c. 1910 Japanese post card

Bunkerhill

Sempai

17 Aug 2016

133

34

• 7 Dec 2021

• #1

I recently added a really nice item to my Japanese postcard collection. It depicts two Japanese girls playing a card game and in the top left is either a title or a signature. Would someone be able to help me decipher this writing?

If anyone has interest in this form of Japanese art I highly recommend the book ' Art of the Japanese Postcard, the Leonard A. Lauder Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston '

 

Attachments

• 
  Japan forum.webp

  78.8 KB · Views: 167
• 
  Japan forum title.webp

  130.5 KB · Views: 184

Bunkerhill

Sempai

17 Aug 2016

133

34

• 7 Dec 2021

• Thread starter
• #2

Somehow managed to post this as a ' sticky thread ' which was unintentional. I've no idea how that happened but I do apologize.

 

Majestic

先輩

Ten-year veteran

12 Oct 2013

4,071

5,023

• 7 Dec 2021

• #3

I think it might just be sticky for you only. It shows up as a regular thread for me.
As for the writing, it's not the artist's name, but I can't make out the first character. The second is 戦 (battle).

 

Bunkerhill

Sempai

17 Aug 2016

133

34

• 7 Dec 2021

• Thread starter
• #4

Understood, Majestic.

I have scanned the first character much larger and have uploaded.

 

Attachments

• 
  Detail no.1.webp

  149 KB · Views: 138

mdchachi

Moderator

Moderator

Twenty-year veteran

6 Mar 2003

9,317

9,444

• 7 Dec 2021

• #5

栄戦 maybe?

 

Bunkerhill

Sempai

17 Aug 2016

133

34

• 7 Dec 2021

• Thread starter
• #6

I wonder if they are playing a card game called ' War '. With the translation of the word ' battle ' maybe this was close to the name as it was called in Europe. It is an old game with many variations dating back to the 19th century.

 

Majestic

先輩

Ten-year veteran

12 Oct 2013

4,071

5,023

• 7 Dec 2021

• #7

The card game is karuta, a game often played around the new year holiday. I'm guessing the text says "close battle" or "fierce battle" or something similar.

Uta-garuta - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

Bunkerhill

Sempai

17 Aug 2016

133

34

• 7 Dec 2021

• Thread starter
• #8

That's terrific, my friend - thank you so much!

 

Grandpa Frank

Sempai

Admin

Twenty-year veteran

21 May 2003

14,310

4,404

• 7 Dec 2021

• #9

I never did understand why my Japanese friends would yell & scream & throw the cards down while playing Hanafuda. The ferocity with which they played made me wonder if they played for money or were just drunk.