TracA

This is my example of the 1st Class Additional Merit Badge. 

The badge is approximately 30 mm in diameter. The obverse is enameled in olive green, yellow, white, and red with lighter silver colored (1) un-enameled edging and (2) what could be two smooth leaves at 12h and 6h. Above the badge is an attachment 22 mm in diameter in the design of a wreath of leaves (?) enameled olive green, with an enameled white center and lighter silver colored edging. The ribbon is a brownish double bow and on the bottom of the badge hangs a knotted cord of the same color with two tails. The box is wooden (balsa?) and it measures 75 mm wide x 102 mm long x 18 mm high. The top edges are slightly beveled.

Another relatively simple, but beautiful badge.

Tracy

Obverse with the single inscription 法 for “teachings of Buddha”:

There is a two row inscription on the reverse. Top row: 一等附加有功章 for First Class Additional Merit Badge. Bottom row: 大谷婦人會 for Otani Women’s Association:

Box lid. The inscription is the same as on the reverse of the badge except that it is in two columns:

Finally, the alignment stamp (thank you, JapanX!) and possibly a maker’s mark:

2 hours ago, JapanX said:

合 -

Nick,

Thank you as always. I never thought of the kanji as a way to ensure proper alignment of the lid. Fascinating.

All the best,

Tracy

I have begun to branch out into Otani Women’s Association Merit Badges. I would never have known that these beautiful badges existed if it weren’t for JapanX’s wonderful Medals of Asia site. See https://asiamedals.info/threads/otani-womens-association-merit-badges.22933/.

From Wikipedia:

“Ōtani-ha (真宗大谷派, Shinshū Ōtani-ha) is a Japanese Buddhist movement. It belongs to Jōdo Shinshū, also known as Shin Buddhism…The headquarters of Ōtani-ha are in Kyoto, the mother temple is Higashi Honganji. The historic Shōman-ji, Nagoya also belongs to it. Otani University in Kyoto belongs to Ōtani-ha.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ōtani-ha).

Although this was sold as a 3rd Class Additional Merit Badge I believe that it’s actually a 3rd Class Merit Badge. Explanation below, although I could be missing something. I always welcome corrections and edification by others. I am merely a novice.

The badge is approximately 30 mm in diameter and silver colored. The obverse is enameled in light blue, green, and red with silver colored un-enameled edging and what could be two smooth leaves at 12h and 6h. The reverse is silver colored, pebbly looking but actually smooth to the touch, with a three row inscription. The ribbon is a purple double bow. The box is made of (balsa?) wood and is 75 mm wide x 80 mm long x 15 mm high.

I hope that you enjoy this simple, but beautiful badge.

Tracy

Obverse with the single inscription 法 which my rudimentary research tells me is best translated as “teachings of Buddha”:

Reverse pin fastener:

Reverse inscription in three rows. Note that the kanji are read the traditional way from right to left. First row:     章功有等三 for Third Class Merit Badge. Unless I am missing something, if this were truly an Additional Merit Badge then I would expect to see 附加 in the inscription, like I do for the three classes of the Patriotic Women’s Association Merit Badges with Attachment. Second row:  派谷大宗真 for Otani School of Shinshū (Buddhism). Bottom row: 會話法人婦 for Ladies Buddhist Sermon Association.

Box lid. The inscription is the same as on the reverse of the badge except that it is in two columns. Again, in the right column I see no kanji (附加) indicating that this an Additional Merit Badge:

Finally, there is what I take to be a manufacturer’s mark on the top edge of the box. Unfortunately after going through all 10 “pages” I could not locate this mark on Medals of Asia at https://asiamedals.info/threads/marks-and-labels-of-manufacturers-of-japanese-medals-badges-and-watch-fobs.16816/. Anyone know who the manufacturer is?

13 hours ago, JapanX said:

Nice badge made by Gyokuhō /玉寶堂/ in Tokyo. As we know one of the main manufacturers of Women's Patriotic Association badges https://asiamedals.info/threads/special-supporter-member-badge-of-womens-patriotic-association.25981/

 

Workshop was also an official purveyor to the Imperial Household Ministry /宮内省御用達/

 

No wonder it received so many different contracts

 

https://asiamedals.info/threads/good-attendance-commendation-badge-from-tokyo-railway-bureau.14606

 

https://asiamedals.info/threads/construction-of-the-imperial-volunteer-fleet-donation-badges.24689

 

Etc, etc, etc.

 

Best,

Nick

 

 

Nick,

Thank you, as always. Now that I find my way back to the Special Supporter Member Badge variations on your website, courtesy of the link above, and I see the stamp I realized that I already have a WPA badge with the same stamp on the underside of the box lid. I need to be careful about checking all of my sources, even the ones that are in my possession.

