Post-2003 Reform Orders of the Sacred Treasure

[TracA]

Hello Akira,

As always, thank you for the clarification and additional information. I am most appreciative. I will of course add this to my documentation.

All the best,

Tracy

[TracA]

My third installment on this thread: The Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Rosette. Formally the 4th class in the pre-reform orders.

The triangular ribbon shape on my example is approximately 45 mm at its widest part by 42 mm long. The ribbon color looks like cornflower blue, but per Akira Komiya’s information in post #10 above “...the ribbon was specified as having a woven base in indigo.” 3 mm from each ribbon edge is a 4 mm orangish yellow stripe (also see Akira Komiya’s post #10 above). Affixed to the front of the ribbon is a 22 mm rosette of ribbon color with 10 pleats radiating out from the center, a circular gold stripe around the center, and another circular gold stripe 1 mm from the outer edge. I assume that the stripes on the rosette were also specified to by orangish yellow.

The central design is per the pre-reform medal: the rays are enameled white, the paste jewels and their connecting lines are red (red glass?), and the mirror is polished silver on a dark blue (indigo) enameled background. All other medal surfaces are gilt; nothing is silver in
color. Like the pre-reform medal, the width of the new medal is approximately 46 mm from ray tip to ray tip. Since the post-reform medal has a new suspension the length is now approximately 67 mm from the top of the 12h paulownia flower to the tip of either of the longest bottom two rays. The new suspension appears to be the same one used on the post-reform Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette and up, the only difference being the color of the enamel on the obverse leaves and flower stems. On the OST Gold Rays with Rosette the three paulownia leaves and flower stems are enameled white and the leaves have gilt veins. The flowers are in a 5, 7, 5 configuration and are enameled light purple. The gilt colored medal fills in the spaces between the leaves and the stems. The piece on the suspension through which is threaded the metal ring attaching the ribbon is shaped like a puck.

The entire reverse is gilt with a sandblasted looking finish. At approximately the midway point of the 3h and 9h arms is a phillips head screw, fasteners for the two piece construction. Like the pre-reform pieces, the four “order of merit” characters are arranged in a square in the center of the badge. Their recesses are, of course, gilt. The reverse of the leaves and flowers suspension device is flat and featureless; there is no detailed representation of the flowers and stems. My example has the hallmark BZ stamped on the bottom leaf at 6h. As of May 26, 2024 this hallmark is not listed on the Medals of Asia website at
Two-letter and letter-digit Marks on Japanese Orders and Medals | Medals of Asia.

The case is lacquered black and I assume that it is made of wood. Given that the case for the Silver Rays is made of wood I would find it odd if the case for a higher award were not made of the same material. The dimensions of the case are as follows: approximately 65 mm wide by 130 mm long by 30 mm high. The top and bottom are joined by a silver colored hinge at the back, fully visible when the lid is open, and the hinge is secured to the top and bottom of the case by three phillips head screws on each side. The lid is secured shut by a pin-and-hole silver clasp with a circle-next-to-circle design bordered by a smooth edge (see above OST Silver Rays for a picture). The inside top is of a purple colored satin like material, and the medalbed, recessed in the outline of the medal, is a purple colored velvet like material.

My example did not come with a button lapel rosette. However, zooming in on the picture of this order on the Wikipedia OST page it appears that the rosette is the same color as the ribbon, has eight “pleats” emanating from the center, and two circular gold stripes on the pleats: one around the center and one probably about 1 mm from the edge.

Enjoy.

Tracy

Obverse:



Reverse (BZ hallmark is stamped on the bottom leaf at 6h):



Lacquered case lid with the script 瑞寶小綬章, Order of the Sacred Treasure Gold Rays with Rosette (or Order of the Sacred Treasure, Small Ribbon?):

[TracA]

My final installment on this thread, for now, although I don’t think that I will obtain the highest two Post-2003 Reform OSTs anytime soon: The Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon. Formally the 3rd class in the pre-reform orders.

The cravat is approximately 35 mm wide with a 4 mm gold stripe that is 3 mm from each ribbon edge. Per Akira Komiya’s information in post #10 above “...the ribbon was specified as having a woven base in indigo” and the stripe specified to be orangish yellow. The fastener has not changed.

The central design is per the pre-reform medal: rays are enameled white, paste jewels and their connecting lines are red (red glass?), and the mirror is polished silver on a dark blue (indigo) enameled background. All other medal surfaces are gilt; nothing is silver in color. The width of the medal is approximately 55 mm and given the new suspension the length is now approximately 78 mm from the top of the 12h paulownia flower to the tip of either of the longest bottom two rays. The new suspension appears to be the same one used on the post-reform Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette and up, the only difference being the color of the enamel on the obverse leaves and flower stems. On the OST Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon the three paulownia leaves and flower stems are enameled white and the leaf veins are gilt. The configuration of the flowers is a 5, 7, 5 pattern and they are enameled light purple. The gilt colored medal fills in the spaces between the leaves and the stems.

The entire reverse is gilt with a sandblasted looking finish. At approximately the midway point on the 3h and 9h arms is a phillips head screw, fasteners for the two piece construction. Like the pre-reform pieces, the four “order of merit” characters are arranged in a square in the center of the badge and their recesses are gilt. The reverse of the leaves and flowers suspension device is flat and featureless; there is no detailed representation of the flowers and stems. My example has the hallmark E6 stamped on the bottom leaf at 6h.

The case is lacquered black and constructed of wood. The approximate dimensions of the case are: 85 mm wide by 135 mm long by 37 mm high. The top and bottom are joined by a silver colored hinge at the back, fully visible when the lid is open. The hinge is fastened to the top and bottom of the case by three phillips head screws on each side. The lid is secured shut by a pin-and-hole silver clasp with a pebbly design bordered by a smooth edge, and the hinge plate for the clasp is of the same design. The inside top of the case is of a purple colored satin like material, and the medalbed, recessed in the outline of the medal, is a purple colored velvet like material. The medalbed is hinged and lifts upwards for cravat storage.

The button lapel rosette is the color of the cravat. It has wings and eight pleats emanating from the center and a single orangish yellow circular stripe approximately halfway between the center and the edge of the rosette. There is a rectangular base of 10 textured rows also colored orangish yellow.

I hope that you have enjoyed this little series.

Tracy

Obverse with the cravat and the rosette:



Reverse (an E6 hallmark is stamped on the bottom leaf at 6h):



Close-up of the rosette:



Lacquered case lid with the script 瑞寶中綬章, Order of the Sacred Treasure Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon:



Detail of the lid clasp:

[Alan M]

A very interesting and thorough thread on these beautiful awards .

[TracA]

Thank you, Al, much appreciated.

Tracy