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OSAKA MINT
Ribbon of the Order of the Chrysanthemum
c. 1911-8Silk | 10.6 cm (Width); 149.0 cm (Length) (whole object) | RCIN 442537
Emulating the courtly traditions of Europe, the Emperor Meiji (1852–1912) established a system of honours in the late nineteenth century. Japan’s highest decoration, the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum, was instituted in 1876. The collar is composed of chrysanthemum flowers and each gold link bears the letters ‘mei’ and ‘ji’ for Meiji, the imperial era.
