Help with a Japanese Issue

[Cozumeleno]

Originally Posted by rdwyer

Never done Japanese. Clueless. What is it? What is it worth? Thanks for the help.

Value is hard to say. I'm sure there are some rarer, valuable ones out there but the commons aren't usually too expensive. Some 1930s ones were just listed on eBay recently at $15-$20 and drew no bids. I bought one at $15.

[rdwyer]

Thanks for the help!

[nat]

The last two symbols mean "pitcher". I'm not sure what the hiragana (those first four symbols) are supposed to mean. Google says that "kui kui" means "a stubborn", but "A stubborn pitcher" doesn't really compute.


Anyhow, if you're interested we've got a thread on Japanese cards (including menko) over on the post-war side.

[rdwyer]

Thanks Nat

[commishbob]

I'm looking at Gary Engel's guidebook and don't see anything that resembles it at first glance. What does the reverse look like?

[rdwyer]

here's the back:

[commishbob]

I'm not finding an exact match in the Engel guidebook (not surprising, it's extensive but new sets are ID'd regularly) but the back certainly indicates a Marusan issue from the late 50s thru 1962 or so. The scanned page below shows similar backs but more traditional Menko fronts from that era. There are many other Mansuran sets in the book with slight variations of these backs.

img024.jpg