TracA

pinpon590,

That is a gorgeous award. Please pardon my ignorance, but could you identify it for me? Is that an "S" mark that I see on the reverse of the ball through which the ring is threaded?

Tracy

No One,

Splendid medals. Nice that you have the lapel bow with the 8th class, and (I assume) the case of issue. The 7th Class with the Shobido workshop mark is simply wonderful.

I venture to guess that you have a very interesting and beautiful collection.

Tracy

Can’t resist jumping on this thread once again. This Golden Kite 4th Class just arrived today. Once again I’d say that it’s definitely a Showa bird, and a 7.1 at that. This would make sense, as the rosette wasn’t added to the ribbon until 1937, and this rosette doesn’t look to me as if it was a “after the fact” addition by the recipient.

Most of the gilt has come off of the reverse but it is still there, and it really “shows” when compared to the reverse of my 5th Class Kite. I note that the reverse of the 4th Class is fairly pitted and imperfect. The case lid has golden kanji.

Tracy

Obverse:

Reverse:

Close-up of the Kite:

Hi Tony,

Yes, capturing such marks can indeed be a difficult process. Sometimes it takes me numerous shots at varying magnifications in order to get the mark to show how I want it to show. I too originally focus on other details hoping to get the mark. Now I focus on the mark and if the other details go fuzzy, no worries.

Looking forward to seeing it once you dig it out. 

Tracy

Thank you, No One. I was very, very pleased that the seller photographed the mark and that I was able to purchase the medal.

All the best,

Tracy

Nick,

Nice. Would these be examples that would fit on your "Rules on the Wearing of Japanese Imperial Awards and Their Violators" page?

Tracy

I have finally obtained a bit of a holy grail for me: an Order of the Rising Sun with a ヒ (hi) mark. Fortunately the seller noticed the mark and photographed it. Known time coordinates are January 1915 to January 1923. See Medals of Asia at

https://asiamedals.info/threads/mark-hi-on-japanese-orders-and-medals-when-and-who.22787/.

This Order of the Rising Sun 8th Class was sold to me in a spring loaded, claspless what I take to be plastic (bakelite?) case. Definitely not the case in which it was awarded, but I really wanted the medal. To me the case was an afterthought. Luckily I already have an empty case that will go perfectly with it: a nice double row golden kanji Order of the Rising Sun 8th Class case with a stylization of 勣 (kun) on the case lid that is associated with the Meiji/Taisho era.

The ヒ mark is not on the bottom reverse of the 6h paulownia leaf; it is on the reverse of the ball through which the ribbon ring is threaded.

I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do.

Tracy

Obverse. I used the flash on my phone to really bring out the detail. Unfortunately it is a bit harshly lit:

Reverse:

The ヒ mark close-up:

JapanX,

Great link with very interesting and important information on this mon and the confusions and outright stretching of the truth (from certain sellers) surrounding these badges.

Tracy

No One,

I really like the stamps.

Tracy

Tony,

More great postcards, and a very interesting observation about the last one. 

Tracy

Magnificent series, Tony.

Tracy

No One,

At very first glance I thought that the Order of the Rising Sun should be before the Sacred Treasure, but after refreshing myself of such thing's on JapanX's Medals of Asia website, I was reminded of the rule that if the Rising Sun and Sacred Treasure were of different ranks, then the highest rank is worn first.

Excellent point about the China Incident and Great East Asia War medals. 

All the best,

Tracy

Wonderful write-up!

Tracy

Hello No One,

Off the cuff: the Great East Asia War did not occur during the Taisho Era. It occurred during the Showa Era. Also, I don't think the order of wear precedence mentioned the Great East Asia War (fourth ribbon from the top left), so I don't know where that would fit on the ribbon bar.

Wasn't that medal a unofficial commemorative medal struck well after the war was over?

Tracy

Tony,

Organizing the postcards in the way you suggest would, in my mind, be a wonderful manner in which to showcase them. It will be interesting to trace the "characters", so-to-speak, as they move through the progression.

