The flag does look very convincing and with originals fetching 200.00 plus, it's been a matter of time before replicas start showing up. Considering the amount of time and effort put into making the flag look so good, 80.00 might not be a bad price ( even for a replica )

 

"Oldtextile" is better known in the vintage kimono market. Generally decent stuff, but you need to read the descriptions, I have bought from them in the past, and will do so again. I very much suspect that this is a film prop or re-enactment piece. I saw it when it was up for sale, and I did not see it as being sold with intent to deceive.

 

"I did not see it as being sold with intent to deceive.

I bought it believing it to be a replica for my pole bayonet. because I wanted a realistic replica to display on it. but I feel his wording is a slippery slope and borderline deceptive because in this case, he never comes out saying the kanji is post war applied. I think he knows what he is selling but words it in such a way as to absolve himself of any ebay claims against selling outright fake items. I have seen sellers do that before.


On a side note, I did buy some WWII meatball flags from him about this time last year , they were really nice quality.

 

I'm fine with repro items. I think the Japanese army field cap is an iconic Japanese militaria item, and I will want to get a good repro instead of a stinky filthy original.

BTW, any suggestion for getting one from?

 

IMA " International Military Antiques" sells a nice one for around 30.00/35.00 and I believe "World War Supply" also sells the same for around the same price. Complete with neck havelock.

 

As long as they are represented as replica I see no problem. This guy is skirting the issue by not saying original and using "WWII ish". I agree there is a market for good reproductions and they are appreciated. But don't commit fraud by selling them as original. IMO

 

It is getting harder to judge most all WWII artifacts as being, "original made before 1945" and "original made after 1945". My uncle ended the war inside Germany and was held over on occupation duty for a year. Against the "non-fraternization" rules, he hung out in bars where older Germans drank and became chummy with a number of them. Letting them know that the artifact that he had wanted was an SS dagger, he was later taken to a location, where SS daggers were being produced on original equipment, by men who'd been producing such daggers for years. So, who is ever going to tell the difference between a pre-1945 SS dagger and a post-1945 SS dagger?

 

One thing to look for on reproduction/fake items like this is the actual writing.
Does it look like only one or two people have written all the characters?
Originals were written/signed by many different people, and therefore the characters should have variety in their form, the same as differences in handwriting would be apparent in western writing when written by many different people.

 

When I had my flag translated by an older Japanese lady, she said she immediately knew it was old. She explained that many of the characters and symbols used were not being used anymore and had not been used since WWII. If in doubt, finding an accurate translator may be worth the time.