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    Show Your Japanese Medal Hallmarks & Maker's Marks


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    Posted

    JapanX,

     

    Great link with very interesting and important information on this mon and the confusions and outright stretching of the truth (from certain sellers) surrounding these badges.

     

    Tracy

    Posted

    I have finally obtained a bit of a holy grail for me: an Order of the Rising Sun with a (hi) mark. Fortunately the seller noticed the mark and photographed it. Known time coordinates are January 1915 to January 1923. See Medals of Asia at

    https://asiamedals.info/threads/mark-hi-on-japanese-orders-and-medals-when-and-who.22787/.

     

    This Order of the Rising Sun 8th Class was sold to me in a spring loaded, claspless what I take to be plastic (bakelite?) case. Definitely not the case in which it was awarded, but I really wanted the medal. To me the case was an afterthought. Luckily I already have an empty case that will go perfectly with it: a nice double row golden kanji Order of the Rising Sun 8th Class case with a stylization of (kun) on the case lid that is associated with the Meiji/Taisho era.

     

    The mark is not on the bottom reverse of the 6h paulownia leaf; it is on the reverse of the ball through which the ribbon ring is threaded.

     

    I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do.

     

    Tracy

     

    Obverse. I used the flash on my phone to really bring out the detail. Unfortunately it is a bit harshly lit:

     

    ORS 8 HI Mark On Ball Obv.jpg

     

    Reverse:

     

    ORS 8 HI Mark On Ball Rev.jpg

     

    The mark close-up:

     

    ORS 8 HI Mark On Ball Close Up.jpg

    Posted

    Thank you, No One. I was very, very pleased that the seller photographed the mark and that I was able to purchase the medal.

     

    All the best,

     

    Tracy

    Posted

    Hi Tracy,

    just a thought re photos.

    I had a problem showing makers marks in pictures, I would zoom in on the details on the picture itself afterwards. 
    It then occurred to zoom in on the marks first, then take the photo…you may already do this but I had never thought to. 
     

    It was a game changer for details.

     

    tony 🍻

     

    PS I’ve got one of these, I’m been meaning to for ages but now definitely I’m digging mine out tonight… 👍

     

    Posted

    Hi Tony,

     

    Yes, capturing such marks can indeed be a difficult process. Sometimes it takes me numerous shots at varying magnifications in order to get the mark to show how I want it to show. I too originally focus on other details hoping to get the mark. Now I focus on the mark and if the other details go fuzzy, no worries.

     

    Looking forward to seeing it once you dig it out. 

     

    Tracy

    Posted

    Deare Gentlemen,

     

    I got one 8th class with "ヒ":

     

    image.jpeg.307fb20624340e78ad2caf93d5b9f823.jpeg

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.6c60b2846fe6f4dcf40a5a77605422b2.jpeg

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.504144e9455e851e960d986f73db6cc3.jpeg

     

    And a 7th class with "  / 美":

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.ec2db8f3c91e3345af92caea6c8eabc6.jpeg

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.865e637be7d0384ff6877edada177750.jpeg

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.54ee043be151cfd668859a2dac072e48.jpeg

     

    Yours sincerely,

    No one

    Posted

    No One,

     

    Splendid medals. Nice that you have the lapel bow with the 8th class, and (I assume) the case of issue. The 7th Class with the Shobido workshop mark is simply wonderful.

     

    I venture to guess that you have a very interesting and beautiful collection.

     

    Tracy

    Posted

    Greetings,


    I’ve been on a bit of buying tear lately and just received this lovely four rivet reverse Order of the Sacred Treasure 6th Class with the (hei) hallmark just below the 6h rivet. This mark is known to exist only on Sacred Treasures and the current time coordinates are December 1931 to September 1933. It is believed to be a mark of the Japanese mint, but so far definitive proof is elusive. See Medals of Asia at https://asiamedals.info/threads/mark-on-japanese-order-who-and-when.15113/.

     

    The ribbon is a very, very pale blue or dirty white with yellow stripes. It came with a button rosette that is light blue with yellow stripes and it has a (su) mark. The case has gold kanji and the “Meiji/Taisho” stylization of (kun).

     

    I was very pleased to have this piece join my collection.

     

    Enjoy.

