Japan. A Patriotic Women's Association (Aikoku Fujinkai) Distinguished Service Badge In Case

Special Merit Badge; In silver with red, white, blue, orange, green, pink and yellow enamels, unmarked, 33.5 mm (w) x 47 mm (h) inclusive of its cherry blossom suspension, the medal suspended from a silver gilt bar with pinback, on its original bow-tied ribbon, intact enamels, extremely fine. Accompanied by a tied purple cord with silver gilt tassels at either end, in its hardshelled case of issue, balsa wood frame, black lacquer finish, gilt characters on the lid, recessed medal bed, light contact, case also extremely fine.

Footnote: The Patriotic Women's Association (Aikoku Fujinkai) is the oldest of the women's associations, having been founded on March 2, 1901 by Okumara Ioko. It was under the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Health and Welfare. By 1940, it had 6,500,000 members in Japan and overseas. Prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, there were association branches in Canada, the United States and Brazil, as well as in the various territories occupied by the Japanese armed forces. In February 1942, it merged with the Greater Japanese Women's Association for Protection of the Country and the Greater Japan Federation of Women's Associations into a new association which was called the Greater Japanese Women's Association. The Distinguished Service Badge (AKA Special Merit Badge) was the highest award of the Patriotic Women's Association (Aikoku Fujinkai). 

This offering is a part of the "Dr. Albert Goodwin Collection", a preeminent assemblage of world Orders, Medals, and Decorations composed solely by Dr.Goodwin between 1946-1967. Dr. Goodwin had a successful career as an educator and prominent physician in New York as well as actively serving in both World Wars with the United States Medical Corps. He acted as both President and Vice-President of the Orders and Medals Society of America (OMSA) and is responsible for organizing their first convention in 1960. He maintained further membership with the American Society of Military Collectors, the International Orders Research Society, and the American Numismatic Society. His knowledge and passion for history and awards is evident in this meticulously compiled collection that is now available in its entirety for the first time exclusively on eMedals.com.