Striped Tigers and their Marks

[JapanX]

“Tigers report” that was published in London Gazette in 1920 doesn’t contain his name.

Two years later there was another (small one and this time for civil servants) awarding reported in Supplement to the London Gazette, 1 August, 1922, p. 5695

see http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/32734/pages/5695

[JapanX]

1922 awarding

[JapanX]

This list contains awards for different civil servants. A few Reverends got their 5th class Tigers, but again no signs of “our” Reverend ...

So the exact date of awarding is still in question, but I doubt (considering previous group) that Dr O'Neill got his Tiger only in 1923 … No way!

So chaps it looks like these digital codes aren’t time markers

Cheers,

Nick

[hc8604]

with all those names in that newspaper clip... there seems to be a better chance to find one in the UK.

Great post too. :cool:

[JapanX]

with all those names in that newspaper clip... there seems to be a better chance to find one in the UK.

Great post too.

Did you notice very interesting bell shaped distribution (of classes) in 1920 awarding?

I think that is why lower classes of Tigers are so hard to get :cool:

[Markus]

Hi Nick,

A very scholarly and thorough study on the Striped Tiger Order! Congrats!

Even though I am partial to lions, I do appreciate the great beauty of these tigers and enjoyed reading the history behind the order.

Thank You!

Markus

[drclaw]

Thanks for posting this research Nick. There's very little I can add unfortunately. Although I think we're close to concluding that these markings aren't dates.

It's a shame that not more of these have been sold accompanied by bestowal documents.

It does make it even more mysterious as to what the strange combination of roman and Hindu-Arabic numerals represent.

[JapanX]

Well, got something new for you chaps!

Take a look at this beautifull 2ns class breast star

Obverse

[JapanX]

Reverse

[JapanX]

Marks

[JapanX]

What we have here is our old buddy S2 mark and absolutely new digital mark 8XI.

In our classification this 8XI mark will be D5.

[JapanX]

Very interesting aspect of these digital marks is that they could be found with different seal marks.

In post #26 we saw 8th class Tiger with 9I mark and S1 mark.

And now we see same 9I mark together with S2 mark.

[JapanX]

And another example of this overlapping.

In post #22 digital mark X6 was found on specimen with S3 mark.

And here we have beatiful 4th class piece with same digital mark X6, but with S2 mark

Obverse

[JapanX]

Reverse

[JapanX]

Mark close up

[JapanX]

Interim results

5 seal marks

5 digital marks

Most likely seal marks are individual makers marks.

It looks like digital marks carry some universal info...

Are these dates?

It is doubtful, since we have some evidence that are in contravention with this hypothesis...

Cheers,

Nick

[JapanX]

Another example of Variation S2 (this seal often attributed to Yong Zeng Zi Zao - China Badge Factory in Canton)

5th class (in mint condition )

[JapanX]

[JapanX]

Details

[JapanX]

[JapanX]

[JapanX]

[JapanX]

Mark close up

[Richard LaTondre]

Here we have another example of 5^th class Tiger with such markes

I Have been holding my breath on this for over four months hoping someone would ask this question and I would not look stupid, but alas no one has asked, why is there a rosette on this 5th Class Wen HU?

Richard

[Richard LaTondre]

I believe that when Yuan Shikai (pardon my Wade-Giles) founded the order 6 December 1912 the statute stated that it would be, ... awarded for merit in war and peace. The first through fourth classes were to be awarded to officers of high rank. The third through sixth classes to officers of middle (field grade) rank. The fouth through seventh classes to subaltern (company grade) officers, sergeant majors, lieutenants and officer candidates. The sixth through ninth classes to NCOs and enlisted ranks. However, merit rather than rank, was the determining factor when considering the granting of the award.

An interesting side note is that the tiger was considered to be one of the four constituted beasts, which after a thousand years became a 'White Tiger' and was then immortal and was an emblem of good fortune.