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    Show Your Japanese Medal Hallmarks & Maker's Marks


    Gunjinantiques

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    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:

     

     

    OST 2 Obv.jpg

     

    Reverse:

     

     

    OST 2 Rev.jpg

     

    Hallmark FK (?):

     

    OST 2 Rev Hallmark Zoom.jpg

     

    Case:

     

     

    OST 2 Case Lid.jpg

     

    Medalbed:

     

     

    OST 2 Case Medalbed.jpg

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    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:

     

     

    OST 8 Female Obv.jpg

     

    Reverse:

     

     

    OST 8 Female Rev.jpg

     

    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:

     

     

    OST 8 Female Hallmark.jpg

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    • 1 month later...

    Regarding mark 大

     

    https://asiamedals.info/threads/mark-on-japanese-orders-and-medals-who-and-when.16355/

     

    36 minutes ago, No one said:

    I think 大 stands for 大橋 謹製 Ōhashi kinsei as can be seen on this Red-Cross rosette.

     

    This workshop was official supplier for Japanese Red Cross Society 

     

    https://asiamedals.info/threads/russo-japanese-war-relief-commemorative-medal-of-japanese-red-cross-society.24343/#post-351186

     

    The problem at the moment, however, is the lack of evidence that this workshop was also involved in manufacturing of government awards. 

     

    Regards,

    Nick

     

     

    Edited by JapanX
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    Dear JapanX,

     

    OK, so Ōhashi kinsei is link to the Japanese Red Cross medals.

     

    And except the Japanese Red Cross medals, "大" is only found on this medal "大正三四年従軍記章" :

     

    image.jpeg.bff9329dffbacb8e8ae622a1945a6a9c.jpeg

     

    May be one day we will find the answer !

     

    Tracy, I don`t think this is "II".

    This is a typical two-letter mark only it wasn`t punched well enough (shape of suspension ball wasn't helping either).

     

    image.jpeg.7a75931e84b1df4eda0a28c38b6828db.jpeg

     

    Best,

    Nick

     

    I have the same problem, can't say if it's "II" or maybe a "M" or something else :

     

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.81e97116ec67e3bb58261ecbf6b1aaba.jpeg

    image.jpeg.87b35bc9ae853865983b2f923c4c2177.jpeg

    And I have this Sacred Treasure third class with  "--美-" but the neck ribbon is very narrow, never seen somewhere else: 

    image.jpeg.eb678b3a6ebe047df53a9d7f8c32fb04.jpeg

    image.jpeg.44bfb51b829168da5319380013e0792a.jpeg

    image.jpeg.043ca996151199c269c0b7069223764c.jpeg

    Yours sincerely,

    No one

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    Very nice 3rd class made by Shobido workshop in Osaka https://asiamedals.info/threads/mark-on-japanese-orders-who-and-when.25816/

     

    Regarding neck ribbon of reduced width - these are privately commissioned (more convenient than standard full width ribbons and quite popular) items that were in use (approximately) from late 1890s and until the end of WW2. I even have somewhere ribbons of reduced width (made by Japanese workshop of course) for Manchukuo 3rd class Pillars and 3rd class Clouds.

     

    Nice example of reduced ribbon for 3rd class Golden Kite order https://asiamedals.info/threads/3rd-class-golden-kite-order-awarded-in-1906-to-colonel-torazo-kawasaki-for-the-russo-japanese-war.24570/

     

    Best,

    Nick

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    Dear JapanX,

     

    As the saying goes "If you sit by the river long enough, you will see the document with the kanji you are looking for float by".

