Sidecap interior help for new Japanese collector.

[Patrick Dempsey]

Hello all,

i have been on the cusp, verge, brink, and indeed precipice of buying an item of Japanese militaria for around five months now.

My main focus in my other fields of collecting (WW2 German and 1st and 2nd Indochina wars) comprises as far as possible full uniform and equipment ensembles. This is where ultimately i would like my Japanese direction(such a grand term for an absolute beginner )to go.

To start, i'd like some sidecaps. Naval and Army if possible. This gives me a wide ranging field to dabble in.

After digesting a few books on the subject, i'm all too aware of my lack of knowledge of wartime Japanese construction/stitching methods.

I have seen caps in profile.

I have seen caps from the front.

Images of the interiors of caps elude me. As do details of the air vent stitching and method of attaching the cloth chinstraps.

If some fellow collectors have some time to photograph an example or two, i would find it most beneficial.

Thanks for your time,


Patrick.

[cbuehler]

Well, I dont have a camera, but I have seen so many varieties of interiors on Japanese field caps. I can try to describe some though.
Standard early and mid war Army enlisted issue caps most commonly had a off white gauze like lining with the issue markings stamped in black ink on them. They had a pigskin leather sweatband about an inch and a half wide all away around. Very late war caps (which probably didnt get issued to any large degree ) will sometimes be found with no lining and a fake leather sweat bands or even no sweatband on the scarce late war cotton caps.
Since Army caps were almost always wool, soldiers would somtimes tear out the liner as is sometimes seen on battlefield captured pieces.
Army enlisted caps generally always had pigskin or fake leather chin straps. These were sometimes green and sometimes natural color fastened by a plain brass or green painted button. Vent holes varied a lot, but most have 3 on each side and simple sewn grommets.
Officers caps were private purchase and had all types of linings and sweatbands. There was no standard, but leather sweatbands usually indicate an earlier cap. There were no issue markings of course, but sometimes the officer had his name embroidered in the lining material. The chin straps all varied as well, but most had a small cherry blossom button for fastening.
Most officer caps had small metal grommet vent holes and had 2 or 3 on each side, although many officer caps had no vent holes at all.
Navy ratings caps were cotton (except the early and rare wool ones which I wont discuss) and were dark blue, white or (by mid war for everyone) green. They had no linings or sweatbands, but just doubled over material the same as that for the out side of the cap. The inside crown usually had a white issue patch or a stamped type issue marking.
The chin strap for these was the same cotton material of the cap and they were sewn on the sides, no button.
Officers caps were usually the same as ratings, but of course with the bands around the body and a different anchor insignia.
Navy officer and ratings caps were sometimes like the army caps, especially by the end of the war and may have been originally for the army, with just the star replaced by a variety of anchor insignia. By late war, most Navy stuff was not as standardized as the army and great variations are found.
What I have written above is a just a general outline of most caps encountered. Perhaps some of the other members can show some pics!
BTW, if you want a good representative cap for either the army or navy, try to find at least a mid war example, preferably used, although that can be hard.
Avoid those shoddy late war unissued caps. They werent used and often have replaced insignia which may be difficult for the novice to notice. Also, most of the shoddy stuff was for civilian use, with a star or something added

[Der Texaner]

Hi Patrick,
When you say side cap I'm assuming you are referring to this style? If you are, I have 2 early war IJN caps, a summer issue and a winter issue I'll be happy to try and get some close ups of for you.

Joel

[Patrick Dempsey]

Hi Patrick,
When you say side cap I'm assuming you are referring to this style? If you are, I have 2 early war IJN caps, a summer issue and a winter issue I'll be happy to try and get some close ups of for you.

Joel

Hi Joel,

sorry about the confusion...i'm still thinking with my German collecting brain....

it would be most kind of you to supply some shots as your time permits.


cbuehler:

Thank you very much for the information and advice, it is most useful i can assure you!


All the best,

Patrick.

[Der Texaner]

Sure Patrick, I'll get you those images this evening or tomorrow at the latest. One thing I can tell you for sure, the worry of fakes with Japanese headgear is nothing whatsoever like SS items. And, a really good Japanese headgear collection can be had at a decent price at this point and time. Take care....

Joel

[Patrick Dempsey]

Hi again Joel,

looking forward to it!

I know what you mean regarding the comparative pricing of German and Japanese items.

The cost of German items has now reached the level of insanity to be frank, and everything seems to have the prefix "rare" put in front of it,whether or not the item actually is, in a never ending spiral of "investment" madness (whatever happened to the sheer joy of collecting?).

I could rant on this for days....


Patrick.

[Der Texaner]

I recently got back into collecting after being out for 6 years or so. I was going to get back into SS insignia, where I left off. I was totally floored and dumbfounded what SS insignia is going for now as compared to a few years ago. These "Dachau tabs", that are all over the place, not rare whatsoever, are now bringing $500.00. 6 years ago a Bevo rune Dachau tab could be had for $100.00. Needless to say, I forgot about SS insignia. Plus, I would never be able to have 100 % piece of mind about a piece being authentic or not messed with. Then I started checking out Japanese items, mainly Imperial Japanese Navy and discovered how undervalued these items are, and no worries about reproductions (yet). No looking back since then. Oh well, thats my "why I collect Japanese militaria" speech that many in this forum have already heard. I'll get those pics to you soon.

Joel

[Der Texaner]

Patrick, I haven't forgotten about the pics, I just haven't had much luck getting decent pics. I hope to have some decent ones soon.

[Der Texaner]

Patrick, here is an interior pic from an old thread. Its from a 1943 Summer issue Naval Petty Officers cap. All the caps I have ever seen have these tags in them. This one is dated 1943 and was issued from the Sasebo Naval Arsenal. Its appears to me that the Japanese had pretty simple single stiches in many cases, as opposed to some of the fancy stitching you see with the German material.

[Der Texaner]

Notice the single stitching on the blue band that indicates Petty Officer.

[Patrick Dempsey]

Patrick, I haven't forgotten about the pics, I just haven't had much luck getting decent pics. I hope to have some decent ones soon.

No problem, it's very kind of you to help .

Looking forward to learning more when you have the time.



Patrick.