This is a large prewar Japanese naval color print titled “The Majesty of the Combined Fleet”, issued by the Imperial Japanese Navy Ministry in May 1935. The artwork presents the Combined Fleet as a powerful unified force: large battleships advancing in formation, destroyers cutting across the foreground, and aircraft flying overhead. Rather than portraying a single vessel, the composition was designed to express the scale, strength, and prestige of the Imperial Japanese Navy as a whole. The right margin is printed with: “The Majesty of the Combined Fleet” “May 1935″ “Navy Ministry” Additional printing information in the margin includes references to the printer in Uchisaiwaicho, Kojimachi Ward, Tokyo, and Teikoku Kaigun-sha. The date is especially important. This was published in 1935, six years before the Pacific War began, during a period when Japan still maintained a large and highly visible battle fleet. The image reflects how the Imperial Japanese Navy wished to present the Combined Fleet to the public: battleships at the center, supported by destroyers and naval aviation. At approximately 108 × 78 cm, this is a very large display piece with considerably more visual impact than ordinary wartime prints or postcards. There are age-related stains, discoloration, folds, edge wear, and other signs of use and storage. Please examine the photographs carefully for condition. More than simply a naval illustration, this is a surviving piece of prewar Japanese naval visual culture, showing how the Combined Fleet was represented at the height of its prestige. Own a Piece of History. International Buyers – Please Note.
This is an original 1929 Imperial Japanese Navy engineering training textbook, titled Marine Engineering Textbook – Practical Mathematics, issued by the Imperial Japanese Navy Engineering School. The Navy Engineering School specialized in training the technical personnel who kept Japanese warships operating. Battleships and cruisers could not move on naval power alone-they depended on engineers and engine-room personnel capable of understanding and maintaining complex machinery. This textbook taught the practical mathematics required for naval engineering work. It begins with arithmetic, fractions, decimals, ratios, percentages, areas, and volumes, then applies these skills to technical problems involving subjects such as steam pressure, cylinders, pistons, horsepower, fuel, coal, displacement, speed, and cruising distance. In other words, this was not simply a school mathematics book. It shows how the Imperial Japanese Navy trained the men responsible for operating the machinery inside its warships. The cover is dated April 1, 1929 (Showa 4) and identifies the Imperial Japanese Navy Engineering School and its engineering training courses. The historical timing is particularly interesting. The Navy Engineering School was established as an independent institution in 1928 after being separated from the Naval Engineering College. This textbook therefore dates from one of the earliest years of the newly independent school. Why is it rare? Unlike commercially published books, this was a specialized internal training textbook intended for a limited group of Imperial Japanese Navy engineering trainees. Such technical educational materials were working documents rather than souvenirs intended to survive for generations. The Imperial Japanese Navy suffered catastrophic losses during WWII and was completely dissolved in 1945. Over the following decades, many of its internal textbooks, manuals, and training materials were discarded or dispersed. Nearly a century later, surviving examples provide an unusual window into a side of naval history that is often overlooked. This is not a book about famous admirals or naval battles. It is something more personal: the knowledge that ordinary technical personnel had to master before they could enter an engine room and help keep a Japanese warship moving. A fascinating piece for collectors of Imperial Japanese Navy militaria, naval engineering, military education, and original prewar technical documents. Own a Piece of History. International Buyers – Please Note.
This is an original commemorative photo album produced in 1934 for sailors who completed their initial training at the Yokosuka Naval Barracks of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The title page reads: “Entered Service: January 1934″ “Commemorative Album for the Completion of Seaman Fourth Class Training” “Yokosuka Naval Barracks” The naval barracks were where newly enlisted sailors received their basic military education and training before moving on to active naval service. Yokosuka was one of the most important bases of the Imperial Japanese Navy and served as a major center for preparing sailors for service throughout the fleet. Inside are historical photographs documenting the environment in which these young sailors were trained, including Imperial Japanese Navy facilities and barracks, sailors in uniform, class and unit group photographs, the Rising Sun naval ensign, and pages identifying individual servicemen by name. What makes this album particularly interesting is that it does not simply preserve images of warships or famous officers. It preserves the faces of the ordinary sailors who formed the human foundation of the Japanese Navy. The album dates to 1934, seven years before the Pacific War began. It therefore records the Imperial Japanese Navy during the prewar period, when its peacetime training system and enormous fleet organization were still functioning before the devastating losses of the coming war. For collectors and researchers, this is a tangible record of how an ordinary young man entered the Imperial Japanese Navy and was transformed into a trained sailor. The album shows age-related wear, staining, discoloration, and rubbing consistent with an approximately 90-year-old military document. Please examine the photographs carefully for its condition. A fascinating surviving record of the men behind the Imperial Japanese Navy. Own a Piece of History. International Buyers – Please Note.
