| Imperial Japan Medals and Badges |
| Order of the Golden Kite: 6th & 7th Classes |
The 7th class is silver with a gold plated kite on the obverse. The best
examples have a clear gold patina on the entire bird, including its tail
feathers. One thing to be aware of is that as the silver of the 7th class is
tarnished, it takes on a goldish color.
So since the 6th loses its gold and becomes silver and the 7th becomes
tarnished and sometimes appears gold, it is easy to confuse the two without
close examination.
See a 6th Class Award document HERE.
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Partially faded 6th Class medals
A really nice, mostly unfaded 6th Class. Note that the
sword hilts are the only parts that are not gold-plated
sword hilts are the only parts that are not gold-plated
Button rosette
6th Class cases. Note the differences in the kanji, especially the number 6. The case to the left is probably an earlier issue.
7th Class case
Bow rosette
The third feather from the top is the longest,
which dates this piece to the early Meiji era.
which dates this piece to the early Meiji era.
The second feather from the top is the longest,
and the wing appears to droop, so this piece
probably dates to the late Meiji /Taisho era.
and the wing appears to droop, so this piece
probably dates to the late Meiji /Taisho era.
1940 award document