     

    Tracy

     

    Obverse:

     

    OST 6 HEI Mark Obv.jpg

     

    Reverse:

     

    OST 6 HEI Mark Rev.jpg

     

    HEI mark close-up:

     

    OST 6 HEI Mark HEI Close.jpg

     

    Case lid:

     

    OST 6 HEI Mark Case Lid.jpg

    Posted

    Dear Gentlemen,

     

    "I venture to guess that you have a very interesting and beautiful collection."

    I find yours to be more interesting and beautiful than mine.

    I limit myself to collecting from 8th through 4th class, occasionally 3rd class (only three), and never above.

     

    To continue with two "Order of the Sacred Treasure" with the "ナ / na" hallmark.

     

    a 7th class:

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.38d23f5094b981421f07c9e80da47d8c.jpeg

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.d964b902be2a4ddd497bd9ec0a5f330f.jpeg

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.f9be80d42db5893f2e8f9d6f4321398f.jpeg

     

    image.jpeg.75c6cdea93c44baf161b851e9d5fbe22.jpeg

     

    a 8th class:

     

    image.jpeg.0141102fee1d22725aa8269721f45048.jpeg

     

    image.jpeg.51c36843ad6e7923bc4916d72e59b7a4.jpeg

     

    image.jpeg.e12d6ab3f6751be4fbb4de7502ca2fe9.jpeg

     

    Yours sincerely,

    No one

    Posted (edited)

    Hi Gents,

    I’ve dug out my little collection at last..,

    4C3946D1-07F1-4899-8C07-E1F1D46E6882.thumb.jpeg.6c907dab26461b597e6533f6437eb48c.jpeg

     

    Sadly not as many as I once had, other ones I had in wooden boxes were an easy way to raise funds when in a hurry..,

     

    I’ve had mixed results looking for stamps/marks, maybe you can see more than I do 😊

    Either way I’m going to add pictures of them all as they are each nice things.

     

    Putting them in 3 groups..,

    2 boxed orders

    Nothing added

    4 medals from 1910’s

    Unsure if tool marks or worn marks 

    3 Red Cross medals

    2 have clear marks, 1 unsure 

     

    Order of the Rising Sun

    7th and 8th classes

    887B7EB6-CBC7-472A-81EB-FE614C47AC24.thumb.jpeg.82a07e4fbf07f1e8d20279c825749181.jpeg

     

    E723760D-5A77-45E6-89C4-9C7ECF0A5C9E.thumb.jpeg.5de7513e09d04108f5a0e5ab92ebcb6f.jpeg

     

    34E4F510-F88D-4AC6-A329-7A88332A138C.thumb.jpeg.73fa47b961f83ad55dd49a2502f0e267.jpeg

     

    1914-15 War medal.

    C98152E7-C54F-4697-A5D9-28DFDCEDDAB0.thumb.jpeg.c9509a92d484a3efbcb7cd4668b5794e.jpeg

     

    BFAEBB84-8AB1-4047-A3FC-A2003DED0B56.thumb.jpeg.cca9cb96560188dd62ad574986f9ec9e.jpeg

     

    84F21AB4-1EDA-441C-813F-A3004CDEC73B.thumb.jpeg.8528195ae8e59add75c4108717c38261.jpeg

     

    CDA304F5-F58B-41EC-93C0-627A4EA3261B.thumb.jpeg.868914348e7b0bd450ae9bbe239fd10b.jpeg


    1914-20 War medal

    20425AEB-A7A4-404C-8CED-665B13D8A21C.thumb.jpeg.fc828c02038a06e8a7167517b1312b8f.jpeg

     

    43DAF57A-C2EA-4356-B651-0E42717425EE.thumb.jpeg.bcd6650573d7067cc2da052be4c61f68.jpeg

     

    1915 Enthronement Medal.

    C9A19196-0C1C-417E-BE03-5751A78F3314.thumb.jpeg.c27133d934f34584a51f5c0fbdde55c3.jpeg

     

    C9DF883E-8B03-49FD-8FAB-B1F66221DFF5.thumb.jpeg.75df658ad1eb030aceef8b548218db5c.jpeg


    626A45B7-F248-4A0B-BD73-4AF44D0EEBC3.thumb.jpeg.023d4e161100cb1c3882b502e017bcbd.jpeg


    A923A436-5331-4001-89F1-DE97291FC107.thumb.jpeg.42cc9cdd5f933a8e76dfa044cad8c441.jpeg


    Together.
    FBAF1276-4574-4CB2-B1C6-41FC0D8A8C02.thumb.jpeg.368da926fce17adddc05864c68a5ee5c.jpeg

     

    BCCD8A8E-7504-46C1-BF76-F3F0E60D8D5A.thumb.jpeg.52e9144e7cbe37f09ec0c657be1fab17.jpeg

    ww1 Allied Victory Medal.

