Scarce WWII Japan Puppet State Manchukuo Order of the Auspicious Clouds 4th-6th Class

This is a scarce World War II Manchukuo Order of the Auspicious (or Prosperous) Clouds, 4th-6th Class. Manchukuo (Manchuria) was a puppet state created by Japan in northern China: it existed from 1932 until Japan's defeat in 194The Order of the Auspicious Clouds was created to parallel the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun in terms of merit. The medal's design shows rays extending form a yellow center ringed in red, and hangs from a smaller Imperial orchid medallion above. There is a small cloud in between each of the four clusters of rays, lending a classical Chinese feel to the medal. The medal is either a 6th Class, which is enameled silver, or a heavily tarnished example of a 4th or 5th Class (gold-plated silver). It does not come with a ribbon.

Circa World War II.

Approximately 3-3/4" in height (including ring) and 1-13/16" in width.

Silver (or tarnished gold-plated silver), enamel.

Suspension ring.

Characters on reverse translate to "Order of Merit Decoration".

This is from a WWII Japanese medal collection which we will be listing more of over the next few months. VAAJX14 LDEJX2/14 SCBDX4/16

7 (Very Fine): The medal has a small crack at its center.

As with all my artifacts, this piece is guaranteed to be original, as described.