Hachimaki Headband

[JasonL2475]

Hello everyone, I am new here and was looking for some info. I have a all silk headband that my late grandfather retrieved during WWII. It was given to me as a child and had it translated by a former Dr. of mine. It was pulled off a solider in a crashed plane. It's hard to see in pics, but there is some small blood stains on it. It looks like the designs were done by hand. This item was lost for many years and I just found it again. I also have his original Field Handbook also. I have tossing around selling this to go towards kids college... I am having hard time letting it go though. here are some pics.

scarf - jlefantephoto | SmugMug

[Wagriff]

[ghp95134]

Senninbari -- 1000 persons' stitch. It is a "haramaki" belly band.

The pre-stamped kanji mean "Everlasting Fortune in Battle"

武運長久
Bu-un Chōkyū

The hand-written vertical kanji, in fact, *do* mean "1000 men's strength"
千人力
Sen'ninriki

More about senninbari.


--Guy

[Stu W]

It also appears to me to be Rayon or cotton, not silk, but as you have it in hand you may well be correct. Silk did not last long when made into senninbari.

As to value, max of 100 USD. Others may value it differently so perhaps wait for their opinions. These are not rare and yours has seen better days. That appeals to some collectors but not to others.

Regards,
Stu

[ghp95134]

Have the dots on this senninbari been stitched in something like a "french knot"? From the photos, it does not appear to have even been stitched.

Stu, would an unstitched belt have been worn? I would have thought not having the "thousand people's stitches" would have been less than lucky.

--Guy

[JasonL2475]

It does not have stitches on the tiger. It is defiantly not cotton. It feels like silk it's super smooth. My grandfather worked with planes in the military and he stated that he removed it from a dead Piolet whose plane was crashed. There are some blood stains on it. I have never come across one like this before.

[Rod]

Hello everyone, I am new here and was looking for some info. I have a all silk headband that my late grandfather retrieved during WWII. It was given to me as a child and had it translated by a former Dr. of mine. It was pulled off a solider in a crashed plane. It's hard to see in pics, but there is some small blood stains on it. It looks like the designs were done by hand. This item was lost for many years and I just found it again. I also have his original Field Handbook also. I have tossing around selling this to go towards kids college... I am having hard time letting it go though. here are some pics.

hi Jason,

When you say you have his "Field Handbook" do you mean the Japanese pilot's or your grandfather's? If there's more (documentation) to the story it could raise the value of your senninbari considerably. Otherwise what Stu says but certainly less than $200 on a good day, not exactly college money. Maybe your kids would appreciate it more as momento of their great grandfather's service.

Rod