A Meiji Golden Kite 7th Class With ナ (NA) Hallmark

[TracA]

Greetings,

 

This wonderful little hallmarked bird just came into my possession: a cased Golden Kite 7th Class with the ナ (NA) hallmark.

 

Using JapanX’s 6th and 7th Class Kite classification system right here on GMIC (see https://gmic.co.uk/topic/51228-classification-of-golden-kites-in-6th-and-7th-class/?_fromLogin=1) 

I believe that this can be classified as a Meiji Kite for the following reasons: (1) the third wingtip is the longest; (2) there are two apertures at the second tipping over of a harness (considering from below); (3) the distance between the fourth aperture of a harness (considering from below) and the first tipping over of a harness (considering from below) is short; (4) the top two apertures on the left side of the harness are a relatively short distance apart.

 

But which sub-variety of Meiji Kite is it? After studying the photos in JapanX’s classification thread, I believe it to be a Meiji 3.3 Kite.

 

Regarding the NA hallmark, per Medals of Asia these can currently be dated to the first quarter of the 20th Century and are presumably the mark of Namikawa Yasuyuki. See Medals of Asia at https://asiamedals.info/threads/mark-na-on-japanese-orders-and-medals-who-and-when.28707/.

 

Regarding the case: the inscription is in silver kanji and it is of the seven kanji variety, stylized of course: 功七級金鵄勲章 with 勲 (kun) in the typical Showa stylization. Per Medals of Asia the switch to silver kanji occurred in late 1938, and Nick Komiya on War Relics Forum postulates that the move from six to seven kanji for the inscription occurred sometime in 1932. So, I would expect to see the medal below in a six gold kanji case and therefore lean towards believing that the case with which the medal came was not the case of issue.

 

It is a beautiful Kite with a nicely faded ribbon. I hope that you enjoy.

 

All the best,

 

Tracy

 

Obverse. Note the four features described above:

 

 

Reverse:

 

 

 

The ナ (NA) hallmark:

 

 

 

The case lid: