1921 Hirohito's Visit to Europe Commemorative Table Medals and Watch Fobs made by Japanese Mint/1921年造幣局製皇太子殿下東宮御渡歐記念章

Original advertising postcard that was commissioned by the main resellers of these Mint-made commemorative medals and watch fobs - Shobido workshop /尙美堂 寶飾店/ https://asiamedals.info/threads/mark-on-japanese-orders-who-and-when.25816/. Mint was the sole manufacturer of these medals and sold them wholesale to a different general stores.

1921 Hirohito's Visit to Europe Commemorative Medals postcard.jpg


According to the postcard official name of these commemorative memorabilias

皇太子殿下海外御巡遊記念章 - His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's Overseas Tour Commemorative Medal.

Table medal /made in bronze and silver/ official name is 第一種記念牌 - 1st Type Commemorative Medal/Plaque (we gonna call them table medals).
Watch fob /made in silver and gold/ official name is 第二種記念章 - 2nd Type Commemorative Medal/Badge (we gonna call them watch fobs).

The design of this medal was made by the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, the portrait was bestowed by the Imperial Household Ministry, and the ship's appearance was carefully engraved from a photograph provided by the Navy Ministry.

Diameter of table medals was set at 60.6 mm /第壱種記念牌 直径二寸サック付/.
Diameter of watch fobs was set at 24.4 mm /第弐種記念章 直径八分サック付/.

The price of the bronze table medal was set at 1 yen 20 sen in gold.
The price of the silver table medal was set at 8 yen 70 sen in gold.

The price of the silver watch fob was set at 80 sen in gold.
The price of the gold watch fob was set at 19 yen 50 sen in gold.


Note the numerous differences between the obverse of the medal shown in the advertising postcard and the obverse of the actual medal /and the same goes for the watch fob/. Also the postcard medal does not have the medalist's signature. Most likely, initially several versions of the medal were considered.​

postcard vs. actual medal.jpg



Bronze table medal.

Bronze.
Size 61 mm.
Thickness 5 mm.
Weight 98 g.

1921 Hirohito's Visit to Europe Commemorative Table Bronze Medal.jpg


Obverse

皇太子殿下海外御巡遊記念 - His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's Overseas Tour Commemorative

Obverse signed "S.Nakano". Most likely this is Nakano Sozan (中野双山; 1881-1940) who studied sculpture at Toyama Prefectural Technical School (now Toyama Prefectural Takaoka Technical High School) and Tokyo School of Fine Arts (now Tokyo University of the Arts).

Details.

1921  Hirohito's Visit to Europe Commemorative Table Bronze Medal.jpg


1921 Hirohito's  Visit to Europe Commemorative Table Bronze Medal.jpg


Reverse

大正十年三月三日 - March 1921

1921 Hirohito's Visit to Europe  Commemorative Table Bronze Medal.jpg


1921 Hirohito's Visit  to Europe Commemorative Table Bronze Medal.jpg


Marked on the rim 造幣局製 - made by Mint.

1921 Hirohito's Visit to Europe Commemorative Table Bronze  Medal.jpg


Original case.

皇太子殿下海外御巡遊 - His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's Overseas Tour

記念牌 - Commemorative Medal/Plaque

1921 Hirohito's Visit to Europe Commemorative Table  Bronze Medal.jpg
1921 Hirohito's Visit to Europe Commemorative  Table Bronze Medal.jpg
 
Bronze medal with an interesting reseller stamp inside "廣島 財満時計店 - Zaima Watch Store, Hiroshima".

廣島 財満時計店 - Zaima Watch Store, Hiroshima.jpg
廣島 財満時計店 Zaima Watch Store, Hiroshima.jpg
 
Silver table medal.

Silver.
Size 60.5 mm.
Weight 109.5 g.

1921 Hirohito's Visit to Europe Commemorative Table Silver Medal.jpg


1921 Hirohito's Visit to Europe  Commemorative Table Silver Medal.jpg


Marked on the rim with a silver fineness mark 950 and 造幣局製 - made by Mint.

1921 Hirohito's Visit  to Europe Commemorative Table Silver Medal.jpg


Original case /identical to the previous cases/.

1921  Hirohito's Visit to Europe Commemorative Table Silver Medal.jpg


1921 Hirohito's Visit to  Europe Commemorative Table Silver Medal.jpg
 
Silver watch fob.

Silver.
Size 24.4 mm.
Weight 8.9 g.

1921 Hirohito's Visit to Europe Commemorative Silver Watch Fob.jpg


1921  Hirohito's Visit to Europe Commemorative Silver Watch Fob.jpg

Marked on the rim with a silver fineness mark 950.

Mark 950.jpg


Original paper wrapper with a cardboard lodgment inside.

造幣局製 - Made by Mint

皇太子殿下海外御巡遊 - His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's Overseas Tour

記念章 - Commemorative Medal/Badge

1921 Hirohito's Visit to Europe Commemorative Silver Watch  Fob.jpg
 
Silver watch fob in deep patina and with paper wrapper of a different design and with a different inscription that was used by Shobido workshop.

1921年造幣局製皇太子殿下東宮御渡歐記念章.jpg
1921年 造幣局製皇太子殿下東宮御渡歐記念章.jpg


Mark.

950.jpg


東宮殿下 - His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince

御巡遊記念章 - Imperial Overseas Tour Commemorative Medal/Badge

造幣局製 - Made by Mint

1921年_造幣局製皇太子殿下東宮御渡歐記念章.jpg
Case.jpg


Shobido workshop also used "jewelry" type cases.

Shobido Case.jpg
 
Gold watch fob.

Gold.
Size 24.4 mm.
Weight 12.5 g.

1921 Hirohito's  Visit to Europe Commemorative Gold Watch Fob.jpg
1921 Hirohito's Visit to Europe Commemorative Gold Watch Fob.jpg


Marked on the rim with a gold fineness mark 900.

Mark.jpg
 
All variants together.

Silver and bronze table medals.

Table medals.jpg


Table_medals.jpg


Two silver and one gold watch fobs.

Watch_Fobs.jpg
Watch Fobs.jpg
 
  • Tags
    1921 crown prince hirohito's tour of europe medal 1921 hirohito's visit to europe table medal 1921 hirohito's visit to europe watch fob 1921年皇太子殿下東宮御渡歐記念章 1921年造幣局製皇太子殿下東宮御渡歐記念章 hirohito's visit to europe commemorative medal 皇太子殿下海外御巡遊記念章 第一種記念牌 第二種記念章 造幣局製 made by the mint
  • Top