Japan, Empire. Three Red Cross Society Medals

Instituted in 1888. Men's Membership Medal (in silver, measuring 29.5 mm in diameter, on its original ribbon with hook and eye, in its balsa wood box of issue, gilt characters on the lid); Men's Special Membership Medal (in aluminum, measuring 30 mm in diameter, large rosette on its original ribbon with hook and eye); and Men's Life Membership Medal (in silver, measuring 29.5 mm in diameter, dark patina, light blue rosette on its original ribbon with hook and eye, the eye having separated from the ribbon). Contact marks, very fine.

Footnote: The forerunner of the Japanese Red Cross Society, the Hakuaisha (Philanthropic Society) was founded in 1877 by Court Tsunetami Sano, to help those who were wounded in the Satsuma Rebellion earlier that year. Japan signed the Geneva Convention in 1886 and in the following year, the Hakuaisha changed its name to the Japanese Red Cross Society (Nippon Sekijujisha). It was recognized as such by the International Committee on the Red Crosson September 2, 1887. The medal was established in 1888 and comes in five classes: Member, Special Member, Life Member, Golden Special Member and Honorary Member.