    7E5273F4-CD68-4C3B-8B68-2B75A68D628C.thumb.jpeg.2eec64824fee9519fb4dc9c13e0d97eb.jpeg

     

    A187D172-2B04-4A37-AA90-2E426139196C.thumb.jpeg.7300efaa5ce90c95dafac58c8b374db9.jpeg


    Red Cross Medal.

    577C0D73-5E1D-4FBD-82B8-3D07943F756B.thumb.jpeg.c9c02e786c82124185f1da7126d7e91f.jpeg

     

    4E0BE1FD-480D-466F-A58D-AF8307A47646.thumb.jpeg.4c47b08c53e2c618c9271db8a3142815.jpeg
     

    B017B07F-02C9-45A3-97DD-B4738BDA08B4.thumb.jpeg.734dc54b7471899de7dea1e2b3377b17.jpeg

     

    Life Member Medal.

    7EA655B4-EC8E-4297-A0DC-E966C87A48DB.thumb.jpeg.bf4eb9adbb1eeec9da9c01d38059ede2.jpeg

     

    F5DAF191-CC04-45D0-AC72-5F4DDDD7FB74.thumb.jpeg.ea4a7cc01d6c97110e1ecfc0a26a0a28.jpeg


    Medal.

    97F913F6-C662-4E5B-8535-41EF7DAE2ACA.thumb.jpeg.ca2400e5d46ec3032c9df7da815e8391.jpeg

     

    67A96E66-D534-417E-A268-049D3F81E4C5.thumb.jpeg.c237d76f941cf57a96b8f222b4507d6a.jpeg

     

    18FCCEBE-A5F3-4576-9984-5A4D15190361.thumb.jpeg.feac70400d4a78a5cbc0bc56d83311c0.jpeg

     

    Together.

    35F71F33-2620-4803-888E-402D1EA26CD8.thumb.jpeg.009c60acbd30be890ae3a3ab7c2ab2f3.jpeg

     

    Tony 🍻

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Edited by Farkas
    Finish
    Posted

    Dear Gentlemen,

     

    New bug? My pictures, posted Friday at 14:07, are gone! Where? Why? How?

     

    "Order of the Sacred Treasure" 7th class with the "ナ / na" hallmark:

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.d17c45d4d98d8f6dbccdc62a047d8956.jpeg

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.cfb52460a2e450f00ed1b007eab8bf35.jpeg

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.31963f031422850d998f770f2d4231fe.jpeg

     

    image.jpeg.e780e31ca278cc633ced106105493a62.jpeg

     

    - "Order of the Sacred Treasure" 8th class with the "ナ / na" hallmark:

     

    image.jpeg.2db4a3cc7629ee23171117a30a9f5e62.jpeg

     

    image.jpeg.17662bfe30d45ee5c25fa1afc416aec0.jpeg

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.27e727e21231d3cfda66443d09566382.jpeg

     

    Yours sincerely,

    No one

    Posted
    2 hours ago, No one said:

    Dear Gentlemen,

     

    New bug? My pictures, posted Friday at 14:07, are gone! Where? Why? How?

     

    "Order of the Sacred Treasure" 7th class with the "ナ / na" hallmark:

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.d17c45d4d98d8f6dbccdc62a047d8956.jpeg

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.cfb52460a2e450f00ed1b007eab8bf35.jpeg

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.31963f031422850d998f770f2d4231fe.jpeg

     

    image.jpeg.e780e31ca278cc633ced106105493a62.jpeg

     

    - "Order of the Sacred Treasure" 8th class with the "ナ / na" hallmark:

     

    image.jpeg.2db4a3cc7629ee23171117a30a9f5e62.jpeg

     

    image.jpeg.17662bfe30d45ee5c25fa1afc416aec0.jpeg

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.27e727e21231d3cfda66443d09566382.jpeg

     

    Yours sincerely,

    No one


    Dear No one,

    that was me I believe 🤷‍♂️


    Earlier It somehow added your pics to my post when I did my edit, I certainly hadn’t, so I removed them from my image list…

    I haven’t got a clue how it could affect yours, I didn’t see it had at the time, but seems now it did. 

