Help Read Chop Mark Stamp

mds308 · 12 Nov 2020

Please help me read this stamp. The stamp is in a little wood box that appears to be covered in snake or lizard skin. The stamp measures 37mm. This was found with a 1933 Imperial Navy belt buckle. I don't know if they're related. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Toritoribe · 12 Nov 2020

原
Hara

A family name.

mds308 · 12 Nov 2020

Thank you. Would this be something that all families had and used or were these used in an official capacity? Political or military? Any ideas on age? Your help is greatly appreciated.

Toritoribe · 12 Nov 2020

mds308 said:
Would this be something that all families had and used or were these used in an official capacity?

It's the former.

mds308 said:
Any ideas on age?

All I can say is that it seems old, but if I only see the stamp without the case, I might think it's just an old stamp which has been still used even now.

mds308 · 12 Nov 2020

I found three prominent Hara surnames with a possible connection to the Hiei belt buckle reported to have been found with this chop. Chuichi Hara 1889-1964 Admiral Imperial Navy. Tameichi Hara Naval Commander Imperial Navy 1900-1980. But the one that stands out to me is Yoshimichi Hara who worked as a statesman and was a representative for Emperor Hirohito. I guess it would be hard to prove ownership of the chop but I can dream. Thanks.

mdchachi · 12 Nov 2020

In case you're unfamiliar with these stamps, you can read a variety of articles right here.
In short, it's what Japanese traditionally use like signatures are used in the West even today.
Which is why toritoribe-san said it looks like an old stamp that could still be in use even now.
Maybe if you refrain from handling it too much, someday decades hence you can pull some old dna off of it and prove it's related to a famous Hara.

Toritoribe · 12 Nov 2020

mds308 said:
I found three prominent Hara surnames with a possible connection to the Hiei belt buckle reported to have been found with this chop. Chuichi Hara 1889-1964 Admiral Imperial Navy. Tameichi Hara Naval Commander Imperial Navy 1900-1980. But the one that stands out to me is Yoshimichi Hara who worked as a statesman and was a representative for Emperor Hirohito. I guess it would be hard to prove ownership of the chop but I can dream. Thanks.

Well, I don't think the belt buckle you have is only connected to Hiei. Indeed the ship would be Hiei, as you found out, but it doesn't seem to me that there were different designs of buckles depending on the ship. Probably Hiei was the only one design used by all the people concerned, in my impression.

mds308 · 12 Nov 2020

Thank you mdchachi and Toritoribe. I appreciate your knowledge, your time and your input.

Help Read Chop Mark Stamp

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