Bidspirit auction | Two Framed World War II

Two Framed World War II Imperial Japanese Textiles Including a Rising Sun War Flag and Kamikaze Hachimaki - This archival display consists of two World War II-era Imperial Japanese textiles professionally mounted in a single frame. The first item is an Imperial Japanese Army style war flag, known as a Kyokujitsu-ki, featuring a centered red sun disc with sixteen radiating rays. While the handwritten label in the frame identifies this as a naval flag, the centered design is characteristic of the Army or general patriotic flags, as the naval ensign typically featured an offset sun disc. The flag is made of a lightweight natural fiber, likely cotton. The second item is a patriotic headband, or hachimaki, made of white textile. It features three printed red sun discs and two sets of black ink kanji characters. The characters at the top read Hissho, which translates to Certain Victory, and the characters at the bottom read Kamikaze, which translates to Divine Wind. A small paper label is adhered to the upper right corner of the backing board with handwritten text that reads: WORLD WAR 2 JAPANESE BODY FLAG NAVAL AND JAPANESE KAMAKAZI [sic] HEAD BAND. The items are displayed behind glass in a simple painted frame. Based on the orange ruler visible in the images, the exterior of the frame measures approximately 21.75 inches wide (photo 5) and 15.75 inches high (photo 6). The flag measures approximately 12 inches wide and 11.5 inches high. Both items show significant signs of age and wear. The flag exhibits heavy foxing, brown staining possibly due to soil or moisture, several small holes throughout the fabric, and fraying at the edges (photo 1 and photo 2). The hachimaki shows heavy staining, fraying at the edges, and vertical creasing consistent with having been tied or folded (photo 3). The frame shows minor surface scuffing. Because the items are mounted and framed, the reverse sides have not been inspected.