Help with medal & certificate please

[5016]

This is my first post to this sub forum. I wonder if someone can comment on my boxed medal and framed certificate please?

Having read the pinned threads, I believe I'm right in saying that my certificate is from the Showa period, i.e. during WW2.

I don't collect Japanese awards but am interested in Japanese swords and it was whilst doing a p.x. deal that these items came into my possession. If indeed WW2, then they compliment my sword collection and I'll hang on to them. I'd just like someone to enlighten me and tell me anything about the award or recipient. Is it military or is it a civil award?

Thanks in anticipation.

Kevin.

[Dieter3]

Hi Kevin,

You have an Order of the Rising Sun, 7th Class. I can't read the text of the certificate all that well, but I can make out the Showa 15 year, this is 1940, so I think you can call this WWII era! This was both a civilian and a military order. I can't read closely enough to read the name of the recipient, but it should indicate a military rank if they had one. Can you post a closer-up pic.??? Are the case lid kanji silver or gold? A pic. of this might be helpful too as the color and style can put a time frame on the medal. Is the back of the medal enameled? I'm no expert on these, but from observation, they are typically all correct, but you do see the occasional award in the wrong era case or with a certificate that is out of period for the award. Yours is probably correct, a more seasoned collector might be able to give you more info just with the pics. you've posted though.

[5016]

Many thanks Dieter. Those are the sort of concerns I had - does the medal really belong with this certificate?

The colour of the writing on the box lid is greyish (silver?) Hopefully these close-ups will assist you.

[Dieter3]

Many thanks Dieter. Those are the sort of concerns I had - does the medal really belong with this certificate?

The colour of the writing on the box lid is greyish (silver?) Hopefully these close-ups will assist you.

So, I believe the silver colored writing is consistent with the period, earlier ones were of gold, so I think you're good there. I believe this was issued to a civilian, Mr. Masao Daishou (Taishou?). I don't see a military rank there. I'd say there is a good chance the award and certificate go together (at least period-wise), but it's hard to be 100% certain short of acquiring the items directly from a family, or from a VERY reputable seller, or someone you truly trust. Alas, I've seen too many instances of awards and documents being put together and sold as matched, when indeed they were not. I'd like to think the majority are legitimate, and they probably are.

[Paul L Murphy]

So, I believe the silver colored writing is consistent with the period, earlier ones were of gold, so I think you're good there. I believe this was issued to a civilian, Mr. Masao Daishou (Taishou?). I don't see a military rank there. I'd say there is a good chance the award and certificate go together (at least period-wise), but it's hard to be 100% certain short of acquiring the items directly from a family, or from a VERY reputable seller, or someone you truly trust. Alas, I've seen too many instances of awards and documents being put together and sold as matched, when indeed they were not. I'd like to think the majority are legitimate, and they probably are.

This is almost certainly a military award for the China Incident since it was awarded on 29th April 1940. Showa order certificates do not show military rank, only Meiji era order certs have the recipients rank details. What this certificate does show is that the recipient was already a holder of an 8th class award (either a Rising Sun or Sacred Treasure, one cannot tell which from the cert). Hence this is almost certainly an NCO who either won an 8th class Rising Sun at an earlier time (some soldiers got the 8th class in the Manchurian Incident and went on to win the 7th as NCOs post 1937) or else has served over 20 years so he got the 8th class Sacred Treasure for long service.

If you are interested in WWII items then this is worth keeping.

[5016]

This is almost certainly a military award for the China Incident since it was awarded on 29th April 1940. Showa order certificates do not show military rank, only Meiji era order certs have the recipients rank details. What this certificate does show is that the recipient was already a holder of an 8th class award (either a Rising Sun or Sacred Treasure, one cannot tell which from the cert). Hence this is almost certainly an NCO who either won an 8th class Rising Sun at an earlier time (some soldiers got the 8th class in the Manchurian Incident and went on to win the 7th as NCOs post 1937) or else has served over 20 years so he got the 8th class Sacred Treasure for long service.

If you are interested in WWII items then this is worth keeping.

Paul & Dieter,

I'd like to thank you both very much. That brings it all to life, so to speak. Given that information, I'll be happy to keep this with my other WW2 Japanese items. As you'll have gathered, I'm not at all familiar with these although I could be tempted to collect them as they truly are the Faberge equivalent of the medal world. In fact the chap who I got these from has an excellent collection which I was offered for a Japanese sword I own....I was tempted, but these are out of my collecting comfort-zone.

Kind regards,

Kevin.

[5016]

This is almost certainly a military award for the China Incident since it was awarded on 29th April 1940. Showa order certificates do not show military rank, only Meiji era order certs have the recipients rank details. What this certificate does show is that the recipient was already a holder of an 8th class award (either a Rising Sun or Sacred Treasure, one cannot tell which from the cert). Hence this is almost certainly an NCO who either won an 8th class Rising Sun at an earlier time (some soldiers got the 8th class in the Manchurian Incident and went on to win the 7th as NCOs post 1937) or else has served over 20 years so he got the 8th class Sacred Treasure for long service.

If you are interested in WWII items then this is worth keeping.

Paul & Dieter,

I'd like to thank you both very much. That brings it all to life, so to speak. Given that information, I'll be happy to keep this with my other WW2 Japanese items. As you'll have gathered, I'm not at all familiar with these although I could be tempted to collect them as they truly are the Faberge equivalent of the medal world. In fact the chap who I got these from has an excellent collection which I was offered for a Japanese sword I own....I was tempted, but these are out of my collecting comfort-zone.

Kind regards,

Kevin.

[Dieter3]

This is almost certainly a military award for the China Incident since it was awarded on 29th April 1940. Showa order certificates do not show military rank, only Meiji era order certs have the recipients rank details.

Thanks Paul for that clarification, as I only have Meiji era docs. for the Rising Sun! This is good to know.