All the best,

Tracy

Thank you Tony! Forget me not...Send a night prayer...a much sought after article. Serious...sad...and humorous.

These postcards are wonderful.

Tracy

Wonderful additional information!

Tracy

No One,

Thank you for the additional information. I will now have to take a look at the "Japanese Orders in Tamatebako Miyake (Boxes for Nobles and Foreigners)" post on this forum.

All the best,

Tracy

13 hours ago, Farkas said:

👍👍
I’ve seen your enthusiasm 😊

I’ve been following your thread on the hallmarks, and it made me look at some photos I have of some of my small Japanese collection … 👇

I don’t know if you can see the marks

👆👇

 

 

I’d never noticed the marks before 😃

I’ve got to dig my ‘Japanese’ box out  and have a proper look at them all. I’ll make sure I put some better pictures on your topic asap. I’ve got a couple of ‘rising suns’ (7th & 8th) in lacquered boxes to show you too.

 

cheers

tony 🍻

 

 

Tony,

Unfortunately my old eyes don't let me see the marks in the pictures. However, I look forward to when you have more time for taking pictures and then posting them to the Show Your Japanese Medal Hallmarks & Maker's Marks thread.

Tracy

My pleasure.

I especially like the "longing fills my heart" postcard.

Tracy

What a magnificent hallmarked ORS 4th Class. Wow.

As you state, it can't be 100% guaranteed but it certainly appears highly likely.

Tracy

Tony,

Unfortunately I cannot contribute any knowledge, but I can say "great detective work!"

I certainly understand your lottery comment and share your excitement. When I purchase a Japanese order or medal, finally get it in hand, and discover a hallmark that did not show up in the seller's photos, then it is definitely a celebratory moment.

All the best,

Tracy

No One,

That is a magnificent OST 3rd Class, and with a reduced width cravat to boot. Very nice.

In addition, what a wonderful box of medals, orders, and ribbon bars. The fact that they are attributable to a single recipient makes them even more special.

Are there any hallmarks on the Order of the Rising Sun 4th Class?

Tracy

Thank you, No One. This marks my fourth OST 3rd Class Cased, and each one is different in some way (either hallmark or reverse type).

I have to admit that I am jealous of your OST 3rd Class with 美, mark of the Shobido workshop (Medals of Asia at https://asiamedals.info/threads/mark-on-japanese-orders-who-and-when.25816/).

As I stated in my post (I think) about my ORS 2nd Class Cased, I find it a shame and a lost opportunity that dealers/sellers do not appear to look for hallmarks and then "call them out" on their descriptions or photos.

All the best,

Tracy

Greetings,

It has been a while since I posted in this hallmarks thread. I just acquired a beautiful Order of the Sacred Treasure 3rd Class with a case and rosette. Both the badge and the rosette have hallmarks. The badge is marked 幣 (hei) below the rivet at the 6h and the rosette is marked ス (su).

Known time coordinates for the mark 幣 is December 11, 1931 to September 4, 1933. see Medals of Asia at https://asiamedals.info/threads/mark-on-japanese-order-who-and-when.15113/, 

where it is speculated that this is a mark of the Japan mint. 

Note that the stylization of 勣 (kun) on the case lid is associated with the Meiji/Taisho era, but the mark 幣 clearly indicates a Showa era manufacture of the badge. At first I was surprised to see this, but upon further reflection I should not have been. It is not as if there was a "switch" turned off when the Showa era began on December 25,1926 which then led to cases already manufactured but not yet paired with orders to be simply discarded. 

Tracy

Obverse:

Reverse, with the hallmark just visible under the 6h rivet:

Hallmark 幣 up close (best photo I could get):

Case lid. The kanji is gold. The case has a bit of the chocolate color at the top and bottom edges where they meet when closed:

Rosette, which is a beautiful blue and yellow:

Finally, the rosette hallmark ス: