J009158 CASED ORDER OF THE SACRED TREASURE, 3RD CLASS. The Order of the Sacred Treasure ("Zuihosho"), established in January of 1888, was awarded to either military or civilian personnel for long and distinguished service. It came in eight classes, of which only the lowest two could be given to enlisted personnel. It is the lowest ranked of the three main Japanese Orders. The gold plated silver medal is roughly in the form of a cross, with each arm comprised of five, white enameled rays, whose eight longest points are 2 3/16" from one another. To the center of the cross is a raised, silver "mirror" against a dark blue enameled background, encircled by a raised, golden ring with a 11/16" outside diameter and beading along its inside. Immediately beyond the ring are eight red paste jewels, with eight slightly smaller red jewels between each of them, all connected by red lines, forming a stylized necklace. These are the "sacred treasures" from which the award takes its name: the "Yata" mirror, representing purity and wisdom, and the "Yasakani" jewels, which represent benevolence, obedience and affection. To the reverse, a small rivet may be seen to each arm, and stamped to the center are the four kanji characters for "Order of Merit Decoration." It would appear that all of the enamel work and plating has been retained. A ring is to the top of the uppermost arm of the cross, through which passes the ribbon’s suspension loop. Fed unto the 1 1/8" tall loop is a 1 7/16" wide and approximately 19" long, watered silk neck ribbon, in light grey (establishing it as an older award as later examples are in light blue), with a 3/16" wide pink-colored stripe 1/8" in from either edge. Usually, these awards have stripes in shades of either yellow or orange. One end of the ribbon is wrapped and sewn around a gold colored alloy sliding length adjustment buckle, the ribbon folding back upon itself and then passing through it, with an alloy push tab fed through the formed loop. The tab mates with a similarly colored alloy receiver which the other end of the ribbon is wrapped and sewn around. The ribbon is lightly age soiled, with darker colorations near either end, and it is lightly frayed along its edges near the suspension loop to its center. The medal and ribbon are nested into corresponding depressions to the purple silk and velvet covered interior base of its original presentation case, whose interior lid is also lined in padded, purple silk. Very light age and usage soiling is evident. The exterior of the 3 1/8" x 4 1/4" x 1 5/16", black lacquered wooden case has a column of gold painted kanji characters to its cover, the second down being that for the number "3." A pebbled, hinged alloy closure device and corresponding stud is to its forward edge, and a wide alloy hinge is along its rear edge. The exterior of the case exhibits very light surface scratching, and has a subtle, but noticeable, crack to its base.

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