     

    tony 

     

    Posted

    Tony,

     

    That is a wonderful little collection. All very nice pieces. I like the Order of the Rising Sun 7th Class with the non-enamelled reverse. Now you need to pick-up an example of the 7th Class with an enameled reverse. 😀

     

    On the War Medals, if mine have marks at all they are usually either on the very left or very right of the thin bar on the reverse.

     

    I compared your Taisho Enthronement Medal to mine, and on mine there is a shield on the circle in the center of the bar that attaches to the top of the medal. It is on both the obverse and reverse. See below. Your medal has the same, but from the pictures it looks like it was not fully struck.


    Your Red Cross Medal has a nice dai on it and your other one a nice ka on it. For marks on Red Cross Medals, see Medals of Asia at https://asiamedals.info/threads/marks-of-the-japanese-red-cross-society-medals.15270/#post-245933.

     

    I find looking for and discovering hallmarks/maker’s marks on my Japanese Orders, Decorations, and Medals quite rewarding. Finding items for sale with such marks clearly identified in descriptions or photos has become my latest mission.

     

    All the best,

     

    Tracy

     

    Taisho Enthronement Medal Shield Design, obverse:

     

    Taisho Enthronement Medal Shield Decoratoin Obv.jpg

    Posted

    No One,

     

    Thank you for the compliment on my collection. To me it often looks haphazard, and quite frankly more and more I get the feeling that it’s growing quite out of control.  😁

     

    Those are two wonderful Orders of the Sacred Treasure with the na hallmark.

     

    Are there any marks on the underside of the button rosettes?

     

    All the best,

     

    Tracy

    Posted

    Dear Farkas,

     

    Thank you for answering the "Where? Why? How?". It's alright, don't worry. I appreciate your honesty.

    The web seems to work in mysterious way!

     

    Dear TracA,

     

    Unfortunately, no halmark on the two button rosettes.

     

    "quite frankly more and more I get the feeling that it’s growing quite out of control."

    It is a well-known saying that 'collectors are never reasonable'. We all find ourselves in the same predicament.

    How many times did I think "it's the last one", then ...

     

    Yours sincerely,

    No one

    • 2 weeks later...
    Posted

    I have finally obtained a Golden Kite with a mint mark. Below is a Golden Kite 7th Class with a “Showa bird” and the M mint mark on the reverse at 6h. The button rosette also has a mark on its underside: (su). I note that the lacquered case is of the six kanji variety instead of the seven kanji variety, so it is an “earlier” case. 

     

    The medal is in great condition with a beautiful patina around the edges. Of course my somewhat crappy cell phone pictures won’t do it true justice.

     

    Enjoy.

     

    Tracy

     

    Obverse:

     

    Kite 7 M Mark Obv.jpg

     

    Reverse, with the M mint mark visible at the 6h:

     

     

    Kite 7 M Mark Rev M Mark Shown.jpg

     

    Case lid:

     

    Kite 7 M Mark Case Lid.jpg

    Posted (edited)

    …and my second post for the day in this thread. This one is an Order of the Sacred Treasure 8th Class with the M mint mark of the Japan Mint. The button rosette also has a mark on its underside: (su). The case lid has gold kanji and the “Meiji/Taisho” stylization of 勣 (kun).

     

    That’s all for today.

     

    Tracy

     

    Obverse:

     

    OST 8 M Mark Obv.jpg

     

    Reverse, with the M visible:

     

    OST 8 M Mark Rev.jpg

     

    M close-up. Note that it appears to be not quite a full strike, although pretty darn close:

     

    OST 8 M Mark Up Close.jpg

     

    Case lid:

     

    OST 8 M Mark Case Lid.jpg

    Edited by TracA
    Word addition.
    Posted

    Dear TracA,

     

    Here is my "Order of the Golden Kite 7th class" button rosette marked "ス (su)": 

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.0fdba92693735b066862f0d419ab259c.jpeg

     

    Unfortunately, the medal has no hallmark:

     

    image.jpeg.03b5462f06a11f60fe089bee196cdc92.jpeg

     

    Yours sincerely,

    No one

    Posted

    No One,

     

    Nice Kite and rosette. In the photo it appears as if the gilding on the Kite's wings has worn off, which to me gives it a nice appearance.

     

    All the best,

     

    Tracy

    Posted

    Dear TracA,

     

    Thank you and yes, the gilding on the Kite's wings has worn off. I think it's a Shōwa era Kite.

