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Colorful Flag

Boongie

Kouhai
11 Feb 2020
82
3
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Hello. I am posting some pictures of a flag that I found. While I do not believe that it is a Good Luck flag, it is certainly colorful. It was described to me as a regimental flag, but I do not believe that is correct. I have not seen a flag similar to this one in the past. Any feedback as to what it is and when it might have been manufactured? Also, any assistance on a translation of the characters shown?
Thank you.
 

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Hello again,
The tassel should be in the lower right corner, and the words should be on the bottom of the flag. The circular medallion should be in the top right corner. The writing says;
茨城懸多賀郡黒前村立高原青年訓練所
Ibaraki-ken, Taga-gun, Kurosaki sonritsu Takahara Seinen Kunren-jo

Ibaraki Prefecture, Taga County, Kurosaki Village, Takahara Military Academy

A much more interesting item than your last one - for me anyway. This looks like a real antique.
 
Hello again,
The tassel should be in the lower right corner, and the words should be on the bottom of the flag. The circular medallion should be in the top right corner. The writing says;
茨城懸多賀郡黒前村立高原青年訓練所
Ibaraki-ken, Taga-gun, Kurosaki sonritsu Takahara Seinen Kunren-jo

Ibaraki Prefecture, Taga County, Kurosaki Village, Takahara Military Academy

A much more interesting item than your last one - for me anyway. This looks like a real antique.
Thank you Majestic. I have attached a picture of the flag rotated to the way you suggest...is this now the correct orientation?

Also, I have done some checking on the translation that you kindly provided. I easily found Ibaraki Prefecture but could not find any reference for Taga County. I did find Kurosaki Village. It appears to have been merged with Niigata in 2001. However, Niigata is located in Niigata Prefecture. I could not find any reference for Takahara Military Academy. Would you know why these various locations are mentioned in the flag? And did Taga County and Takahara Military Academy exist at one time in Japan?

And you mention that this flag looks like an antique. Does it likely date to WWII or some time prior to that period?

Again my thanks to you. I had never seen a flag like this one and am concerned that it was recently manufactured. If I purchase it I want to try to make sure that I have spent my money wisely.
 

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Kurosaki was a small village in Ibaraki prefecture. It got merged into what is now Juou-chō (Juou town) in Ibaraki, so that specific village name doesn't exist anymore.

Takahara still exists as a neighborhood name in that area. I can't tell you when the flag was made, but these military academies existed from the mid 1920s up until the end of the war, I guess. If so, it means this flag is from that era. I have no reason to think it is a fake, but its very hard to tell nowadays.

Edit: Yes the flag is now oriented the right way in your post above (#3)
 
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I would be inclined to think it's real. If somebody were to create a fake, would they use an obscure location of a place in the middle of nowhere like this? And the fact the village no longer exists makes sense. And that you don't see more of them makes sense too. It was a small rural school and there wouldn't have been a need to make many flags like this.
 
I would be inclined to think it's real. If somebody were to create a fake, would they use an obscure location of a place in the middle of nowhere like this? And the fact the village no longer exists makes sense. And that you don't see more of them makes sense too. It was a small rural school and there wouldn't have been a need to make many flags like this.
Thank you for your observation. I had not thought of it and it does make sense. I would like to learn more about this military academy. Was it for certain ages of future soldiers? Did any known officers attend this academy? My limited searching has not produced any information.
 
Thank you for your observation. I had not thought of it and it does make sense. I would like to learn more about this military academy. Was it for certain ages of future soldiers? Did any known officers attend this academy? My limited searching has not produced any information.
I did a couple searches in Japanese but didn't find anything about this school. I'll try again later.
 
青年訓練所 existed between 1926 and 1935.

1926年(大正15年)、勅令青年訓練所令によって設置された。
1935年(昭和10年)に、実業補習学校と統合する形で、青年学校へと発展的に解消した。


It's not an officer academy, but a training school for common soldiers, for from 16 to 20 years old boys.

The text in the circle is 青訓, i.e., an abbreviation of 青年訓練所, which was really used in the era. I, too, bet that it's authentic.
 
青年訓練所 existed between 1926 and 1935.

1926年(大正15年)、勅令青年訓練所令によって設置された。
1935年(昭和10年)に、実業補習学校と統合する形で、青年学校へと発展的に解消した。


It's not an officer academy, but a training school for common soldiers, for from 16 to 20 years old boys.

The text in the circle is 青訓, i.e., an abbreviation of 青年訓練所, which was really used in the era. I, too, bet that it's authentic.
Thank you for the information. So then this flag was likely manufactured during the time period that you mention, between 1926 and 1935? Is it considered rare and valuable?
 
It's as valuable as a, say, banner from a regional track meet in Bentonville, Arkansas, c. 1930.

That is to say, it will have a value for people who like that kind of Americana. For this flag, it will have an appeal to people who like militaria (although I would say this is on the fringe of militaria). To most people in Japan, its just an old school flag.

Edit: it looks to be in good condition, so that is a bonus. The "rising sun" theme has a certain wartime nostalgia, which is a positive thing for collectors, but a negative thing for others. In general, WW2 militaria appeals to a niche group of people.
 
It's as valuable as a, say, banner from a regional track meet in Bentonville, Arkansas, c. 1930.

That is to say, it will have a value for people who like that kind of Americana. For this flag, it will have an appeal to people who like militaria (although I would say this is on the fringe of militaria). To most people in Japan, its just an old school flag.

Edit: it looks to be in good condition, so that is a bonus. The "rising sun" theme has a certain wartime nostalgia, which is a positive thing for collectors, but a negative thing for others. In general, WW2 militaria appeals to a niche group of people.
The good condition, fringe, and colors got my attention. It would have been more appeal to me if it had a true military association. It is being auctioned off this weekend and the current bid amount is probably more than I am willing to spend, considering the feedback that I have been kindly given on this forum.
 
If you tell people it's a regimental flag it may have more value.
A strange coincidence that you say that. It is being auctioned off this weekend. The auction house is describing it as a regimental flag. The current bid is probably more that I am willing to pay for it.
 
A strange coincidence that you say that. It is being auctioned off this weekend. The auction house is describing it as a regimental flag. The current bid is probably more that I am willing to pay for it.
It's not a coincidence, I was only repeating what you said in the first post.
I was joking but one way to increase the value is to misrepresent what it is. :)

Just curious, what happens in such a case? Assuming the auction house is reputable, do they have any responsibility for such misrepresentations? Or is it buyer beware?
 
It's not a coincidence, I was only repeating what you said in the first post.
I was joking but one way to increase the value is to misrepresent what it is. :)

Just curious, what happens in such a case? Assuming the auction house is reputable, do they have any responsibility for such misrepresentations? Or is it buyer beware?
Oops...I had forgotten that I mentioned that the flag is listed as being "regimental". The terms and conditions of this auction house state that items are sold "as is" and that they do not guarantee the the correctness of the description. So buyer beware.
 
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