     

    Some more :

     

    - Order of the Rising Sun 5th class, Gold and Silver Rays "UL" :

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.b486711cae7b519747e32b567bc4c3dc.jpeg

     

    image.jpeg.662f9ecd41c3053677faa40f5a472229.jpeg

     

    - Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays (ex 6th class) "CX" :

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.113cf5a3c62a5b480b6f6ccbb2ce7a39.jpeg

     

    - Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Rays (ex 5th class) "JX" :

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.2fbe2b1e5a06f877adee96d09fe87bdd.jpeg

     

    image.jpeg.e6593a2fa0952a4b833869ea5f4004a0.jpeg

     

    - Order of the Sacred Treasure 6th class (for woman) "GK" :

     

    image.jpeg.5c1a6679df51c8eb336e1e1ab1029c1c.jpeg

     

    Yours sincerely,

    No one

     

    PS : I have a Japanese "ス" hallmark on a Manchu rosette, can I include it here?

     

     

    Edited by No one
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    • 2 weeks later...

    Greetings Everyone,

     

    I have another addition to this thread. A few weeks ago I obtained a wonderful Order of the Rising Sun 8th class with a lapel bow and Meiji case with gold kanji. The best part about this piece? The prominent ‘M’ mint mark on the reverse at 6h, the mark of the Osaka Mint. Some preliminary research (see Medals of Asia https://asiamedals.info/threads/mark-m-on-japanese-orders-and-medals-who-and-when.14818/ and https://asiamedals.info/threads/silver-kanji-vs-gold-kanji-lettering-on-the-lids-of-the-japanese-order-cases.26112/#post-357009) and the assumption that the case was the case of issue leads me to date this medal from sometime between March 1930 to 1940. Any and all thoughts and corrections to that are welcome.

     

    Enjoy.

     

    Tracy

     

    Obverse with lapel bow:

     

     

    ORS 8 With M Meiji Obv and Bow.jpg

    Reverse:

     

    ORS 8 With M Meiji Rev.jpg

    ‘M’ mint mark up a little closer:

     

    ORS 8 With M Meiji Mark M.jpg

     

    Case lid:

     

    ORS 8 With M Meiji Case Lid.jpg

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    • 4 weeks later...

    Greetings,

     

    I just took possession of a magnificent Order of the Sacred Treasure 3rd Class, in a case for foreigners including the purple tasseled cords, with four rivets on the reverse and the Osaka mint mark ‘M’ directly below the rivet at 6hr. The cravate is very pale blue with pink stripes; the rosette is the same colors. No hallmarks on the rosette. Instead of the oval type clasps that I have seen, this cravate has a small wedge-like piece with a locking ball that slides into the slot of a gold colored piece on the other side of the ribbon.

     

    With some research on this very forum and at the Medals of Asia website, and assuming that the rosette is original to this award, I think that this piece might date from the mid- to late-1930s. Any and all suggestions/corrections are welcome.

     

    Enjoy.

     

    Tracy

     

    Obverse with rosette:

     

    OST 3 Mintmark M Obv with Rosette.jpg

     

    Reverse with ‘M’ mint mark:

     

    OST 3 Mintmark M Rev with Mintmark.jpg

     

    Cravate fastener:

     

    OST 3 Mintmark M Cravate Fastener.jpg

     

    Case lid:

     

    OST 3 Mintmark M Foreign Case Lid.jpg

     

    Inside of the case lid:

     

    OST 3 Mintmark M Foreign Case Inside Lid.jpg

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    My next installment for this topic is The Imperial Capital Rehabilitation Commemorative Medal with ‘M’ mintmark. My example has a beautiful tarnish to it and the ribbon colors are vivid (a replacement ribbon?). The ‘M’ mark of the Japanese Mint, Osaka, is on the top of the suspension and it is oriented towards the reverse of the medal. 

     

    Per Medals of Asia the earliest known ‘M’ mintmark is from August 1930, and that datestamp actually corresponds to one of these medals. So I would say that this medal is at least from August of 1930.

     

    Question: does anyone know when the Japanese Mint stopped minting The Imperial Capital Rehabilitation Commemorative Medal?

     

    Enjoy.