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.459138bcf511c5525a5c524b8e845a9c.jpeg

     

    Yours sincerely,

    No one

     

    Posted

    Hello No One,

     

    Beautiful wear on the wings.

     

    Yes, definitely a Showa Kite. Besides the Kite shape, the number of apertures and the distance of the fourth (from below) aperture of the harness to the first tipping over of a harness are the tell tale clues. JapanX did a wonderful job explaining and showing this is his thread here: https://gmic.co.uk/topic/51228-classification-of-golden-kites-in-6th-and-7th-class/.

     

    All the best,

     

    Tracy

     

    Posted

    Dear Gentlemen,

     

    Here are the "Tai Rei Kinensho of Shōwa" (Shōwa State Ceremony (Accession) Commemorative Medal) with hallmarks and wrappers.

     

    -  -M- Zōhei Kyoku Sei:

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.56bbdd650bdb7386a91c44d63fa014a4.jpeg

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.563e56b302516b4c3d29371c44830d90.jpeg

     

    image.jpeg.b5cfb8e9ed628a3ea181663d07526ca9.jpeg

     

    image.jpeg.8acbd6516fbdb8c5052849d4b8feb962.jpeg

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.289f742f37a9bb698a6b8b78eafd1697.jpeg

     

    image.jpeg.e917b11335b3049447e7f379f82283a7.jpeg

     

    -  -M- Zōhei Kyoku Sei (the colo(u)r of the box is different):

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.fe641acff395a00820af244ffed53e8c.jpeg

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.9ead49fbfb48fc044ef580e88b53e2a5.jpeg

     

    image.jpeg.707245d0f2e197ed35b54b231723fa3b.jpeg

     

    image.jpeg.a0f58a1629b6f4221ef07557e0cebec7.jpeg

     

    -  -N- Nihon Kunshō Seisaku Kabushikigaisha Nō:

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.036517666cef02f5077357e2241e66ed.jpeg

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.d4065c4488c87f29525f61b3ea816942.jpeg

     

    image.jpeg.d080feaf8dfe33a91276e3faf263f869.jpeg

     

    image.jpeg.0ab53e96f2c837244582d31286411ea6.jpeg

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.a081e42385205063e72357f101032d45.jpeg

     

    - -S- Kabushiki gaisha Shōbidō nō:

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.854b5d16538f4690e2a42c3e7a136ae9.jpeg

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.9d5cb8207c0ccc317b055856ab3a868b.jpeg

     

    image.jpeg.ed0f8eb749920a2bc9bcee5351f63eaf.jpeg

     

    image.jpeg.842b8dce7b7af21ec8c00e9ea8b0a37c.jpeg

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.6ec32e7c374b940b81954ca71c1f1afb.jpeg

     

     - -Y- Kabushiki gaisha Yamazaki shōten nō:

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.8ab8e89b3fb8d5136e52231393b52380.jpeg

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.e278402c098fefaae7edf58bc1f286aa.jpeg

     

    image.jpeg.e186f813b1529c8bf424bc1a07bf6baa.jpeg

     

    image.jpeg.73a457fd801d8d5dff385fa020a22334.jpeg

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.16faac80baa667ee9f4e7dd3bf5ca1c4.jpeg

     

    - BONUS  -Y- Kabushiki gaisha Yamazaki shōten nō:

     

    image.jpeg.e5c2597e0a47cb7123f20b5fe2f08401.jpeg

     

    image.jpeg.e4799af9fe6826d0b4aa0d5c9359aef8.jpeg

     

    image.jpeg.d62fcc3f85f1447327c971aca1ba99d7.jpeg

     

    Yours sincerely,

    No one

    Posted

    No One,

     

    That is a splendid collection. Simply wonderful. The fact that you have a marked medal for females makes it even better!

     

    I must admit that I am jealous. I currently have the Showa Enthronement medal with M mark and its wrapper as well as the N mark as its wrapper. I am on the hunt for an S (Shōbidō) marked medal and its wrapper as well as a Y (Yamazaki) marked medal and its wrapper. 

     

    There are also variations with the S marked on the ball instead of the ring and variations with the Y as convex instead of concave (which from the picture is what your medal’s mark looks to be).

     

    For all of the information see Medals of Asia at https://asiamedals.info/threads/makers-marks-of-japanese-orders-and-medals.14996/.

     

    All the best,

     

    Tracy

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