WW2 Imperial Japanese Navy Warship Photo Book 1927 Battleship Cruiser Destroyer. Original Warship Photo Album published by the Kaigun Kyokai (Navy Association) in 1927 (Showa 2). This book was compiled by the Kaigun Kyokai (Navy Association), one of the most influential naval organizations in prewar Japan. Although published before World War II, it serves as an official visual and technical reference documenting the Imperial Japanese Navy during the interwar period, shortly after the Washington Naval Treaty. Rather than being simply a photo book, this volume functions much like a naval yearbook. Published in 1927, this volume captures the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Washington Naval Treaty era, making it an important historical reference that documents Japan’s fleet before its major expansion in the 1930s. An excellent collectible for Imperial Japanese Navy collectors, naval historians, warship enthusiasts, and researchers of early twentieth-century military history. Shows age-related wear, foxing, stains, and light discoloration consistent with its age. The pages remain complete and fully readable. Please examine the photographs carefully for the overall condition. International Buyers – Please Note.
This is an original Japanese Navy participation commemorative medal from the 1934 (Showa 9) Emergency Naval Maneuvers. ” The reverse is clearly inscribed in Japanese: “Naval Grand Maneuvers” “Emergency Period” “Participation Commemorative” “Showa 9 [1934] These inscriptions are particularly important because they connect the piece directly to a specific Japanese naval exercise and a specific year, rather than making it simply a generic naval souvenir. For collectors unfamiliar with the term, large-scale naval maneuvers were major training exercises in which warships, aircraft, communications, command systems, and fleet tactics were tested under conditions intended to simulate actual operations. The year 1934 places this piece in a particularly interesting period of Japanese history. It came only a few years after the 1931 Manchurian Incident and after Japan announced its withdrawal from the League of Nations in 1933, at a time when international tensions surrounding Japan were rapidly increasing. The use of the term “Emergency” on the medal itself makes it especially evocative of the political and military atmosphere of early-1930s Japan. The front features an impressive naval design combining a warship and aircraft. This combination is also historically interesting, reflecting a period when aviation was becoming increasingly important to Japanese naval operations alongside the traditional battle fleet. The medal has a distinctive triangular form with a suspension ring at the top. Approximate dimensions: Height: 40.7 mm Width: 29.8 mm The piece shows age-related patina, surface wear, scratches, and discoloration consistent with an old metal commemorative item. Please carefully examine the photographs for the exact condition. What makes this piece particularly collectible is that its story can still be read directly from the object itself: the organization, event, purpose, and year are preserved in its inscriptions. More than a small naval medal, it is a surviving artifact connected to a specific Imperial Japanese Navy exercise during the increasingly tense years preceding the Pacific War. Own a Piece of History. International Buyers – Please Note.
