Item number: M148

Year: AD 1919-2003

Material: Silver

Size: case 112.9 x 84.5 x 26.7 / order 37.0 x 37.0 x 2.8 mm

Weight: 19.6 g

Provenance: Private Collector, Japan, 2024

This medal is the Order of the Sacred Treasure, eighth class, established by Emperor Meiji of Japan in AD 1888. It is accompanied by a black lacquer case with embossed golden characters and a small circular medal pin. The ribbon of the medal is in the form of a bow, indicating that it is the version awarded to women.

The medal features an octagonal silver order. On the obverse side of the medal, each line of the octagonal star is adorned with spherical decorations, with a central octagonal silver star symbolising the Yata no Kagami mirror. The reverse side bears the Japanese characters “勳功旌章,” meaning the order of merit. The ribbon of the medal is light blue with thin yellow stripes on the left and right sides, adhering to the colour scheme of the previous ribbon, and is in the form of a bow, indicating it is the version awarded to women.

The Order of the Sacred Treasure is a Japanese decoration, ranking second only to the Order of the Rising Sun(the first national decoration conferred by the Japanese government in AD 1875). It is awarded by the Japanese government to individuals who have made outstanding contributions in various fields, including both civilian and military domains, as an honorary decoration.The establishment of the Order of the Sacred Treasure can be traced back to the Meiji era in Japan, initially instituted by Emperor Meiji in AD 1888.

The order is divided into different classes to recognise individuals’ outstanding achievements in the fields of arts, literature, science, labour, and others. Originally conferred exclusively upon men, it began to be awarded to women from the year AD 1919 onwards.

Originally comprising eight classes, the Order of the Sacred Treasure underwent a reform in AD 2003, resulting in the elimination of the lowest two classes, namely the Seventh Class and Eighth Class. Additionally, the status of this decoration was alined with the equivalent ranks of the Order of the Rising Sun.

The order features a synthesis of symbols representing the three imperial regalia of Japan, including: a Maltese cross formed by rays, symbolising the Kusanagi no Tsurugi(sword); a central blue disc featuring an octagonal silver star representing the Yata no Kagami (Eight-hand Mirror); and surrounding the centre, red enamel dots symbolizing the Magatama, a comma-shaped jewel.

The Order of the Sacred Treasure, Seventh Class, and Eighth Class markedly differ in design from those of the First to Sixth Classes, opting for a simplified representation with symbols of the Eight-hand Mirror, Yata no Kagami, and the jewel Magatama, while omitting the symbolic representation of a grass-cutting sword. The shown order can be identified as Eighth Class based on its appearance and material. It is worth noting that the font on the cover of this medal’s case is in small-seal script.

Before the reform in AD 2003, there were distinctions in the shapes of the collars for men and women. The lower end of the Grand Cordon for men featured a circular knot, while women used a butterfly knot. For the Collar, men adopted an inverted triangular shape, while women used a butterfly knot. After the reform, the lower end of the Grand Cordon uniformly adopts a circular knot, and the Collar employs an inverted triangular shape.

The upper connexion between the main body of the order and the ribbon is adorned with the stylised floral motif of paulownia leaves, which serves as a decorative element (absent before the reform).

物件編號: M148

年代: 公元 1919-2003 年

材質: 銀

尺寸: 盒 112.9 x 84.5 x 26.7 / 勳章 37.0 x 37.0 x 2.8 mm

重量: 19.6 g

來源: 日本私人收藏 2024

此勳章為日本於公元1888年由明治天皇制訂的勳八等瑞寶章，附有燙金字的黑色漆盒，與圓形的獎章領扣，勳章的綬帶為授予女性的蝴蝶結版本。 

勳章的外型為八角銀質勳章。在勳章的正面 ，八角星的每條線之間都有圓球裝飾， 中央為象徵八咫鏡的八角銀星。背面則刻有”勳功旌章“的日本漢字，為功績勳章的意思。勳章的綬帶為淡藍底，左右有黃色細線(為舊制的綬帶顏色)，且為女性版本的蝴蝶結。

瑞寶章是日本的一種勳章，地位僅次於旭日章(公元1875年日本政府授予的第一個國家勳章)，是由日本政府頒發給在各個領域(包含民事和軍事)有傑出貢獻的個人的榮譽勳章。瑞寶章的設立可以追溯到日本明治時代，最初於公元1888年由明治天皇制定。這個勳章分為不同等級，以表彰個人在藝術、文學、科學、勞動等領域的卓越成就。此勳章原先只頒授給男性，於公元1919年起開始向女性開放。

瑞寶章最初分為八等，經過公元2003年的改革後，最末的勳七等和勳八等已被廢除，且此勳章的地位也被授予與旭日勳章相同的等級。  

整個勳章的外型由日本的皇室三大寶物的象徵集結而成，包含:由光芒組成的馬爾他十字代表草薙劍、中央藍色圓盤上有一顆代表八咫鏡的八角銀星、以及圍繞中心的紅色琺瑯圓點，象徵八尺瓊勾玉(寶玉)。 

勳七等和勳八等的瑞寶章則與勳一等到勳六等的勳章設計大不相同，只以較簡易的外型象徵鏡子和寶玉，省略了草薙劍的象徵。從外型與材質可得知此枚為勳八等的瑞寶章。值得注意的是，此枚勳章的收藏盒封面字體為小篆。

舊制男女綬的形狀有差異，大綬的下端男性使用圓形結，女性使用蝴蝶結，襟綬男性為倒三角形，女性為蝴蝶結。新制大綬下端一律使用圓結，襟綬使用倒三角形。 

勳章本體上方與緞帶連接處使用桐花的花葉造型作為裝飾（舊制下沒有此裝飾）。