TracA

…and this is my final post, for now, on this topic as this is the last Patriotic Women’s Association badge currently in my possession.

The Ordinary Member Badge. A simple, silver colored badge. My example still retains most of the polished finish on the high points, which is nice. I have three questions:

• I have tried my best to identify and translate the kanji on the reverse of the suspension pin back bar. 掛ー襟半 ??? Something about hanging on a half collar or lapel???
• I assume that the stamp on the inside of the box lid is from the workshop that manufactured the badge. Gyokuhō workshop, Tokyo?
• Are there different variations of this badge, like there are for the Special Supporter Member badge?

Thank you to all responders.

Tracy

Obverse. Although it looks gilt, that is just poor lighting. It is indeed silver:

Kanji on the reverse of the suspension pin back bar. 掛ー襟半 ??? Something about hanging on a half collar or lapel???

Reverse. Again, per my very limited ability: right column 通常, tsūjō (ordinary), left column 会員, kai-in (member), and center column 愛国婦人會, Aikoku Fujinkai (Women’s Patriotic Association). Again, the photo makes the badge look gilt but it is actually silver.

Stamp on the inside of the box lid. Gyokuhō workshop, Tokyo?

Nick,

Got it. Thanks. That's what I thought, just wanted to confirm.

Tracy

Nick, I have a quick question. What do you mean by “stamp” on your website? Are you referring to subtle differences in the design on the obverse of the suspension pin back bar? I do note such differences, for example the orientation of the center bead inside the five beaded circle and the width between certain symbols.

Thanks.

Tracy

Thank you for the easy-to-use variation identifier on your website. I was able to use it and immediately identify my badge as the 5th variation.

Tracy

Nick,

Thank you, as always. I have to admit that I am in awe of the depth and breadth of your knowledge and I am very pleased that you are so willing to share it.

All the best,

Tracy

Greetings,

Below is an example of the Special Contributory Member Badge. It too is a beautiful badge, with a wonderful yellow color enamel. 

I have a question about the design on the obverse of the pin back suspension bar: to me the symbols are not obviously chrysanthemums, paulownia flowers, or paulownia leaves. Is it just a decorative design or are there specific symbols depicted?

As always, thank you.

Tracy

Obverse:

The pin back suspension bar: is this just a decorative design or do these symbols depict something specific?

Reverse. Given my very limited ability, I read the left column as 特別寄附会員, tokubetsu kifu-kin kai-in (Special Contributory Member) and the right column as 愛国婦人會, Aikoku Fujinkai (Women’s Patriotic Association):

Nick,

Thank you, as always.

Tracy

Greetings,

Since the Manchukuo Border Incident Medal was mentioned, I figured that I would post it.

Although this is a Manchukuo medal, during the time of issue Manchukuo was a puppet state of Japan. The Medal was established in 1940 and is the only Manchukuo medal with the bar suspension typical of Japanese medals (Catalano, The Imperial Ordinances for War and Commemorative Medals of Japan and Manchukuo, 4th ed. 2012). There are two different varieties of this medal, with notable differences being the size of the dove, the size of the orchid crest, and some slight differences in details of the globe.

Obverse, with the inscription “War Medal” on the bar:

Reverse, with the inscription “National Border Incident”:

The red pasteboard case. My example has a label bearing a handwritten notation in kanji, which, per the seller, reads “Matsusaka City, Superior Private Fukada”:

Greetings,

I have recently branched out into Patriotic Women’s Association badges and I’ll be posting a series of questions as well as pictures. My two main sources of information are Paul L. Murphy and Steven L. Ackley’s In the Name of a Living God. The non-government badges and medals of Imperial Japan, including Police, Fire Brigade, Red Cross, Veteran, and Patriotic Groups. San Ramon, CA: Falcon Books, 2005 and the Medals of Asia website (https://asiamedals.info/threads/history-and-badges-of-greater-japan-womens-patriotic-association.23765/).

My first offering is a Special Merit Badge, which I find to be a gorgeous piece of work. For now I have two questions:

(1) Medals of Asia has a picture of an original chart of badges (see link above) and mentions that there were both donation requirements and requirements regarding bringing in new members. The new member requirements are listed. Any idea what the donation requirements were for Special, 1st Class, 2nd Class, and 3rd Class Merit Badges?

(2) The cords: red group, white group, and purple group. Any idea what the awarding, if they were indeed awarded, of a cord denoted? Any idea if the color of the cord denoted something specific?

As always, thank you responders for sharing your knowledge.

Tracy

Obverse:

Reverse, and inscription to the best of my very, very limited ability: 愛国婦人會特別労功章,  Aikoku Fujinkai tokubetsu kōrō bajji, Women’s Patriotic Association Special Merit Badge:

Lacquered case with the reverse inscription in what I take to be stylized kanji:

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: