Show Your Japanese Medal Hallmarks & Maker's Marks

[TracA]

Nick,

 

No need to apologize. Thank you for the information. It is much appreciated.

 

Tracy

[TracA]

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):

 

Edited March 26, 2023 by TracA

[JapanX]

Everything that is known about this mark (for today) https://asiamedals.info/threads/mark-hi-on-japanese-orders-and-medals-when-and-who.22787/

[TracA]

Nick, thank you as always. 

 

Tracy 

[TracA]

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:

 

[TracA]

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:

 

Edited May 10, 2023 by TracA

[JapanX]

Nice one. 

Looks like it has typical for Japanese orders "cataract of the enamel"  https://asiamedals.info/threads/when-japanese-orders-are-getting-sick.12614

 

Best,

Nick

 

P.S. Judging by the mark it was issued somewhere around 1982-1983.  

[TracA]

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

[TracA]

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):

 

Edited May 14, 2023 by TracA

[TracA]

I have finally come back to this thread as I now have two more pieces to post. My first one is a Post-2003 Order of the Sacred Treasure Gold Rays with Rosette, formerly the 4th Class. This one has BZ as the hallmark. The hallmark strike was very weak, so it was difficult to get a picture of it with my cell phone camera.

 

Enjoy.

 

Tracy

 

Obverse:

 

 

Reverse:

 

 

BZ hallmark:

 

[TracA]

My second post is also of a Post-2003 Order of the Sacred Treasure. This time it is what was formerly known as the Third Class, but now known as the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon. It is a beautiful piece and it has the hallmark E6.

 

Tracy

 

Obverse:

 

 

Reverse:

 

 

Hallmark E6:

 

[TracA]

I just picked-up an Order of the Sacred Treasure 7th Class with the mintmark M. Known time coordinates for this mark of the Japanese mint are March 1930 to April 1943. See Medals of Asia at https://asiamedals.info/threads/mark-m-on-japanese-orders-and-medals-who-and-when.14818/.

 

I’m pretty sure that my decoration, case, and button rosette are a “Frankenstein”. The color of the rosette is a pale light blue while the ribbon color is a grayish white. The real clincher is the fact that the case does not have a clasp; it is spring loaded. The case also does not appear to be made of wood. It feels like plastic (bakelite?) and when I let it snap shut it sounds like plastic instead of wood. I believe that such cases were certainly not produced during the 1930s to the early 1940s. I note that the beveled edge on the lid of this case is much higher than all of the other cases with clasps that I own.

 

Question: any known time coordinates for spring loaded cases?

 

Nonetheless, the decoration is very pleasing to the eye, with a nice patina and with the gilt color inside the seal script kanji on the reverse intact.

 

Enjoy.

 

Tracy

 

Obverse with button rosette:

 

 

Reverse. My cell phone camera and the lighting fail to reveal the beautiful patina. In the photo below it just looks dark:

 

 

Close up of the M mintmark:

 

 

The case lid. Note the absence of a clasp on the bottom edge of the case:

 

[TracA]

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:

 

Edited March 8 by TracA
Sentence deleted. Kun discussion revised.

[No one]

Dear Gentlemen,

 

TracA, beautiful 3rd class, indeed.

 

I have two 3rd classes with the same lacquer cases as yours.

One doesn't have any hallmark and the rosette is like the one you presented

and the other one has the "  / 美 " hallmark and the rosette is very pale blue and pinkish.

 

Yours sincerely,

No one

[TracA]

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

[No one]

Dear TracA,

 

It was ... in this "box" attributed to " 千早甲子郎 . Chihaya Kōshirō" (勲章 . 記章):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yours sincerely,

No one

 

 

[TracA]

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

[No one]

Dear TracA,

 

Yes, "ヒ" and also a note with the date " 大正四年十一月七日 November 7, 1915".

 

 

 

 

 

 

One can assume they were all attributed to Chihaya Kōshirō but without the proper award documents, it's not 100% guaranteed.

 

Yours sincerely,

No one

[TracA]

What a magnificent hallmarked ORS 4th Class. Wow.

 

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

 

Tracy

[No one]

Dear TracA,

 

I agree with you, but I made the clarification to be truthful and honest.

 

By the way, Chihaya Kōshirō's box is a tamatebako (玉手箱), but not a Tamatebako Miyake (玉手箱 宮家).

 

Yours sincerely,

No one

Edited March 9 by No one

[TracA]

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

Edited March 10 by TracA
Added a word.

[No one]

Dear Gentlemen,

 

I forgot to mention the mon on the tamatebako, a "half-chrysanthemum crest floating in running water".

 

 

It's the mon of the Kusunoki clan, a samurai family of the Southern Court who were active during the period of the Northern and Southern Courts, mainly in Kawachi Province.

 

The most famous samourai of this clan is Kusunoki Masashige (楠木 正成, 1294 – 4 July 1336):

Kusunoki Masashige - Wikipedia

 

source: Imperial Japanese Army and Navy 2 ISBN978-4-87180-021-1

 

Yours sincerely,

No one

Edited March 11 by No one

[TracA]

Wonderful additional information!

 

Tracy

[No one]

Dear Gentlemen,

 

Thank you TracA.

 

I also forgot to say that Kikusui was the name of a Japanese operation during WWII:

 

"Operation Kikusui (菊水作戦, Kikusui sakusen) was a series of suicidal air attacks by Imperial Japanese forces during the Battle of Okinawa against Allied fleets in the waters around Okinawa, as part of Operation Ten-Go. The name of the operation, "Kikusui" (Japanese: 菊水, "Chrysanthemum Water"), comes from the hata-jirushi of the samurai Kusunoki Masashige." Operation Kikusui - Wikipedia

 

Yours sincerely,

No one

[JapanX]

Regarding badges with Kikusui symbol and "Kamikaze pilot badge" https://asiamedals.info/threads/badge-with-the-kikusui-floating-chrysanthemum-symbol.15339