Japanese Sake Cup

[Fortunes Of War]

Those are nice looking cups Rich.  Does the gold looking one have a red painted star in the middle of it?  What is in the center of the cup on the lower left; I can't make it out?

[Fortunes Of War]

This is another larger cup with stenciled crossed battle flags, navy anchor and army star.  This cup pre-dates the WW2 period.

[Fortunes Of War]

This is another large cup with crossed national flag, battle flag and plenty of gold leaf.  The pink and blue shades that decorate the rim are also eye-catching. If you study off to war banners, you will see that crossed flags is a common art theme on many of them as well.  The banners usually have a star painted in the upper "v" where the flags intersect and there is often a decorative squiggle that runs along the lower portion of the flag poles.  This generally separates the upper art from the vertical kanji that is written below.  Like this cup, banners normally show the two flags lashed together with a cord and tassels.  

[RRA227]

Those are both nice cups.

Here is a pic of both cups. I now have 2 of the red/gold one. I do not know what the kanji on the other cup means.  Rich A. in Pa.

 

[Fortunes Of War]

Rich-

     Nice cups!  When I first saw the cup on the left, the image was really small and it appeared to have a design in the center.  Now I can see that it was really kanji characters written in a circle.  I like the gold cup too.  That two color design also appears on off to war banners.  The cup has two-toned, gold and red elements.  Banner designers often did two-toned stars as well to sort of add a bit of flair to their painted star patterns.  Thanks for posting...

[Otter42]

Just bought this one at an estate sale for a  WWII CPO Navy man.  Any idea what the creepy dude is inside the cup? Cup is much smaller then the others.

Thanks

[Fortunes Of War]

Hey Otter-

     I really like that cup!  The fellow in the cup goes by a few names, but is generally known as Daruma.  I'll post a link to him on Wikipedia so you can read up.  It looks like there is an erotic scene on the other side of the cup.  If so, those cups were/are quite popular to some collectors.  Great images and photographs....thanks for sharing.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhidharma

[Otter42]

Thanks for the info on him, will look him up. He's not an appealing thing to see after a drink!

[RRA227]

Nice cups.  Rich A. in Pa.

[RRA227]

Got these bottles.  Rich A. in Pa.

[Fortunes Of War]

Hey Otter-

     Daruma was actually quite the cool fellow and often appears in art on good luck flags, good luck cloth amulets, etc.  He was also frequently given to people (even today) in doll form.  When intended as a gift, he often had no eyes.  When presented, one eye would be colored in with the intention that a good luck wish was made (perhaps a safe return from war.)  If the wish came true, the person with the image or doll, would paint in the second eye to show that the wish had been granted.  I have a number of good luck flags with his likeness painted on them and they are some of my favorites.  This cloth amulet has really terrific detail!

 

Rich-

     Those are some nice sake bottles!  Is the brown design near the bottom a crane?  Sorry, I'm unable to make it out.  

[RRA227]

Great banner.

Thanks. I believe so.  Rich A. in Pa.

[Fortunes Of War]

Thanks again Rich.

[RRA227]

Got these 2 cups. The helmet has a anchor on the front.  Rich A. in Pa.

[Otter42]

Got these yesterday, they were together,  but one looks newer and has an odd straw tube down the side that comes our on the bottom of the cup. What would that be used for? Thanks Ken 

[RRA227]

Nice.  Rich A. in Pa.

[RRA227]

Got this stuff.  Rich A. in Pa.

[Fortunes Of War]

Rich-

     I like the laquer cups with the navy designations.  The gold leaf set against the red laquer finish can be really beautiful.

 

Otter42-

     I could be wrong (I'm not a "real" cup collector, so don't know for sure), but I think those are called "whistler cups" (please verify, however).  The beverage could be sucked from the cup by the "straw".  

[Otter42]

Thanks Rich.

[RRA227]

Got these cups.  Rich A. in Pa.

[Fortunes Of War]

Rich-

     It's pretty hard to match that collection!  I picked up a few new additions and will post them as time allows.  Here is one:

 

This is a "Discharge Commemorative" sake cup. It measures approximately 2.25″ from rim to rim. In the center is a colorful Battle Flag and Chrysanthemum Flower design. There is also a bonus feature in the middle of this one, a raised Japanese Army Star, painted in gold leaf near the center. The kanji for "Discharge Commemorative" are hand painted on the inside. It is not named on the bottom.   

[RRA227]

Thanks. I have not seen or bothered the guy I get the Japanese stuff from in a while. Will have to contact him and ask if he has anything for me.

That is nice with the raised star.   Rich A. in Pa.

[Fortunes Of War]

Hi Rich-

     I agree with you.  The raised star is a bit different than the standard, flat hand painted style cups.  Let us know if you pick up any more. 

[Fortunes Of War]

I wanted to share this wonderful, old Japanese Sake Cup that dates from the First Sino-Japanese War period (ca. 1898).  The cup measures approximately 2.75″ from rim to rim.  The center design shows two Japanese Battle Flags surrounding a yellow-gold Imperial chrysanthemum flower.  Below the flags, two Japanese Army cavalrymen with swords drawn are charging on horseback toward the center. The kanji characters say, “Banzai Imperial Forces, Victorious Army”.  

[RRA227]

Vert nice.  Rich A. in Pa.