Footnotes

• The Imperial Order of the Rising Sun (2nd Class, the highest honour permitted to non-Japanese nationals) was presented by Emperor Hirohito in 1927 in recognition of Mr John Rae's personal efforts as General Manager of The Westminster Bank instigating and securing international banking cooperation to raise reconstruction loans following the Great Kanto earthquake of 1923.
  
  Continuing valuable financial support by Westminster Bank rendered to Japan led to a further award to Mr Rae of these three Gold Cups. It is recorded that no one individual could receive a second Imperial Order and that the Golden Cups were a fitting substitute to once again honour Mr Rae.
  
  Records of Westminster Bank, now part of The Royal Bank Of Scotland Group, confirm that a single Golden Dish identical to the examples here was gifted in thanks for their leading role in the reconstruction campaign.
  
  Accompanying this lot is an archive of letters and documents relating to the gifts including; the original certificate of award of the insignia of the Imperial Order of The Rising Sun bearing the Seal of the Empire of Japan, The licence to wear the insignia granted by George V, letters of application for the same, two photographs of Tsushima Juichi, Japanese Overseas Financial Commissioner and other related ephemera.