Ribbon Bars, Rosettes, and Wrapping Papers?

[Dieter3]

O.K., so totally new to collecting medals. Just starting to go over "Orders and Medals of Japan" book so perhaps the information I'm looking for is there and I have just missed it thus far, but I'm wondering about a few things.....

I'm wondering what constitutes a group of items for an award or medal. So, it certainly seems that you have the award or medal itself, the box it comes in, and a presentation document at the least.

What I have no clue about is:

1) Ribbon Bars - How were these issued? Were they also issued with the award or medal? Again, being so new to this I have yet to see samples enough to even know, but it seems they are rare to find with an actual medal - except in the case of the China Incident Medals, they don't seem uncommon to find with the medal.

2) Wrapping Papers - Again, looks common with the China Incident Medals, but I haven't seen these with others..... (?) This leads me to believe that most awards and medals did not have them, but for whatever reason, the CIM did????

3) Rosettes - Talking about the separate ones, not actually incorporated into a ribbon - I see these paired with certain orders or medals, and am uncertain of under what circumstances they were issued or to which orders they actually belong?? Were they simply issued as a matter of fact and simply lost over time??

Thank you Gents!!

[Rich C]

Hello,

I'm not an expert here so I do not know the finer points of when ribbon bars, etc., were issued, but a 'complete' assembly of a medal and its parts may be the following:

1. Medal & case

2. Award document

3. Ribbon bar

4. Rosette

And the following may be added to enhance the medal:

5. Paper wrap (issued for many if not all of the medals and orders--at least the lower classes of orders)

6. Money award documents (when applicable, some medals and orders came with a stipend and some with a pension enhancement)

7. Other documents, for example:

7a. Smaller sized (but offically issued) documents that state why an order was given. 'For bravery in the China Incident, the 8th Class Rising Sun was awarded to --.'

7b. Official Japan Mint papers that stated what the medal was and sometimes to whom it was issued.

Note that #s 5 and 7b were meant to be disposable items, so having them may be considered an extra bonus.

I may have forgotten something, but at least you have a general outline.

Cheers, Rich

Edited March 5, 2009 by Rich C

[Dieter3]

Thanks for the info Rich!