Japanese Awards - Order of the Sacred Treasure

[Gordon Williamson]

Hi Peter,

Yes you are correct, it is a very pale gold, looks like silver because of the bright scanner light.

[Doug See]

Thank you, Gordon. I've just begun collecting Japanese medals and this study of the Sacred Treasures progression was very helpful. Japanese medals are still greatly under-appreciated and still a bit undervalued, in my opinion.

Edited December 1, 2005 by Doug See

[kunsho]

...etui for a fourth class of the Sacred Treasure (the colour for the tazzles of the Sacred Treasure etuis are always purple), early etui - model for members of the diplomatic service and foreign recipients. The inscription is a special type of Kanji - so called "seal characters" (court style).

Best regards

Matthias

[kunsho]

...etui of a third class (old style for members of the diplomatic service and foreign recipients). Inscription of the class is in the inside of the cover (inside is in "maki ?" laquer design).

Matthias

[kunsho]

...a first class badge of the sacred treasure (old style with a little bit larger dimensions).

[Josef Rietveld]

Always beautifull to look at. I once had a small japanese collection consisting of sacred treasure up to the 4th class, risung sun up to the 4th class and Golden Kite 7th and 6th class all boxed.

One Question: I had two rising sun 6th Class medals, one enammelled on both sides and the other one only ONE side. Can you tell me what is the reason for that? Does ist depend on the time-period the awards were given?

regards

josef

[kunsho]

...not to forget the star...

[kunsho]

One Question: I had two rising sun 6th Class medals, one enammelled on both sides and the other one only ONE side. Can you tell me what is the reason for that? Does ist depend on the time-period the awards were given?

regards

josef

Surely you mean the 7th class. You are right, it does depend on the time-period the later ones (since WW II) are only onesided, in cause of savingsbases.

Best regards

Matthias

[Josef Rietveld]

thanks Matthias, of course you are right. i was talking about the 7th class rising sun. so all pieces enamelled on two sides date for 1945. good to know. i'am afraid in matters of higher classes, the difference between earlier and modern pieces is not so easy to explain?

haynau

[kunsho]

..one of the best indicators of older pieces are the thick of the material, in general you can say "older ones are thinner ones". However you shold have compared many pieces to indicate the old ones with one blink of an eye.

The "Sacred Treasure" is (in my opinion) one of the most interesting orders of Japan, because of the number of the used symbols. Japanese orders are outstanding in simpleness of design which unites a maximum of symbols.

Best regards

Matthias

[Gordon Williamson]

Beautiful pieces Matthias! Congratulations. Congratulations also on your superb website !!!!

[kunsho]

Beautiful pieces Matthias! Congratulations. Congratulations also on your superb website !!!!

Thank you for the flowers!

Best regards

Matthias

[Laurence Strong]

The kanji on my 8th class case is different from Gordons, can someone tell me why, was it for a different era?

[SWE Erik]

The kanji on my 8th class case is different from Gordons, can someone tell me why, was it for a different era?

Yes, I think so. I believe that the earlier boxes have this type of writing. Is there anyone who knows when they changed the style? I have a feeling that it happened sometime in the thirties, am I right?

/Erik

[kunsho]

...I agree also with Erik (or better I have the same "feeling" :-). The change to the more stricter seal characters had taken place somewhere in the thirties (and also resumed in the sixties). Seal characters are a special form of kanji which were used predominantly by court officials (mainly for seals:).

Matthias

Edited March 20, 2006 by kunsho

[kunsho]

..here is the translation of the seal characters to "normal" kanji (by the example of Laurences box inscription). You can see here very clearly the abstracted form of the seal kanji.

[Laurence Strong]

Thanks for that

[Gordon Williamson]

FInally managed to acquire the Breast Star at a reasonable price, but unfortunately not cased. Love the quality and workmanship of these.

[kunsho]

Gratulation!

Matthias

...and what is actually reasonable ?

[Paul L Murphy]

Excellent thread. Just to add some comments .......

In Japan now anything below US$1,000 would be reasonable for an unboxed Sacred Treasure 2nd Class. You can find them cheaper in UK or US from time to time. For a boxed example it will depend on the period but a nice Meiji award could easily set you back US$2,000.

Regarding some of the earlier posts, the 6th class box shown in post 9 is a Showa era box. That shown in post 11, and the box in post 38, are Meiji/Taisho period boxes. Based on groups that I have had I think it correct to say the change of seal style was made in the late 1920's at about the same time as the change in reign.

On the subject of 7th class Rising Sun, you need to be aware that more recent post war 7th class orders are also only enamelled on the obverse, the reverse is silver.

Regards,

Paul

Edited September 12, 2006 by Paul L Murphy