Early (1897?) Pattern Passbook

[pascucci]

Picked this up at a show today inexpensively with another interwar passbook attributed to an Imperial Guardsman. This one, however, is the more interesting to me as it is much earlier. In addition to the book and cover, I included photos of two small pieces of paper I found in the internal pocket. Any assistance in the translation would be greatly appreciated. Enjoy the photos!!!

[tomp]

Entries place the booklet being used between 1912 and into the 1920's, all through Taisho era. If you are looking for an earlier booklet, particularly before 1900 and with good content, be prepared to fork over the money. Early Meiji is highly desirable and can easily run 1000+ USD, again depending on content.


Tom

[ghp95134]

横山藤松
Yokoyama Fujimatsu

近衛師団
Konoe Division

近衛歩兵第四聯隊第一中隊
Konoe 4th Infantry Regiment 1st Company

二等卒
Nitō-sotsu

Rank: Second Grader [Meiji Period rank]

新潟県 平民
Home of record: Niigata Prefecture; Status: Commoner

明治弐拾六年貳月拾八日
Birth: Meiji 26 [1893], Feb 28th

靴術
Skill: Shoemaker

Height:
五尺二寸七分
5-shaku, 2-sun, 7-bu
159.69cm / 62.87 (almost 5'3")

Hat:
新六號 New: 6
旧八號 Old: 8

Pants size:
新五號 New 5
旧四號 Old 4

Jacket ? 4
=======
About 二等卒 Nitō-sotsu

大日本帝国陸軍では、現役兵として入営したものは、入営したその日から特に辞令を用いずして各兵科の区分に より第三級の兵卒を命じられたものとみなされた[1]。兵卒の等級は上等卒、一等卒、二等卒であったので、入営したばかりの兵卒は、兵科ごとに歩兵二等卒、騎兵 二等卒などになった。

Google Translate:
In the Japanese Imperial Army, those who entered service as a service officer were deemed to have been ordered to have a third-degree soldier's degree by the division of each military department without using a particular order since the day they were in charge [1]. The rank of the soldier was a senior graduate, a first grader, a second grader, so the soldier who just entered service became an infantry second grader, a cavalry second grader, etc. for each military department.

Link

--Guy

[Nick Komiya]

You are right that this is an early format book that should have ceased to be used around 1907 when they switched to khaki covers.

However, in this case, they kept using this old style till 1911, which made them 1 generation out of date in terms of book design.

The actual printing of this booklet would have been during the Russo-Japanese War, when massive call-ups brought huge disruptions to logistics. They must have run massive print runs as a result and having gotten overstocked in inventory, were forced to keep using the old format when other parts of the army had long changed to a new khaki design.

The army's plan to incorporate Emperor Taisho's Enthronement Rescript was actually an attempt to bring such disorderly use of unauthorized booklet formats under control. Read here for more details on the circumstances causing this anomaly.

The little paper you found is a birth notice to the village headman that a daughter named Minoru was born to the Yokoyama family.

[Nick Komiya]

The uniform sizes shown in old and new sizes was because the end of Meiji was a time when soldiers got more fit-conscious about uniforms and improvements led to different size increments being stocked together in a transitional period of overlap.

For instance, a Type 38 (M1905) jacket used to come in 4 sizes, but since the Type 42 (M1909), newer jackets in stock including the Type 42 modified, Type 45(M1912) and Type 45 Modified (1918) all came in 6 sizes. In addition to that, all 6 sizes became larger as of 1918.

Type 36 (M1903) boots had also come in 8 sizes, but as of Type 41(M1908) they came in 10 sizes, including the Type 45(M1912) boots.

[pascucci]

Above and beyond as always. Thanks to all!