All the best,

Tracy

12 hours ago, No one said:

Dear TracA,

 

 

Yours sincerely,

No one

No One,

Thank you for providing a clearer picture of the kanji. It can sometimes be difficult to read the printed kanji off of a box.

Have a great day.

Tracy

I have tried but I have failed. On the bottom of the wooden box for a Women’s Patriotic Association Third Class Merit Badge with Attachment is what I believe to be the manufacturer’s mark. I am confident that the first two kanji in the left column mean Tokyo, and I am somewhat confident that the kanji in the right column mean “official purveyor”. I just cannot get the rest of the kanji after Tokyo in the left column. I assume that it is the manufacturer’s name, but I am stumped.

Any translation assistance would be appreciated. I’ve included the badge obverse and reverse, as well as the kanji on the bottom of the box.

Thank you.

Tracy

Kanji on the bottom of the box. Tokyo ??? / Official Purveyor (?):

Badge Obverse:

Badge Reverse:

Farkas,

What a wonderful thread. These are very interesting, especially the scenes of battle.

All the best.

Tracy

My latest addition is a Japan Red Cross Society Membership Medal with a ス (su) hallmark on the “paw”. These are by no means uncommon, but I do like the obverse design. Anything with a “ho-o” catches my eye. Per Peterson, p. 75, the Empress Meiji was asked to suggest an emblem and she offered her hairpin, which is decorated with bamboo, the paulownia, and the ho-o. Of course the International Red Cross Society’s ubiquitous emblem of the Geneva Cross was also incorporated into the design.

For a discussion of marks on Japanese Red Cross Medals see Medals of Asia at https://asiamedals.info/threads/marks-of-the-japanese-red-cross-society-medals.15270/.

Tracy

Obverse:

Reverse with two horizontal inscriptions. The top is 年一十二治明 for “Meiji 21st year” and the bottom is 社字十赤本日 for “Japan Red Cross Society”. The 21st Year of Meiji is 1888, the year that Red Cross awards were first established by the Emperor Meiji.

The hallmark ス (su):

Hello Nick,

Thank you, it is indeed a nice example. The color of the ribbon is really beautiful, which of course does not come out in my photo. 

Yes, when looking closer at the order it is indeed suffering from the "sickness" documented on your wonderful website. I think that it's the only order that I currently own that is in such a condition. 

Thanks, as always, for the estimated date of manufacture.

All the best,

Tracy

Greetings,

This wonderful Order of the Sacred Treasure 6th Class for a female just came into my possession. The ribbon is what looks to me as a very pale blue, almost slightly greenish. The lighting and my cell phone camera completely wash out the color, making the ribbon look white. On the reverse are two phillips head screws at the halfway point on both the 3h and 9h arms. For information related to dating such Treasures with two screws see this discussion board at https://gmic.co.uk/topic/58229-sacred-treasures-with-flat-reversetwo-screws-reverse-when-this-change-occurred/.

I hope that you enjoy this beautiful order.

Tracy

Obverse:

Reverse:

Hallmark DF:

No One,

Thank you very much for the translation of the bottom of the box and the correction of my kanji (from simplified to traditional). I will make a note of the kanji and change my documentation accordingly. I will have to pay more attention in the future regarding such things.

All the best,

Tracy

On 08/05/2023 at 15:10, JapanX said:

Outer case is original. Inscription was added by owner or somebody else (it duplicates inscription of the lacquered case). 

 

Best,

Nick

 

Thank you, as always, Nick.

Tracy

I have been able to obtain a wonderful cased Labor Merit Badge, which also included an outer heavy stock cardboard box with the same kanji on the lid as are on the lid of the lacquered case. I have no idea if this is the actual cardboard box in which the lacquered cases for such badges came, or if this cardboard box was privately procured after the badge was awarded. To me the kanji on the lid of the cardboard box appear as if they could be handwritten instead of printed.

The central badge measures 47mm from tip of long ray to tip of long ray. There are 56 total rays with four single long rays at 3h, 6h, 9h, and 12h and another four single long rays in between. Grouped around each long ray are six short rays, three on either side. Inside the tomoe crest at 3h, 6h, 9h, and 12h are four pearls. The circular gear-like device, the goddess, and the rays inside the tomoe crest are gilt; the rays outside are silver. Thye do not appear to have been gilt that has tarnished off. The reverse is silver.

It is a striking badge.

Tracy

Obverse:

Reverse: inscription on the badge is, counter clockwise from 3h to 9h, 勤勞顯功章 for Labor Merit Badge.

