Tokyo 1923 Earthquake Reconstruction Medal

[Guest Rick Research]

After looking at this for years wondering (DOH!) what it was, picked it up this morning. ALL details much appreciated, since my knowledge of Japanese awards = ZERO.

This appealed to me purely for aesthetics.

[Ed_Haynes]

Nice one. For general background, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1923_Great_Ka...5%8D_earthquake

[Guest Rick Research]

I don't know whether the tarnish (rather unsightly) is cleanable or whether there is a matte finish under there that would be removed by ANY kind of polishing?

It came in this light weight plum colored box which bears no VISIBLE indication of title characters, but I would swear that tilted in the light it has two rows of "ghost" characters-- less on a left hand column than a solid line of INVISIBLE characters on a right column. (Or maybe I'm just imagining things....)

Plain hinge of top is at top:

[Guest Rick Research]

Case opened

It fits the medal exactly.

Bottom, again with hinge at top of scan:

Never mind-- the case appears to be for a Red Cross Member's Medal... ALSO picked one of THOSE up today:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=11170

Edited September 21, 2008 by Rick Research

[Paul L Murphy]

The case is for the Red Cross Medal as you guessed.

The Capital Rehabilitation Commemorative Medal was founded in 1930 to be awarded to anyone who helped towards the reconstruction of Tokyo after the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. It is made of oxidised silver with some of the detail in polished silver, however most pieces you find have lost the distinction between the two finishes as has yours. I would see no harm in washing it in soapy water but be careful not to get the ribbon wet.

These do not appear to have been awarded as much as other commemorative awards in Japan. I have still never managed to track down an award certificate for this and that certificate is one of the few items I am missing before I can write my new book on Japanese awards. You will pick up ten Taisho Enthronement Medals in Japan for every Capital Rehabilitation Medal you find, so well done on grabbing this.

[Guest Rick Research]

MUCH appreciated. I've walked past this at shows for YEARS sublimely ignorant as to what it was and just admiring the design and workmanship.

[Ed_Haynes]

Not to grant you problems, Paul, but what does the real case look like?

[Paul L Murphy]

Not to grant you problems, Paul, but what does the real case look like?

The case is red pasteboard (same quality as the case for the China Incident War Medal, just a different colour) with the name in gilt on the lid. The seven large kanji down the centre of the reverse are the medal name, and what appears in the inscription. Sorry I do not have one to hand to photograph, mine is in the bank vault in Dublin.

[Ed_Haynes]

Thanks.

[Kvart]

Here is a picture of a medal Medal-medaille had for sale. Until someone lucky bought today ;)

[Ed_Haynes]

Here is a picture of a medal Medal-medaille had for sale. Until someone lucky bought today

Not THAT particular one . . . .

[Guest Rick Research]

Today was able to reunite this case with its medal, since they had gotten separated along the way. Top and bottom have separated which hardly seems surprising with the single layer of paper for a hinge: