Supporter Member's Badge of the Navy League/海軍協會 維持會員章

Early badges.

Base metal.

Hot enamel of nice quality.

Reverse

海軍協會 - Navy League

Note the form of the hook that is typical for the badges manufactured by Taishodo workshop https://asiamedals.info/threads/badges-and-other-products-of-taishodo-watch-shop-tokyo.15302/

Original case.

海軍協會 - Navy League

維持會員章 - Supporter Member's Badge

Two main manufacturers of these badges were Taishodo workshop https://asiamedals.info/threads/badges-and-other-products-of-taishodo-watch-shop-tokyo.15302/

and Akiba workshop https://asiamedals.info/threads/badges-and-watch-fobs-made-by-akiba-medals-tokyo-akiba.21820/

 

Due to another naive mistake in catalogue of Murphy and Ackley

this badge became known (among English-speaking collectors) as special member's badge.

How could this happen when 維持 translates as "support; maintain; uphold"?

Well, most likely these two authors weren't able to read the first kanji 維 in the name of the badge

due to its seal scipt form.

 

Typical Taishodo-made badge.

Case.

 

"Safety pin" variation.

Cased specimen.

 

Late war badges.

Paint instead of hot enamel and aluminium alloy (plastic and even resin) instead of base metal.

Badge made by Akiba workshop.

Original case.

 

Cased set manufactured by Akiba workshop (note that the lid has silver kanji)

Stamped inside

アキバ謹製 - Made by Akiba

 

Variation.