Japanese Shoulder Boards

[avenger]

UPDATE - IN HAND PHOTOS:



























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ORIGINAL POST:

Would anyone know what period and rank/usage would something like this fall into?

Thank you!

[Rod]

Best guess; Showa era, full dress epaulettes for a Second Lieutenant or Major.

I have yet to see the full range of these from General to Warrant Officer and only just realized it. Huh...

Rod

[ghp95134]

Shop Name:

金山洋服店
Kanayama Yōfuku-ten
Kanayama Clothing Store

Just above the shop name is the city "Tokyo" .... however, the only Kaneyama Youfuku Ten that I can find is in Osaka:
金山洋服店


--Guy

[avenger]

Guy, are you just saying that's the only one still around today when you looked it up, or do you think it may be evidence it could be a reproduction?

[ghp95134]

I'm saying it is the only shop by that name that I could find during a quick Google search. I expected to find a shop of that same name in Tokyo, but didn't. I am not qualified to offer opinions on authenticity.


--Guy

[avenger]

Understood. Thanks for the translation, I guess it's probably a case of the shop moving or closing since then. It would have been neat if a clothing shop could have survived all these years though.

[ghp95134]

Here's one listed as a 1930s aviation captain:



Stewart's Military Antiques

I note that the button on the shoulder knots -- both yours and the image above -- are unmarked domes; whereas the regular blouse buttons have the cherry blossom.

--Guy

[ghp95134]

Your epaulettes are for a 2nd Lieutenant, Sho-i. Company grade officers had the single-braided shoulder knot; field grade officers had the double-braided knot. Here's a colonel-grade I found on ebay:


ebay link

--Guy

[avenger]

That makes sense then! So, I've got a pair of Showa era Imperial epaulets for a 2nd Lieutenant. Very interesting. You can tell the Japanese cared about these, with the metal box for protection. They certainly knew how to respect things, and were very orderly about it.

[avenger]

These shoulder boards made it in today. Updated photos posted to the first post for anyone interested.

BTW, on the underside of the boards, on the metal hinged piece, are the single characters designations for which shoulder they go on (i.e. "left" & "right")?