     

    Tracy

     

    Obverse:

     

    Imp Cap Rehab Comm Medal Obv.jpg

     

    Reverse with the central column of 帝都復興記念章 for Imperial Capital Rehabilitation Commemorative Medal and on the bottom edge from 4hr to 8hr 昭和五年三月 for March of the 5th Showa Year, or March of 1930:

     

    Imp Cap Rehab Comm Medal Rev.jpg

     

    ‘M’ mintmark on the suspension:

     

    Imp Cap Rehab Comm Medal M Mark.jpg

     

    Case lid, which has the name of the medal in gold kanji:

     

    Imp Cap Rehab Comm Medal Case Lid.jpg

    Edited by TracA
    Spacing
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    Below is my example of the Showa Enthronement Commemorative Medal. This one has a hallmark ‘N’ on the top of the suspension ball. I think that the medal is quite beautiful.

     

    Question: are there any known time coordinates for this ‘N’ mark? Any ideas which manufacturer it might represent?

     

    Thank you.

     

    Tracy

     

    Obverse, with 萬歳 for “Banzai” under the pavilion:

     

    Showa Enthron Comm Medal Obv.jpg

     

    Reverse with 大禮記念章 for Grand Enthronement Commemorative Medal inside the banner and on the bottom edge from about 4h to 8h reading 昭和三年十一月 for Showa 3rd Year 11th Month, i.e. November 1928:

     

    Showa Enthron Comm Medal Rev.jpg

     

    Mark ‘N’ on the suspension ball:

     

    Showa Enthron Comm Medal N Mintmark.jpg

     

    Purple case, with the name of the medal on the lid in gold kanji:

     

    Showa Enthron Comm Medal Case Lid.jpg

    Edited by TracA
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    Greetings,

     

    I just obtained this wonderful Post 2003 Reform Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Rays. The triangular ribbon is approximately 45mm wide by 40mm long, light blue with a 4mm yellow stripe that is 3mm from each edge. The award is approximately 46mm by 74mm. The reverse and outermost rays are in silver, the innermost rays and rest of the badge are in gold. 

     

    On the reverse the hallmark F5 is stamped at the bottom of the paulownia leaf at 6h.

     

    All the best,

     

    Tracy

     

    Obverse:

     

    Post 2003 OST G and S Rays Obv.jpg

     

    Reverse:

     

    Post 2003 OST G and S Rays Rev.jpg

     

    Hallmark F5:

     

    Post 2003 OST G and S Rays Hallmark.jpg

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    On 13/03/2023 at 03:16, TracA said:

    Greetings,

     

    I just took possession of a magnificent Order of the Sacred Treasure 3rd Class, in a case for foreigners including the purple tasseled cords, with four rivets on the reverse and the Osaka mint mark ‘M’ directly below the rivet at 6hr. The cravate is very pale blue with pink stripes; the rosette is the same colors. No hallmarks on the rosette. Instead of the oval type clasps that I have seen, this cravate has a small wedge-like piece with a locking ball that slides into the slot of a gold colored piece on the other side of the ribbon.

     

    With some research on this very forum and at the Medals of Asia website, and assuming that the rosette is original to this award, I think that this piece might date from the mid- to late-1930s. Any and all suggestions/corrections are welcome.

     

    Enjoy.

     

    Tracy

     

    Obverse with rosette:

     

    OST 3 Mintmark M Obv with Rosette.jpg

     

    Reverse with ‘M’ mint mark:

     

    OST 3 Mintmark M Rev with Mintmark.jpg

     

    Cravate fastener:

     

    OST 3 Mintmark M Cravate Fastener.jpg

     

    Case lid:

     

    OST 3 Mintmark M Foreign Case Lid.jpg

     

    Inside of the case lid:

     

    OST 3 Mintmark M Foreign Case Inside Lid.jpg

     

    Sorry, missed this one.

    Pink ribbon (and flat ribbon clasp) is from very early vintage. Approximately 1890-1910. Case and pink button rosette most likely from the same set. Badge is from 1929+ time period. 

     

    Regards,

    Nick

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