Item number: M101

Year: AD 1929

Size: Case 77.54 x 47.77 x 19.39 / Medal 34.66 x 22.65 mm

Weight: Case 11.63 / Medal 7.88 g

Manufactured by: Tokyo, Imperial Medal Company

Provenance: Quan Jian Zhai 2022

This item is the “Regular Member Badge” issued by the “The Dainippon Silk Foundation” in AD 1929 (Showa 3). The badge has two grades: “Regular Member” and “Special Member.” The badge features a mulberry leaf, and on the obverse, the veins of leaf can be clearly observed. In the centre is a half-length portrait of “Kinugasa Daimyojin,” the tutelary of the silk industry in Japan, depicted wearing traditional attire from Japanese legendary times.

The reverse of the badge is inscribed with the Kanji characters “Regular Member Badge of the Dainippon Silk Foundation”. The Dainippon Silk Foundation was established in AD 1905 (Meiji 38), with Prince Fushimi Sadanaru of the Japanese imperial family serving as the first president. Its purpose is to promote the development of sericulture in Japan and engage in educational outreach, these missions continue to the present day. The suspension at the top of the badge features an obverse resembling a hemp rope, and on the reverse, there is a pin used to secure the badge.

The inside of the case lid bears information about the badge manufacturer, “Imperial Medal Company,” with the address “Kojimachi, Iidabashi, Third Street, No.10.” Additionally, the name of the supervisor, “Suzuki Umekichi,” is also indicated. In AD 1885 (Meiji 18), Suzuki Umekichi established the Imperial Medal Company at the mentioned location, marking the beginning of the Japanese badge industry. Especially during the late Meiji era and early Taisho era, the Imperial Medal Company became a leading factory in domestic badge manufacturing. Many of the badge manufacturers active in Japan today can trace their origins back to this company, making it a pioneer in the Japanese badge industry.

物件編號: M101

年代: 公元 1929 年

尺寸: 盒 77.54 x 47.77 x 19.39 / 徽章 34.66 x 22.65 mm

重量: 盒 11.63 / 徽章 7.88 g

製造地: 東京, 日本帝國徽章商會

來源: 泉鑒齋 2022

此物件為公元1929年(昭和3年)，大日本蠶絲協會發放的「大日本蠶絲協會通常會員章」，該徽章有「通常會員」和「特別會員」兩種等級。徽章外觀設計為一片桑葉，正面能清楚看到葉脈紋理的設計。坐落於中央的半身像人物，是穿著日本傳說時代衣飾的「絹笠大明神」，即日本的蠶桑業守護神。

徽章背面是以日文漢字書寫的「大日本蠶絲會 通常會員章」字樣。「大日本蠶絲會」成立於公元1905年(明治38年)，以日本皇族伏見宮貞愛親王為首任總裁，旨在促成日本養蠶業的發展和教育推廣且延續迄今。徽章上方的懸掛，其正面設計為一條麻繩，背面則是用來固定徽章的別針。

盒蓋內部貼有徽章製造商「日本帝國徽章商會」的資訊，標示地址「麴町區飯田町 三丁目十番地」外，還有監製者的名字「鈴木梅吉」。公元1885年(明治18年)，鈴木梅吉在上述地點創立日本帝國徽章商會，標示日本徽章產業的開端。特別是在明治末年和大正初期，日本帝國徽章商會還成為國內徽章製造工廠的龍頭。現今仍在日本活躍的徽章製造商也多半跟該公司有淵源，能夠稱得上是日本徽章產業的祖師爺。