Headband - Period or Repro?

**bestmsdt** · 07-28-2019, 05:53 PM

I recently bought a job lot of uniform items from retiring collector who also re-enacted (much of which came in the chemical protection case I recently posted), meaning that it was a mix of real and repro stuff. This headband was amongst it. Anyway of knowing whether it is period?
Cheers,
Tony

**Nick Komiya** · 07-28-2019, 08:25 PM

School play prop.

**bestmsdt** · 07-28-2019, 08:31 PM

Hi Nick, hope you are doing OK following your hospital trips. Are they class names on the headband?
Cheers,
Tony

**Nick Komiya** · 07-29-2019, 10:56 AM

My first impression was that it was American gibberish, but a second look tells me it could have also been by a sloppy Japanese. The word to the right can be barely read as taishi 大志 , "great ambitions", not a war slogan, but more a pledge for self-improvement. This word is famous in Japan, as it was used in a good-bye speech by an American educator in Meiji Japan, William S. Clark, who left the words, "Boys be ambitious".

The left side could possibly be read as 中久, Nakahisa, a name followed by the numeral 3. Having said that, I still don't think it was worn by a soldier, but more by a student.

I'm finally starting to show some positive healing from wounds that kept me in hospital for 5 weeks, but as I am dealing with a wound intentionally kept open not to trap in infection, it will still be another month or so till I'm free of pain and on my feet again.

**bestmsdt** · 07-29-2019, 11:54 AM

Hi Nick,

Thanks for the further input. By the look of a stick-on tag on the back not in the pics it has been passed off as military in the past, but it owes me nothing as it came with a load of stuff. Nevertheless it is of interest, and if your reading is correct I assume will be pre-1945 because of the character order. I can put it with the lacquerware sake cup I bought on Saturday that after much time struggling with the stylized kanji seems to be for the opening of a junior school in Taisho 15 in Oguni, Yamagata! It is a pretty item and was £5 so there was no mis-representation.

I am very glad to hear that you are on the mend, your research and input on the forum is invaluable and it was noticeable recently when you were indisposed. Maybe the forum should have a 'Living National Treasure' (人間国宝) designation! Anyway, best wishes for a full recovery.

Cheers,
Tony