Taminato Incident Japanese Navy Shanghai Headquarters Photo 1936 IJN. Size: approximately 4.4 inches by 3.1 inches. This original photograph shows Japanese Navy Special Naval Landing Force troops assembled in formation inside a courtyard in Shanghai during the period of heightened military activity following the 1936 Taminato Incident. The multi story buildings, trucks, and the armored vehicles marked with the number 2 and 4 create a strong impression of an SNLF headquarters or staging area. The uniforms and equipment match known Japanese naval infantry gear from the mid 1930s, and the scene reflects organized reinforcement activity during a moment of increased Japanese military presence. The Taminato Incident, known in Japanese sources as the and also referred to as the , occurred on September 23 1936 when sailors from the cruiser Izumo were shot in broad daylight in the Hongkou district. Seaman Tomomitsu Taminato died of his wounds, and the event immediately intensified Japanese naval operations in the International Settlement. Historical accounts describe the rapid arrival of SNLF reinforcements, expanded patrols and a significant increase in Japanese naval infantry presence throughout Hongkou. This photograph fits well within that documented response, showing a large formation of troops and vehicles plausibly preparing for deployment or coordination. The Taminato Incident became one of the major prewar flashpoints in Shanghai, intensifying Japanese security measures in the International Settlement and contributing to the rising political and military tensions that eventually led to the outbreak of the 1937 Battle of Shanghai. Photographs of SNLF reinforcement activity from this period are scarce, and very few private images survive that show the buildup of Japanese forces in the months following the incident. The courtyard formation seen here is not represented in publicly available archives or indexed listings, adding to the rarity of this example. This image comes from a private album that included other photographs directly tied to the Taminato Incident, such as the transfer of Taminato’s coffin from the Izumo and scenes from his funeral. The presence of those related images strongly supports the identification of this photo as part of the same sequence of events. As a result, this photograph stands as an uncommon and historically valuable record of Japanese naval infantry reinforcement activity in Shanghai during a critical moment of escalating Sino-Japanese tensions. This is a compelling and name rich example of SNLF operations in Shanghai, showing a large formation of Japanese naval infantry and vehicles during one of the key prewar flashpoints in the International Settlement. Those most interested in this photo. Collectors of IJN and SNLF military photography. Historians researching the Taminato Incident and prewar Shanghai tensions. Scholars studying Japanese naval infantry operations in treaty port China. Researchers focused on Hongkou district military activity in the 1930s. Archivists documenting Sino Japanese conflict escalation prior to 1937. Collectors of rare reinforcement or mobilization scenes in wartime contexts. Enthusiasts of cruiser Izumo and its historical role in Shanghai. Please inspect the pictures, as they give the best representation of condition. May have discoloring, edge or corner wear, marks, creases, fading, smudges, corner or edge bends, tears, or corners missing.
This is an antique Japanese naval commemorative metal paperweight featuring Admiral Heihachiro Togo, one of the most famous figures in Imperial Japanese naval history. The front shows a relief portrait of Admiral Togo in full military uniform and decorations. The reverse carries an even more historically significant inscription: The fate of the Empire depends upon this battle. Let every man do his utmost. ” followed by: “Count Heihachiro Togo. ” The original Japanese reads: “?????? This message is closely associated with the opening of the Battle of Tsushima, the decisive naval engagement of the Russo-Japanese War. In May 1905, Russia’s Baltic Fleet-after sailing thousands of miles from Europe-approached Japanese waters for what would become one of the most famous naval battles of the early 20th century. Waiting for it was the Japanese Combined Fleet under Admiral Togo. His flagship was Mikasa. The resulting battle ended in a devastating defeat for the Russian fleet and transformed Togo into an internationally known naval commander. That is what makes the combination on this paperweight so powerful: Admiral Togo. And the famous words associated with the Battle of Tsushima. This is not simply a portrait souvenir. It preserves, in one small object, three symbols of one of the most important moments in modern Japanese naval history. Another important point is that the same type of Togo paperweight appears in the Japanese militaria reference book Imperial Japanese Army & Navy 2, in the section titled Amulets and Paperweights. The present piece itself does not bear a manufacturing date, so its exact production year cannot be confirmed. However, the appearance of the same type in a specialist Japanese militaria reference is an important reference point when evaluating this piece as a period military commemorative item. Togo remained a national naval hero in prewar Japan, and the Battle of Tsushima continued to hold enormous symbolic importance within Japanese naval culture long after 1905. Weapons tell us how battles were fought. Objects like this show us how those battles were remembered. The surface shows age-related wear, oxidation, discoloration, scratches, and other signs of age. Please examine the photographs carefully for the exact condition. For collectors interested in Admiral Togo, Battleship Mikasa, the Battle of Tsushima, the Russo-Japanese War, and Imperial Japanese Navy history, this is a particularly evocative commemorative piece. Own a Piece of History. International Buyers – Please Note.
This is an original prewar Japanese commemorative postcard set issued for the launch of the Kagu Maru on April 18, 1936, at the Harima Shipbuilding Works. What makes this set particularly fascinating is what happened to Kagu Maru after these postcards were produced. At the time of her launch in 1936, Kagu Maru was not yet a naval vessel. Following the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War, however, she was requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1937 and converted into an auxiliary seaplane tender. Kagu Maru subsequently operated with Japanese naval aviation forces in China, carrying reconnaissance seaplanes and supporting operations including the campaigns around Jiujiang and Hankow. Her story ultimately ended on November 4, 1944, when she was attacked and sunk by U. Navy submarines off the Philippines. The original envelope is especially noteworthy. It is printed: “Kagu Maru Launch Commemorative Postcards” Harima Shipbuilding Co. The accompanying specification card is headed “Kagu Maru Launch Commemoration” and dated April 18, 1936. One postcard presents a color illustration of Kagu Maru at sea. It remains a small archival record of the vessel’s birth. In 1937, she became an Imperial Japanese Navy auxiliary seaplane tender. By 1944, after years of wartime service, she lay beneath the sea. Own a Piece of History. International Buyers – Please Note.
