Japan eBay Order Of The Chrysanthemum

[Jareth]

How'd this one look? Anyone get it ? http://www.ebay.com/itm/JAPANESE-ORDER-OF-THE-CHRYSANTHEMUM-VERY-SCARCE-HIGHEST-ORDER-/181036703932?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&nma=true&si=K7T%2BKuRXf%2FcPXop5JxadpvAtTsE%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

[JapanX]

Looks like a fake ...

Hopefully nobody we know get it

I wonder why there is no picture of reverse around

But the seller was right when he wrote "I WOULD SAY THIS IS NOT OLD, PROBABLY DATING FROM THE 1970"s ?" Maybe even from much more recent vintage

P.S. On the same auction we see the picture of authentic piece from Musée de la Légion d'Honneur (seller "borrowed" it from Wiki article). The differences are obvious ...

P.P.S. $1500... That's what I call "somebody is up for cheapies" :lol:

Edited December 5, 2012 by JapanX

[JapanX]

On second thought (I am quite thoughtful guy ) the second picture (where part of the penny is not visible) is the picture of reverse.

The makers of this beauty didn't even know how the reverse of suspension should looks like?

Or maybe they simply didn't care much about such "details"... ;)

Edited December 5, 2012 by JapanX

[lambert]

The Japanese order is a charm, beautiful! but it is very difficult to know if it is a fake or real ... Where do they come from?? China???

I cant tell if is false or true ... I would be an easy prey!

Regards

Lambert

[JapanX]

but it is very difficult to know if it is a fake or real ...

This one actually quite nice (in comparison to our usual fakes )

But the enamel (hot one and really nicely laid!) is wrong.

Material is wrong (doesn't look like silver to me).

General anthropometry is wrong too.

Where do they come from?? China???

Hmmm ...

The overall quality is too nice for our fellow chinese makers ...

But who knows?

Maybe this is their "next step"?

Other possibility - copy for collectors that was made in Europe.

[Dieter3]

Other possibility - copy for collectors that was made in Europe.

I think you are right! Somebody is gonna get chumpped on eBay. Unless they know it is a collector's copy as it is likely the only way to get a likeness of this award!

[pieter1012]

Dieter,

at the recent Morton & Eden auction, a beautiful and of course real sash badge of the Order of the Chrysanthemum remained unsold. The estimate was UK pounds 6,000. The copy went for almost 1,000 pounds. I realize it is a huge difference and not many peple have that money to spare in these hard times, but then the buyer would have had a real treasure that will keep it's value. Don't know if that can be said of a collector's copy.

Pieter

[Dieter3]

Hi Pieter,

I too do not know how a copy of anything would keep any value, or really be of any value other than in materials if they are made from precious materials. To me anyway, a copy isn't much more than a space filler or a curio. No matter how old or unique it becomes, it will always be a copy. BUT - I sometimes boggle at the motives behind certain purchases, but I do not question them. Everybody has their own reasons - but I just hate to think that somebody buys assuming originality when an item is not.

[drclaw]

Yeah, it really does come down to individual tastes and interests. Personally, I would rather save for 20 years for an original than acquire a still pricey collector's copy.

I have the same curiosity when it comes to Miniatures. They are by no means "copies" or reproductions, and many are exquisitely made by leading court jewelers and have historical value.

But at the same time they are not official awards as such being privately commissioned pieces (I'm excluding here, those miniatures that were awarded as part of an official insignia set).

[paul wood]

Gavin,

I take your point about miniatures, however when you get a miniature chain of several orders which have provenance for example to a diplomat then the likelyhood is that he wore the miniatures on a regular basis while the full-sized were stuck away in drawer somewhere only for use on high-days and holidays. While I do not collect miniatures (I have three in my collection of over 400 medals) I can understand why some people do. By the by on Evil Bay there are sometimes modern faked miniatures (If its worth something our friends in the Far East will fake it).

Paul

[drclaw]

Your absolutely right Paul, there are many people who collect miniatures and these have real historical value, especially with provenance.

It's fascinating how times and fashions change. There was an elegant age when the bestowing of orders was standard practice in international diplomacy and that created a whole industry plus related paraphanelia like miniatures. Now miniatures chains have gone the way of top hats, fob watches and starched collars.

It does surprise me that miniatures are now being faked. But if there's a buck in it ...