Lacquered case lid with the same kanji as on the reverse of the badge:

The cardboard box in which the case was nested:

No One,

Wonderful medal, case, and award certificate. It is indeed satisfying to "have all of the pieces", so-to-speak.

All the best,

Tracy

Below are two First Class Merit Badges, for recruiting more than 300 new members, which I believe might represent two different versions. For the sake of argument I will assume that each badge was issued in the case/box in which it was purchased.

The first difference is between the boxes. Murphy and Ackley, p. 59, state that First Class Merit Badges came in lacquered cases while Second and Third Class came in wooden boxes. However, although one of my First Class Merit Badges came in a lacquered case the other came in a wooden box. The kanji and the dimensions are the same. It appears to me that the wooden box is in the same style of construction and inscription as other boxed WPA badges (of different ranks) that I have. So, I don’t think that the wooden box was privately commissioned/purchased, although I do not have direct evidence that it was not. Perhaps the wooden box is what is commonly referred to as “late war economy”?

The second, third, and fourth differences pertain to the badges:

• The flower petals on the badge that came in the lacquered case are more reddish than pink in color than the flower petals on the badge that came in the wooden box.

• The fastening pins on the back of the suspension bars are different. On the badge that came in the lacquered case the tube through which the pin is threaded is 12 mm long and the pin itself from the tip to the two circle end is 18 mm long. On the badge that came in the wooden box the tube through which the pin is threaded is 19 mm long and the pin itself from the tip to the two circle end is 24 mm long. Although the pin on the badge from the wooden box looks as if it is itself affixed to the reverse of the suspension bar, it too is threaded through a tube. However, it is threaded so tightly that the pin does not rotate at all.

• The hanger from the suspension bar to the badge that came in the lacquered case is slightly longer than that of the badge that came in the wooden box.

Whether they truly represent two distinct versions or not, the badge itself is beautiful. 

Tracy

Obverses side-by-side. The left is the badge from the lacquered case and the right is the badge from the wooden box. Note the difference in the color of the petal enamel. Although it looks as if the badges and suspension bars are slightly different sizes I measured them in multiple places as best as I could (not owning calipers) and they are the same size.

Reverses side-by-side. Again, left is the badge from the lacquered case and right is the badge from the wooden box. Note the difference in pin fasteners. 愛國婦人會有功章 for Women’s Patriotic Association Merit Badge.

The two lids side-by-side. The right column is 愛國婦人會 for Women’s Patriotic Association and the center column is 壹等有功章 for First Class Merit Badge. No matter how much I tried I could not get the kanji on the wooden lid to stand out more.

…and my latest installment: a First Class Merit Badge with Attachment. This was for recruiting more than 500 new members.

The badge is 31.75 mm in diameter with a suspender bar of the same width. The badge is gilt and enamel, with the anchor in navy and the star in red, and the cherry blossom wreath enameled in green, pink, and yellow. The attachment is in the form of a 9.525 mm diameter cherry blossom between the suspender bar and the badge, enameled pink and yellow. The lacquered case is 66.675 mm wide x 92.075 mm long.

A former owner of this badge clearly tried to clean off the tarnish on the obverse. I like to leave in place such evidence of the aging process.

Tracy

Obverse:

Reverse with a single column inscription of 愛國婦人會有功章 for Women’s Patriotic Association Merit Badge:

Lacquered case lid (please excuse the cell phone reflection) with a two column inscription in gilt kanji. Right column of 愛國婦人會 for Women’s Patriotic Association and central column of 壹等有功附加章 for First Class Merit Badge With Attachment:

Greetings,

I have a new addition to this topic. I just picked-up a Supporting Member Badge, unfortunately without the white matchbox style cardboard box (per Murphy and Ackley, p. 58). This badge is a stickpin. The obverse has some dark brown discoloration on the obverse from about 12h to 3h.

Enjoy.

Tracy

Obverse:

Reverse: top character on the left column read before the bottom character on the right column for 愛國婦人會, Women’s Patriotic Association. The remaining three characters on the left column are 賛助員 for Supporter/Supporting Member.

Another addition to this topic, which just arrived today. A post-2003 reform Order of the Rising Sun Gold and Silver Rays (former 5th class). On the reverse the hallmark l5 is stamped at the bottom of the paulownia leaf at 6h.

The obverse is the same as the pre-2003 reform version with the exception of the piece attaching the badge to the ribbon ring. That piece is no longer a ball or knob. Rather, it is a disc that has a larger diameter than its thickness. The reverse is no longer an enameled mirror of the obverse, with the “Order of Merit” seal characters on the reverse of the paulownia leaves. The reverse is now pebbled silver, no enamel, and the reverse of the paulownia leaves and flowers is simply flat. The seal characters are where the red “sun” cabochon was located on the pre-2003 orders.

