Help Several WWII items

Sarge.JJS · 25 Oct 2020

Hello all! This is my first post. I came across these WWII items and would love some info regarding their significance. The first item is a pamphlet (pictured with some of the pages). I have no idea what the pamphlet was for or what it says.
The second item is a wooden box with a large sticker on the bottom. I assume from the picture that it could be for a parade flag because of the black and white flag pole (see image).
The third item is a sticker on an actual flag (possibly the manufacturing label?)
Thank you very much! I've been looking for help with these for ages.

thomas · 25 Oct 2020

Hi @Sarge.JJS, welcome to the forum! I have moved your post to a new thread in our Militaria subforum. Please be patient, I am sure our experts will be able to help you out.

Toritoribe · 25 Oct 2020

Well, actually, those items have nothing to do with the war directly. There is a Japanese custom to raise a hinomaru flag next to the entrance of each house on the national holidays and festivals. This custom is rare to follow nowadays, but some people still do this. The flag is for this purpose.

What's written on the front page of the pamphlet (DSC07217) is 絹國旗のお薦め "Recommendation for using a silk national flag" and the name of the flag manufacturer 帝國蠶絲株式會社 "Teikoku Sanshi (= Imperial Sericultural) Co., Ltd.".

The table (DSC07219) is a list of the national holidays and festivals when the flag was raised. The same table is also on the bottom of the box (DSC07215) .

The sticker on the flag (DSC07213) is indeed the manufacturer of the flag; 和装製品中央製造配給統制株式会社 "Central Manufacturing and Distribution Controlling Association of Japanese Clothing Goods."

Sarge.JJS · 26 Oct 2020

Hey thank you so much this is so helpful! Is there any other info about the era they were made? The seller sold them to me telling me they were all WWII original. Are there any dates or perhaps any info regarding the companies that could point me in the right direction to finding how era authentic they are?

mdchachi · 26 Oct 2020

It's a good bet that it dates to the war era or earlier. On the list of holidays is Nov 3 明治節 which is the Meiji Emperor's birthday. According to Wikipedia, it was celebrated until 1948. (That day is still a holiday but it's called Culture Day now.)

Toritoribe · 26 Oct 2020

The seller is correct. (The third) Teikoku Sanshi was established in 1927, and was dissolved to establish a new company in 1941. The Association (= the flag manufacturer) was established in 1939, and was merged with other companies to establish a new company in 1944.

Just out of curiosity, there is no signature or slogan on the flag, right?

Sarge.JJS · 26 Oct 2020

Toritoribe said:
The seller is correct. (The third) Teikoku Sanshi was established in 1927, and was dissolved to establish a new company in 1941. The Association (= the flag manufacturer) was established in 1939, and was merged with other companies to establish a new company in 1944.

Just out of curiosity, there is no signature or slogan on the flag, right?

Correct the flag is mostly untouched aside from the slight tear pictured above. Boxed WWII Japanese Flag Patriotic Display Set – Griffin Militaria Here's the link to website I bought the lot from. There are some more pictures. I noticed on a lot of WWII era flags that the corner tabs are either a gold foil or leather. Is there any significance to that or is it mostly just a superficial difference?

mdchachi said:
It's a good bet that it dates to the war era or earlier. On the list of holidays is Nov 3 明治節 which is the Meiji Emperor's birthday. According to Wikipedia, it was celebrated until 1948. (That day is still a holiday but it's called Culture Day now.)

Thank you so much for the help!

Toritoribe · 26 Oct 2020

Sarge.JJS said:
I noticed on a lot of WWII era flags that the corner tabs are either a gold foil or leather. Is there any significance to that or is it mostly just a superficial difference?

It's just a cost or design thing.

If the flag is cotton, as the seller says, it's not the original flag. The seal on the box and pamphlet clearly say that the flag originally in the box is silk. We can see a phrase 帝蠶の絹國旗 at the upper side of the table on the pamphlet (DSC07219), meaning "silk national flag made by Teisan" (Teisan is the abbreviation of Teikoku Sanshi). This would be the reason why the two company names, the one on the box and pamphlet and the one on the flag, are different.

mdchachi · 26 Oct 2020

If you can unfold it, it might be interesting to see what the newspaper says. Or at least get a date off of it.

Sarge.JJS · 27 Oct 2020

Toritoribe said:
It's just a cost or design thing.

