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    PHALERAE INCOGNITA: first Hirato Rising Sun Orders


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    Posted

    I was able to find this early photo of our cavalier with this order (well, actucally only the tip of the star is visible :whistle:)

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    Posted

    Well, the photo of the 3rd class with affixed leaf could be found in Peterson (3rd edition) at page 25.

    That`s about it folks ;)

    Cheers,

    Nick

    Posted (edited)

    Well, of course the correct name of the first master should be Hirata (not Hirato as I wrote).

    Hikoshiro Haruyuki Hirata

    Time to take a look at his face (I`d like to thank Nick Komiya for sending me this photo and providing additional very interesting biographical information :cheers:)

    Edited by JapanX
    Posted (edited)

    His ancestors were not sword smiths (as I always wrongly thought), but enamel craftsmen, who also made decorative features on swords. Hikoshiro Michihito Hirata of Kyoto was appointed the court enamel craftsman by the Shogun, Hidetada Tokugawa and there followed several generations of Hikoshiro Hiratas as artisans for the Shogunate.

    Almost all orders made between 1874 and 1929 were contracted to either Haruyuki Hirata, Sousuke Namikawa or Muneyasu Oki and under them were the many subcontractors. Haruyuki, the Father of Japanese orders was the 10th generation of Hikoshiros. His full name was Hikoshiro Haruyuki Hirata and was active in making orders from 1874-1879 (sic!!!). Then from 1879-1890 Hikoshiro Nariyuki Hirata took over the business. However, his sudden death required Haruyuki to come out of retirement and he once again made orders from 1890 to 1906. Then from 1906 to 1925 or so came the second generation Haruyuki. So there were actually 3 Hiratas involved in orders over the years.

    Regards,

    Nick

    Edited by JapanX
    • 4 months later...
    Posted (edited)

    Nice post Mr. Nick, its a rare book to have... Thank you for sharing the photos. ;)

    Edited by dark379
    Posted

    Wow! I love see original ordinances. They are the ultimate primary source material for a historian.

    Good luck if you're having a shot at this!

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