Original metal commemorative plaque for the preservation of the Imperial Japanese battleship. The plaque shows the battleship Mikasa, with the inscription. At the top and. “Preservation Commemoration, October 20, 1926″. Mikasa was the flagship of Admiral Heihachiro Togo during the Battle of Tsushima in 1905, one of the most famous naval battles of the Russo-Japanese War. After being removed from active service under the Washington Naval Treaty, Mikasa faced the possibility of dismantling. This plaque is not simply a battleship souvenir. It represents the moment when Japan chose to preserve Mikasa as history. Today, Mikasa still survives in Yokosuka as one of the world’s most important preserved warships and the only surviving pre-dreadnought battleship. Shows age-related patina, wear, discoloration, and surface oxidation. Please review all photos carefully. Own a Piece of History. Approximate 7-21days(To USA).
This is an original 1923 Imperial Japanese Navy commemorative photo album documenting the training and graduation of a group of newly enlisted sailors. The cover is inscribed: “Graduated May 1, 1923″ “Commemorative Photo Album” “Naval Recruit Division” This is an important detail because it tells us exactly what this album represents. It is not simply a collection of old Japanese Navy photographs. It was created to commemorate a specific group of naval recruits who completed their training on May 1, 1923. In modern terms, it can be understood somewhat like a graduation album-but instead of ordinary school life, it records the process by which young men were transformed into trained sailors of the Imperial Japanese Navy. From Recruit to Sailor Young men entering the Imperial Japanese Navy did not simply enlist and immediately board a battleship or cruiser. This album provides a remarkable visual record of that process. For someone unfamiliar with Japanese naval history, one of the most interesting aspects is the amount of land combat training shown here. The word “Navy” naturally brings battleships, cruisers, and life at sea to mind. However, Japanese sailors could also be required to operate ashore, and their training therefore included weapons and land-based military exercises. This album allows us to see that training rather than merely read about it. Rare Glimpses of Naval Training Several photographs are particularly striking. One sequence shows naval cutters moving across the water, their crews rowing beneath Imperial Japanese naval ensigns. Other photographs show sailors deploying across open terrain during field exercises. Another remarkable image shows sailors standing beside the naval ensign while an explosion occurs in the background. Its original Japanese caption refers to a headquarters area and bridge demolition, providing an unusual glimpse of demolition training. These are not staged modern reproductions. They are photographs preserved as part of the recruits’ own 1923 graduation record. The Names Behind the Photographs Another historically valuable feature is a page titled approximately: Names of Officers and Instructors of the Naval Recruit Divisions. It records the names and positions of division leaders, officers, instructors, and assistants associated with the training organization. This transforms the album from a collection of anonymous military photographs into something much more personal. These were real instructors and recruits belonging to a specific Japanese naval training unit more than a century ago. Before World War II The date is also important. These sailors graduated on May 1, 1923-18 years before Japan entered the Pacific War in 1941. Therefore, this is not primarily a World War II combat album. Its real theme is: How a young Japanese recruit became a Navy sailor. Following the photographs allows us to see the discipline, weapons training, seamanship, physical exercises, comradeship, and daily institutional life that formed part of that transformation. In this sense, the album is almost a time capsule of Imperial Japanese Navy recruit life in 1923. The Imperial Japanese Navy was considerably smaller than the Imperial Japanese Army, and enormous quantities of naval material were subsequently lost through wartime destruction and the collapse of the Japanese Empire. An intact photographic record combining a precise graduation date, identifiable training organization, personnel names, and such a broad range of training scenes therefore offers considerable historical interest. The album shows age-related wear, staining, discoloration, deterioration, and damage to the binding and pages. Please examine the photographs carefully for condition. More than a century ago, these young men entered naval training, learned to march, shoot, row, operate in the field, and finally graduated together on May 1, 1923. This is not the story of a warship. Own a Piece of History. International Buyers – Please Note.