If the flag is cotton, as the seller says, it's not the original flag. The seal on the box and pamphlet clearly say that the flag originally in the box is silk. We can see a phrase 帝蠶の絹國旗 at the upper side of the table on the pamphlet (DSC07219), meaning "silk national flag made by Teisan" (Teisan is the abbreviation of Teikoku Sanshi). This would be the reason why the two company names, the one on the box and pamphlet and the one on the flag, are different.

Yeah I figured. I've seen a lot of parade flags with the black and white handle that's pictured on the bottom of the box and knowing how large the flag is I figured it wasn't a parade flag. Thanks so much for all of the help! I really appreciate it.

Sarge.JJS · 27 Oct 2020

mdchachi said:
If you can unfold it, it might be interesting to see what the newspaper says. Or at least get a date off of it.

Unfortunately, it is yet to arrive as I only ordered it off the website last week. However as soon as it does, I'll post a picture of it on this thread. Hopefully it's condition hasn't deteriorated too badly to handle.

Sarge.JJS · 2 Nov 2020

mdchachi said:
If you can unfold it, it might be interesting to see what the newspaper says. Or at least get a date off of it.

Unfortunately the paper's condition is very deteriorated. I tried to capture the clearest parts. Any indication of when they're from?

Sarge.JJS · 2 Nov 2020

This is the back of the pamphlet. I didn't have a picture of until now. I wonder if there are any dates?

mdchachi · 3 Nov 2020

I don't see any dates but I imagine there are some clues for people who can read the articles. I don't see anything obviously relating to wartime in what little I could glean. The back of the pamphlet just lists the two addresses and phone numbers for the company in Tokyo and Kobe.
And the top article is something about mixing foreign rice in with new-crop rice.

Toritoribe · 3 Nov 2020

The 4th picture (49242788-03bd-4e34-92a3-be0b069c2be4.jpg) is a comment on The Tripartite Pact. The writer wrote "the pact has been signed" in the comment, and there is a date "...五年十月..." at the end of it, thus, this date refers to 昭和十五年十月, i.e., October 1940.

Sarge.JJS · 3 Nov 2020

Toritoribe said:
The 4th picture (49242788-03bd-4e34-92a3-be0b069c2be4.jpg) is a comment on The Tripartite Pact. The writer wrote "the pact has been signed" in the comment, and there is a date "...五年十月..." at the end of it, thus, this date refers to 昭和十五年十月, i.e., October 1940.

Wow that's pretty fascinating! Thanks again for all of the help and information!

Sarge.JJS · 3 Nov 2020

mdchachi said:
I don't see any dates but I imagine there are some clues for people who can read the articles. I don't see anything obviously relating to wartime in what little I could glean. The back of the pamphlet just lists the two addresses and phone numbers for the company in Tokyo and Kobe.
And the top article is something about mixing foreign rice in with new-crop rice.

Hey thanks so much for the help!

jeeplover · 4 Nov 2020

this seller before coved-19 hit would make trips to japan he is a good seller.

Sarge.JJS · 4 Nov 2020

jeeplover said:
this seller before coved-19 hit would make trips to japan he is a good seller.

Yeah I've heard good things about him. I have friends Who have bought from him in the past.

Sarge.JJS · 5 Nov 2020

In reference to Japanese parade flags, what do the black and white flag poles represent? are they specific to a certain era? I know a lot if them are collapsible but that's about all I know

Toritoribe · 6 Nov 2020

The color of the national flag pole was decided by law in 1931.

第三条竿球ハ金色トス
第四条旗竿ハ竹ヲ用ヰ地色ト黒塗色各四寸宛トシ頂部ハ地色トス但シ門前ニ掲揚セサルトキニ限リ本条ニ拠ラサルコトヲ得

There seems to be several hypotheses regarding the black and white pole, for instance, it's from surveying level rods or a bow Emperor Jimmu had, etc..

jeeplover · 7 Nov 2020

Toritoribe said:
Toritoribe said:

The color of the national flag pole was decided by law in 1931.

第三条竿球ハ金色トス
第四条旗竿ハ竹ヲ用ヰ地色ト黒塗色各四寸宛トシ頂部ハ地色トス但シ門前ニ掲揚セサルトキニ限リ本条ニ拠ラサルコトヲ得

There seems to be several hypotheses regarding the black and white pole, for instance, it's from surveying level rods or a bow Emperor Jimmu had, etc..

Click to expand...

very cool information i did not know this.

Help Several WWII items

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