. Tracy Obverse: Obverse close-up: Reverse: Reverse close-up, which really shows off the gorgeous patina: BG hallmark: Rosette: And finally, the case lid: