Japanese Card Indetification - Help, Please
 

One of the things I enjoy most about collecting Japanese baseball cards is identifying them. But I must admit I am not the best at it, and quite a few times I hit a dead end. Hopefully, someone more knowledgeable might be able to help me identify these cards....

Thanks in advance!

The middle card in the second set resembles the 1958 JCM 31 sets, but I can't find a black-and-white of Nagashima on a double card. Maybe I'm all wet.

The catcher in the second set was identified as Fumio Fujimara from an uncatalogued 1947 set, but I am hoping maybe someone has more information.

And the very first card in the first picture I have seen listed once as 1960 Nagashima, but I have no idea if that is correct and can't identify the set.

Thanks again!

This is Kawakami: 川上
So I'd assume that the red boarded card is Tetsuharu Kawakami, the Giants' great first baseman. He was a left-handed batter, so that checks out. The text on his right shoulder says "All Japan", so it wouldn't surprise me if this card was issued in conjunction with one of the American tours. (The Seals' 1949 tour seems likely, but that's just a guess.)

This is Oh: 王
So the 1970s-looking menko is probably Sadaharu Oh.

Fumio Fujimura, the Tigers' great, was not a catcher. He was mostly a 3B/1B kind of guy, also playing some 2B, OF, and began his career as a pitcher. But he never caught a game. So that's not him. He's not the guy at bat either, since he was right handed.

As for the double card with Nagashima - I don't recognize the set. Many sets had backs similar to that one, but all of the ones that I can think of have writing on the front of the card. It could be from an uncatalogued set - there are lots of them out their - but I don't have my copy of Engel handy to check.

Thanks for the help. I think you right that it is Kawakami. And the other card definitely appears to be Oh. It's an odd card, and I can't place it. More odd, really, because I've seen three or four of them show up on ebay in the last month....

I didn't write what I meant to say. The guy fielding the ball in the first set is the one I meant to indicate as an uncatalogued Fujimura. Sorry about that. Of course, you are right.

I posted the player names for you.
I don't know for sure if that green background Nagashima card is actually vintage. When I lived in Japan there was a modern shop that looked like an old style Dagashiya. There was a package that they sold that had a Kawakami card that resembles this Nagashima card. I think it was sold as a nostalgic item. If I find more details I will post it.

Thanks, Robert. That's a big help! Now I just need to run down a few of these sets....

The Nagashima card in the upper left is from a multi sport set issued in 1959. It isn’t in the Engel Guide, but it is in the Sumo card catalogue since the set has a lot of sumo cards in it. I have one too, see the comments on my post here:
http://baseballcardsinjapan.blogspot...enko-find.html

Thanks, Sean. That was a cool post and explains why I couldn't find that back in the checklist. Some day, I'll have to pick up the sumo checklist just for fun (even though I don't collect sumo cards).

Stumped again! I've ID'd about 1500 menko cards over last couple of weeks but there are handful that I simply can't figure out. Here's the first group. Two of the cards appear to be Bettoh, though I can't place the sets. And one of the scoreboard back cards looks a lot like JCM 107...but the blue column is on the wrong side.

Anyway, any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

(And I still can't figure out what set the Kawakami goes to....)

Probably a long shot, but just bumping to see if any Japanese card experts might be around this weekend. Did some more research and am still stumped (see above post). Thanks!

I added the player names. I still need to check the set designations.

Robert, thank you! I don't read Japanese (which is a real handicap in identifying cards sometimes) and could have sworn at least on of the spectacled pics was Bettoh. Thanks for setting me straight.

Art appreciation lesson!
 

I don't collect Japanese cards, nor do I intend to start, but I really appreciate you sharing these overlooked pieces of art.

unknown late 1950s menko?
 

Is anyone familiar with these cards or sets? I've been trying to identify them for quite some time but just can't figure it out....

The composition of the backs reminds me of the animal-backed sets (JCM 131) but obviously there is no animal and also the font used for the numbers is quite distinctive.

Anyway, if anyone recognizes them or has any insight I'd love to know.

Thanks!

(The first card looks like Tsuchiya, Yamamoto and Saka-something?; the second card is Kawakami).

Hi Frank,

The B & W card is: Masataka Tsuchiya Giants sliding, Tetsuya Yamamoto Tigers catching, Kazuhiko Sakazaki Giants telling Tsuchiya to slide.

I don't have any cards with these kind of backs, just the plain blue backs without the baseball play added.

Jeff