Army Maneuvers Badges with "Chrysanthemum/Mum" Design

Very popular design during first half of the 1930s.
Five basic variations of obverse design are known for today.

Two variations with kanji 皇軍 /Kōgun = Imperial Army/

and three variation with kanji 皇國 /Kōkoku = (archaic or poetic) Japanese Empire, compound of Middle Chinese-derived elements 皇 (kō, “ruler, monarch → emperor → Japan”) +‎ 國 (koku, “country”)/ in the center of obverse.

Obvious influence of Army War College badges https://asiamedals.info/threads/early-army-war-college-graduation-badges.23340/

Only two kanji and floral elements were added.

 

Badges from 1932.

Watch fob of 2th Infantry Regiment.

Obverse

陸軍特別大演習 - Army Special Large Maneuvers

reverse

参加記念 - Participation Commemorative

In the center

輝 - Shine; Bright; Glorious


東軍 - East Army
第四師団 - 4th Division
第五師団 - 5th Division


北軍 - North Army
第三師団 - 3rd Division
第十六師団 - 16th Division


昭和七年秋 - Autumn 1932

Collar tabs stamped with 歩 2 = 2nd Infantry Regiment


Watch fob of 20th Infantry Regiment.

Obverse

陸軍特別大演習 - Army Special Large Maneuvers

reverse

参加記念 - Participation Commemorative

In the center

輝 - Shine; Bright; Glorious


東軍 - East Army
第四師団 - 4th Division
第五師団 - 5th Division


北軍 - North Army
第三師団 - 3rd Division
第十六師団 - 16th Division


昭和七年秋 - Autumn 1932

Collar tabs stamped with 歩 20 = 21th Infantry Regiment

 

Badge of same design but stamped with different infantry regiment number.

Width 24 mm.
Thickness 3 mm.
Weight 14.22 g.

Collar tabs stamped with 歩 21 = 21th Infantry Regiment

Another example.

 

11th Infantry Regiment.

Collar tabs stamped with 歩 11 = 11th Infantry Regiment

 

41th infantry regiment watch fob.

Collar tabs stamped with 歩 41 = 41th Infantry Regiment

 

9th infantry regiment.

Size 24 x 38 mm.

Collar tabs stamped with 歩 9= 9th Infantry Regiment

Additional examples.

 

Very interesting variation of the 1932 watch fob.

Collar tabs double stamped with 70 (looks like somebody simply forgot about 歩 for Infantry Regiment)

 

Badges from 1933.

Reverse

第十六師団 - 16th Division

秋季演習記念- Autumn Maneuvers Commemorative

昭和八年度 - 1933

 

Same year, same maneuvers.
New variation of design.

Reverse

陸軍特別大演習 - Army Special
大演習参加記念章 - Large Maneuvers Participation Commemorative Badge

第九師団 - 9th Division
第十一師団 - 11th Division

In the center

輝 - Shine; Bright; Glorious

昭和八年秋 - Autumn of 1933

Collar tabs stamped with 歩36 = 36th Infantry Regiment

 

Badges from 1934.

1st variant of design /army version/.

Two variations are known: with three imperial guards divisions on reverse (第一師團 - 1st Division第二師團 - 2nd Division and 第十四師團 - 14th Division) and with four divisions (第一師團 - 1st Division, 第二師團 - 2nd Division, 第三師團 - 3rd Division and 第十四師團 - 14th Division).

Full set with rarely survived suspension.

陸軍特別大演習 - Army Special Large Maneuvers

参加記念 - Participation Commemorative

Obverse

大元師陛下御統監 - Under Supervision of His Majesty Grand Marshal of the Japanese Empire (i.e. Emperor Hirohito)

reverse ("three divisions" variation)

陸軍 - Army

特別大演習 - Special Large Maneuvers

参加記念章 - Participation Commemorative Badge

近衛師團 - Imperial Guard Divisions
第一師團 - 1st Division
第二師團 - 2nd Division
第十四師團 - 14th Division

Collar tabs stamped with 歩 49 = 49th Infantry Regiment

昭和九年秋 - Autumn 1934

 

Collar tabs stamped with 歩15 =15th Infantry Regiment

 

Collar tabs stamped with 歩16 = 16th Infantry Regiment

Original case.

 

"Four divisions" variation of the badge.

Reverse

陸軍 - Army

特別大演習 - Special Large Maneuvers

参加記念章 - Participation Commemorative Badge

近衛師團 - Imperial Guard Divisions
第一師團 - 1st Division
第二師團 - 2nd Division
第三師團 - 3rd Division
第十四師團 - 14th Division

Collar tabs stamped with 野1 = 1st Field artillery Regiment.

 

Collar tabs stamped with 騎18 = 18th Cavalry Regiment.

Original case.

 

Another cased example with stamped 騎18 but this time it is "four divisions" variation.

Reverse

陸軍 - Army

特別大演習 - Special Large Maneuvers

参加記念章 - Participation Commemorative Badge

近衛師團 - Imperial Guard Divisions
第一師團 - 1st Division
第二師團 - 2nd Division
第三師團 - 3rd Division
第十四師團 - 14th Division

Label of 岩崎軍製店 - Iwasaki Military Store, Tokyo Utsunomiya

"Four divisions" variation stamped 歩30 = 30th Infantry Regiment

2nd variant of design /Toyohashi army training school version/.

Obverse

大元師陛下御統監 - Under Supervision of His Majesty Grand Marshal of the Japanese Empire (i.e. Emperor Hirohito)

reverse

陸軍 - Army

特別大演習 - Special Large Maneuvers

参加記念章 - Participation Commemorative Badge

豊橋教導學校 - Toyohashi [Army] Training School

昭和九年度 - 1934

 

Badges from 1935.

1st variant of design.

Reverse

朝鮮軍 - Korean Army

師団対抗 - Divisional Two Side Maneuvers (i.e. one division against the other division)

特別演習 - Special Maneuvers

参加章 - Participation Badge

Collar tabs stamped with 歩兵80 - 80th Infantry Regiment

皇紀弐五九五年 - 1935

非常時 - In an Emergency [time of emergency]

Original case.

A lucky break in quest of manufacturer identification.
Inside the case was found original paper wrapper.

These badges were made by Tokyo workshop Gyokuhō/東京玉寶堂/.

Badges and watch fobs made by Gyokuhōdō workshop/東京玉宝堂

Famous Tokyo jewellery workshop that was actively involved in badge manufacturing during late 1890s - early 1930s. Two variants of the workshop name inscriptions are known. Old style 東京 玉寶堂 謹製 - Tokyo Made by Gyokuhōdō /Gyokuhō - jewel, precious stone, gem; Dō - Shop/. New style 東京 玉宝堂 謹製...

asiamedals.info

 

Reverse

朝鮮軍 - Korean Army

師団対抗 - Divisional Two Side Maneuvers (i.e. one division against the other division)

特別演習 - Special Maneuvers

参加章 - Participation Badge

Collar tabs stamped with 歩兵78 - 78th Infantry Regiment

皇紀弐五九五年 - 1935

非常時 - In an Emergency [time of emergency]

Original case.

 

Collar tabs stamped with 歩兵79 - 79th Infantry Regiment

Variation. 歩兵79 made by different punches.

 

Collar tabs stamped with 歩兵80 - 80th Infantry Regiment.

 

Size 35 x 28 mm.

Collar tabs stamped with 歩兵74 - 74th Infantry Regiment.

Case.

Stamped with personal seal.

Another example of 74th Infantry Regiment watch fob.