Japanese Type 100 Mortar Shell; Maybe I've finally got a winner!

**Midwest Picker** · 06-18-2020, 03:30 AM

Hello all,

Tomorrow as I prepare to celebrate my birthday, I'll be making a 3 and a half hour drive (3.5 there and 3.5 back) to pick this up. I'm getting it for a smooth $100. I wanted to share some photos with you in the hopes that I can have some confirmation this is "good" as they say. I imagine I can remove the lamp bits fairly easy for display purposes. I don't mind the drive and actually enjoy seeing parts of the country I've never got to before and in the end, the memories are often times worth more than the helmet sitting on a shelf. This should be an interesting journey and if all seems well, I'll share some photos when I get it home tomorrow evening. Warm wishes to each of you.

Japanese Type 100 Mortar Shell; Maybe I've finally got a winner!

**MAP** · 06-18-2020, 03:51 AM

It does look like it has been clean up, the brass parts polished, a coat of varnish put on. And the top of the fuse is gone in order to make it a piece of more recent vintage trench art.

So not sure it is really a candidate for restoration but as a cool lamp I like it!

**Midwest Picker** · 06-18-2020, 04:12 AM

MAP,

Many thanks. I agree, I wondered about the varnish immediately, but on the bright side, whoever vanished it didn't decide to chrome it!

**Ryoyo** · 06-18-2020, 08:52 PM

I'd just take it off the base and find another fuze for it. Or just leave it as a lamp since I already have a 2 of these rounds. One of mine was made into a lamp and had no original paint left so I did a full restore on it. This one at least has original paint under the varnish.

**AZPhil** · 06-18-2020, 09:13 PM

I think it looks cool as it is.
That would make a very unique set up next to your other Japanese items.

Think of it as trench art!
I would look for some type of lamp shade with a rising sun on it!

Semper Fi
Phil

**Nick Komiya** · 06-18-2020, 10:19 PM

Restoring the original look can be done easily by simply spraying it with a matte clear coat sold at hobby shops for model kits. That will take the glossy look away at once without any damage.

**Midwest Picker** · 06-28-2020, 05:09 PM

Hello everyone! I apologize it has taken me a few days to get these photos up. I had taken a break from my finals to pick this up and now with classes done I had some time to do a photo session lol. Is there anyway to discern a date on these? It does however appear this bears a Tokyo Arsenal stamp. The base came off easily as well as the cheap light socket. I'm very pleased. Thank you all once again for your wisdom!

**Ryoyo** · 06-28-2020, 06:19 PM

by Midwest Picker

Is there anyway to discern a date on these?

The "17" is the year Showa 17 (1942), but stamped into the metal is the date 十六.11 Nov. Showa 16 (1941). So that's when it was made, and it passed inspection in 1942.

**Midwest Picker** · 06-28-2020, 07:16 PM

Ryoyo,

A multitude of thanks for this wisdom. Makes me wonder even more about the story behind this. At one time I imagine this was a perfectly good shell, waiting to be used. Perhaps it spent its life warehoused or was captured very early in the war. I'm fascinated!