China Golden Grain by Godet

[paul wood]

Hello everybody.

I have just examined a most interesting piece of insignia of the Order of the Golden Grain (or Precious Crop depending on what mood you're in). Alas it was an out of curiosity enquiry and the owner was not prepared to let me scan it. It is an early type 1, 3rd Class with the suspension ring stamped Godet 920*. So presumably awarded to a German Official from Kiaochow no later than 1914. has any anyone else encountered other Godet made insignia, certainly it is the first I have ever seen and I would assume that any Godet made republican insignia are quite rare.

All the best,

Paul

[JapanX]

Alas it was an out of curiosity enquiry and the owner was not prepared to let me scan it.

He wasn't prepared?!

That's a good one Paul

Has any anyone else encountered other Godet made insignia, certainly it is the first I have ever seen and I would assume that any Godet made republican insignia are quite rare.

It is the first time I hear about Golden Grain made by Godet.

Certainly it will be interesting to see HQ scans of this piece.

Of course if (and when) its owner will be prepared for this important task

Regards,

Nick

[drclaw]

From what I gather, foreign made Warlord Orders (1912-28) are quite rare unlike the Qing Double Dragons. It seems the Republic were somewhat better organised when it came to manufacturing and distributing these.

Most of the Golden Grains and the Precious Brilliant Golden Grans were locally manufactured by the Central Mint in Tianjin. I've not come across any other Chinese manufacturers of these Orders and would be interested to know if there were others.

The foreign made insignia may have commissioned overseas when the Chinese Legation did not have any insignia at hand to confer on a recipient. Or it might have been privately commissioned by a foreign recipient who preferred a well known European jeweller to a Chinese manufacturer.

Galerie Numismatique have a Chobillon Golden Grain at their November auction, a breast badge, 40 mm, with the makers' mark "Chobillon, Paris" on the suspension piece. It's an interestingly piece, no doubt rare, but somewhat curious in appearance. Aesthically I much prefer the Chinese insignia.

http://www.coins-la-galerie-numismatique.com/decade-auction/china/order-golden-grain-1

Paul - I was interested in your comment that the Godet example was an "early type 1". The 2008 UBS Tammann catalogue refers to "first type" (1912 - ca. 1916) Golden Grains as having "finer design and enamel in cloisonne of the highest quality". The particular specimen it referred to was a Chinese piece with Chinese characters on the reverse. Unfortunately, there is no image of the characters so I don't know who the manufacturer was.

If it was a Central Mint piece, than the "first type" or "second type" might refer to different manufacturing periods of the Central Mint insignia with earlier insignia being of better quality than later insignia. The Tammann "first type" specimen also has a green circular band around the centre medallion while on other specimens, this is closer to blue.

Unfortunately, Warlord Order documents are even scarcer than the awards themselves so it is a real challenge to date insignia.

Gavin

[drclaw]

Paul, I reckon your award was more likely awarded to a German by the Chinese Legation in Berlin.

A German Kiaochow official, or a German in the Maritime Customs Service (there would have been quite a few), would most likely have received a locally made piece although it is possible he (or she) might have privately commissioned the Godet insignia back in Berlin.