Sake Trays

**bestmsdt** · 03-07-2018, 10:29 PM

Bought these 2 trays on Sunday. They came from a chap who personally picked them up at a Tokyo Flea Market on one of his visits. I have always liked lacquerware, and liked the compositions and aged feeling.
The Navy one has a big anchor that I didn't notice at first as it has almost faded away; I've tried to get it in one of the photos.
Cheers,
Tony

**Nick Komiya** · 03-08-2018, 12:35 PM

First one is a navy tray, saying "In celebration of completing Navy service" The words in center say "loyalty and valor" The second one is for the 29th Infantry's "Triumphant return from Manchurian Garrison duties" The poem in the fan says "Having done the warrior's duty, how sweet it is to return home"

**bestmsdt** · 03-08-2018, 10:12 PM

Thanks Nick. Both trays have a name bottom left, Nishimura I believe in the Navy shell. Any thoughts as to whether this is the artist or the person who has completed the service?
Cheers,
Tony

**Nick Komiya** · 03-09-2018, 10:46 AM

The names on your trays, Nishimura and Shibata are always the name of the soldier never the artist. The soldier bought these to give to the people, who saw him off to war, so he had the shop put on his name. He ordered them in advance of his discharge from a shop in front of his regiment from a catalog like the one shown below. For regular friends, he would have bought sake cups and for more important people he would have bought such trays.