My cellphone photo of the obverse really does not do the medal justice, as the lighting was quite harsh.

Tracy

Obverse:

Reverse:

Hallmark:

Over a year later I would like to add something to this thread. No new information, but my Labor Badge, with box, and a question.

The only information that I can find on this badge is from Rich Catalano’s old Dai Nippon site, via the Wayback Machine: https://web.archive.org/web/20200731053553/http://www.imperialjapanmedalsandbadges.com/laborbadge.html.

I find this badge beautiful in its simplicity. The badge measures 3 mm and the wooden box measures 76.2 mm in length and 63.5 mm in width. When this thread was first brought to my attention by Azyeoman I was enchanted with the badge. In particular, the goddess or god-figure in the center. She does not have a particularly friendly or benign look on her face. In fact, her expression is stern or outright harsh. In addition, I just can’t figure out or imagine what she is holding in her hands.

Here is my question: on the bottom of the box is handwriting that I at first assumed was Japanese but then thought it might be Korean, but am now unsure. If someone would be able to translate the writing, then I would be deeply appreciative.

Thank you.

Tracy

Obverse:

Reverse, with the inscription 勤労章, Labor Badge:

Box lid with the inscription 勤労章 in gilt:

Bottom of the inside of the box lid, with 製局幣造, Made by the Bureau of the Mint:

Finally, the bottom of the box. Any help translating this would be greatly appreciated:

Greetings,

A new entry for this topic. My Second Class Merit Badge with Attachment. The attachment was awarded for recruiting more than 200 new members.

The badge is 1.25 inches in diameter with a suspender bar of the same width. The attachment is in the form of a .375 inch diameter cherry blossom between the suspender bar and the badge. Gilt color with a red star. The box is wood, 2.75 inches wide x 4 inches long.

I hope that you enjoy.

Tracy

Obverse:

Reverse with a single, central column inscription 愛國婦人會有功章, Women’s Patriotic Association Merit Badge:

Box lid with a two column inscription in gilt kanji. The right column reads 愛國婦人會, Women’s Patriotic Association and the central column reads 貮等有功章附加章, Second Class Merit Badge With Attachment:

I have recently obtained a WPA Special Member badge. Dimensions and construction are like the Regular Member badge except that the Special Member badge is in gilt. The example that I obtained has the Gyokuhō workshop stamp on the inside of the box lid. Some pictures below.

Enjoy.

Tracy

Obverse:

On the reverse the inscription on the badge is in three columns: center column is 愛國婦人會 for “Women’s Patriotic Association”; left column is 会員 for “member”; right column is 特別 for “special”. On the reverse of the suspension pin back is 掛ー襟半 for “hanging collar half” or “to wear badge on kimono half-collar.” (Thank you JapanX!).

Box lid with the following inscription: 特別 “special” across the top and 会員章 “member badge” down the center.

Gyokuhō workshop stamp on the inside lid of the box, 玉寶堂製 for “Gyokuhō made” and the horizontal column is 東京 for Tokyo.

Nick, thank you as always. 

Tracy 

Greetings,

I have a new addition to this topic: a Third Class Merit Badge with Attachment. This one is missing the red enameled star. I assume that it must have fallen off as the adhesive spot is clearly visible in the center of the depression where the star would normally be. 

This Merit Badge was awarded for recruiting more than fifty members and the attachment was added for recruiting more than 100 new members. See Medals of Asia at https://asiamedals.info/threads/history-and-badges-of-greater-japan-womens-patriotic-association.23765/.

Enjoy.

Tracy

Obverse with missing red enameled star:

Reverse with inscription 愛國婦人會有功章 for Women’s Patriotic Association Merit Badge:

The case lid has, as No One posted above, “beautiful calligraphy”. The right column reads 愛國婦人會 for Women’s Patriotic Association and the central column reads 参等有功章附加章 for Third Class Merit Badge With Attachment:

Azyeoman, 

Yep, clicking on the image worked. Thanks for pointing me towards that thread. Wonderful stuff.

Nice saki cup!

All the best,

Tracy

My latest addition to this topic is a lovely 1914 - 1915 War Medal with katakana hallmark ヒ (hi) on the far right side of the thin bar on the reverse. 

Does anyone know anything about these particular hallmarks on this particular medal?

Thanks as alway,

Tracy

Obverse:

Reverse:

Hallmark ヒ (hi):

Azyeoman,

Thanks. If you intended to insert a URL to the thread, then for some reason the URL didn't come through.

All the best,

Tracy