Hinomaru Yosegaki Flag: Navy-related

[jwburchell]

Here is one made of a silky material measuring approximately 36 x 28 inches. A Japanese friend has translated the text for me as follows (from the top clockwise):

1. Sincere Patriot!
2. Congratulations! For your entering junior naval school!
3. Destroy! Arrogant Enemy!
4. Back-up (or) Supporter Group. Tokyo No.2 High School

Apparently there are no individual signatures or dates written on this flag.

All comments and feedback will be appreciated.

Regards,

John

[GHP]

And The Owner Is .......

Given to Kimura Hajime

木村肇君
Kimura Hajime-kun

--Guy

[Nick Komiya]

Sorry, but this one is a fake. The handwriting gives it away as done by someone I know.

[jwburchell]

Thanks, Guy and Nick.

Nick - is the "kanji" lettering / handwriting (done by this person whom you know) contemporary, or could it have been done some years ago - albeit perhaps post-war?

Can you confirm whether or not the flag itself is wartime vintage?

John

[Nick Komiya]

He started producing these fakes in the last 5 years or so. Making them out to some guy joining the Tokko-tai ,as in your case, is one of his favourite MO. He also does navy shipboard flags with slogans like "Keep the ship clean and tidy" on rayed flags. He seems to have tied up with the American faker, Cupman at one point, as cupman was selling these with further embellishments.

[jwburchell]

Thanks, again, for your excellent feedback.

[Nick Komiya]

I forgot to mention that the flags themselves are war-time vintage. These fakes started to appear regularly, after a batch of 30 or so unused war-time flags was sold in auction in Japan.
As I recall, all the flags in the batch were the cheap cotton types that this faker uses.

[GHP]

Sorry, but this one is a fake. The handwriting gives it away as done by someone I know.

Hi Nick!

That all the shuji were brushed by the same hand should have been a clue to me -- but I didn't catch it.

Thanks for letting us know the full story -- I'll keep your caution in mind next time I see a flag containing writing from only one identifiable writer.

Cheers!
--Guy