opinions on my type 90 and possible translation

[burb1989]

Hey all. This is sadly my only type 90. When I found it at a show about a year ago I thought it was really cool and the price was fine by me ($25) so I bought it. The seller didn't advertise that it was a late war navy helmet or that it had writing on the rim. I researched this helmet only to find out that it had been captured and reworked by the Thailand government. I always wondered if the writing was Japanese or not but I could never get it translated. I am currently in the market for another type 90 around where I live but anything Japanese here is like mining gold (even the rifles are harder to come by at shows). Since it is a shell and has been reworked I know it is not as valuable as the same kind of helmet not captured. Any help and comments about my helmet are welcome and very appreciated.

[Rod G]

What makes you say it's a Thai reissue?

The writing is Japanese. The two kanji on the left say 20 if it is read from the right, 12 from the left. Guy will set me straight (please set me straight Guy). I think it's from the right old style. On the right side 白 = haku, byaku = white and the 3 is three (duh).


Really decent buy in any event!

Regards, Rod

[Paul G]

[QUOTE=Rod G;6707756]What makes you say it's a Thai reissue?

The areas circled left and right are wher the Thai reissue style chinstrap bales have been welded on. The center circle shows a drilled hole above the normal Japanese "slot" for the insignia/liner attatchment, also used for Thai style liner attatchment.

PG-

[Rod G]

Thanks so much Paul! I totally missed the mods.

Rod

[GHP]

The writing is Japanese and either of the two samples below:

十二通自３
Jū-ni Tsū-Ji San

３自通二十
San Ji-Tsū Nijū

通 shows movement like transportation
自 means "self-"

However, it is not "self-propelled" -- I already looked up that term and it would be
自走砲 【じそうほう】[jisouhou] (n) self-propelled artillery

交通 -- Koutsuu .. traffic
普通 -- Futsuu .. normal


Hmmmmm ....

Suo Zitong (索自通) was a Chinese general ca. 931 ...

But I have NO idea. Perhaps NICK KOMIYA can comment since he's in the hospital and has nothing better to do?


NICK??????
(thanks!)

_m_(_ _)_m_
[bowing deeply]




--Guy

[burb1989]

Wow thank you all so much on the info. So would that make my helmet some kind of naval transportation helmet? I hope I can find another interesting type 90 at our big gun show next weekend but I'm not keeping my hopes up. I've only ever seen two other helmets for sale down here besides this one and I bought one of them. It was a civil defense helmet that I bought from a man who picked it up on Okinawa during the war. For $100 I didn't want to talk him down since that is what he wanted for it. It had a star at one time but had since broken off so I have a replacement star on it until I can find a better example later on. The other was an all complete type 90 with liner and star but at a price of $2500 it was asking way too much. I guess someone got suckered into it though as it was gone at the end of the show it was at.