WW11 Souvenir Jap Flag

My Daughter in law's Grandfather served with the Second Marine Division in WW11.
His name John Marquette.
I'm just starting to look over his records so bare with me.
But upon first opening a book he had in his collection, the flag below fell out, which was folded and wrapped in cellophane.
It measures 34" wide X 26" tall, having just the outer side edges stitched.
Left side top and bottom edges have leather corners sewn on with 2 short tie strings attached to each leather corner.

It's frail..... I don't want to fold it back up.
Any thoughts as to how to get the folds out?
Any Display Ideas?
Can anyone help translate any of it?
I assume the Good Luck wishes were painted on, doubt there were Sharpies back then.
So I've gotta keep that in mind when/if I attempt to get the folds out AKA like steaming..... Would that effect the paint? Asking all of these questions because I just don't know.

In the same book I found a picture of a Marine holding another one. It appears he is holding his upside down.

TIA,
Charlie-Painter777

Full View
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...drdzoh0v-1.jpg

Top Left
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...gb8terhp-1.jpg
Top Right
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...qzbyirk0-1.jpg

Bottom Left
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...96i9l8aq-1.jpg
Bottom Right
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...qmilr1i9-1.jpg

Leather corners sewn on with 2 short tie strings
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...qappkx3p-1.jpg

Left and Right Edges are sewn. No stitching at the top or bottom edges. Flag is very lightweight.


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...a0lakevi-1.jpg


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...c1zm5y9s-1.jpg


Page 73:
"Jap Battle Flag is exhibited by proud Marine who captured it in a Japanese bivouac area west of Kokumbona. The Melanesians seem uninterested. Flags and samurai swords were most highly prized souvenirs."

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...7f7zgt7v-1.jpg

The Book:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...pmkjxmnj-1.jpg


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...wwmtnqhj-1.jpg

I'd frame it and hang it where little sunlight could bleach it. Put it behind glass.

BAR,
Do you think I should just press it between something to get rid of the folds/wrinkles?
Or try to lightly steam it while hanging?

Looking for suggestions..........

Thanks
Charlie-Painter777

I thought about steaming but I'm not sure it won't lighten the signatures. I'd just carefully stretch it tight under the glass and leave it like that.

Conservation and restoration of flags and banners - Wikipedia

Wiki didn't really answer anything, kind of stepped around it all.

Im with Jim, just frame it under front and back glass, the creases will sort themselves out. If you try fiddle with it you may cause irreversible damage. A good picture framer will sort it out for not a great deal of money.

Regards

Mike

You can have it framed using acid free backing and and a special grade of glass (UV protection) that will help prevent fading. Have a picture done like that and its worth the cost. Any good framing shop should tell you what you need. I wouldn't worry too much about the wrinkles.

A high quality framer could sandwich it between two pieces of museum or conservation quality glass and then you could see both sides of the flag. Get it framed properly, it won't be cheap.

Hang it out of direct sunlight.

I wondered about sandwiching the flag between 2 thick pieces of plywood, say 1" thick ply, with white paper between the flag and the plywood. Then put heavy weights on top of the uppermost piece of ply wood and leave it for a couple of weeks or so. I certainly wouldn't apply any heat or steam to it.

Beautiful piece of history Charlie .. :super:

Regards,
Doug

Is the writing paint or ink ? the fact its been folded and stored, the folds and creases will come out if like the others have said its sandwiched between something for some time. I straightened an old flag years ago using a trouser press and used very little to no heat.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by enfield303t

You can have it framed using acid free backing and and a special grade of glass (UV protection) that will help prevent fading. Have a picture done like that and its worth the cost. Any good framing shop should tell you what you need. I wouldn't worry too much about the wrinkles.

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Sounds about right.

Painter777 that is an incredible "find". A Japanese WW2 battle flag has long been on my wish list. it's especially nice to have the provenance with it. I will add my 2 cents worth.....

I faced a similar issue, but what I had was a WW2 USAAF "silk" escape map. The USAAF maps were not really silk, but rayon acetate. I found my map in a used clothing store, among lady's scarves. It was rather crumpled & wrinkled, and like you, I did not want to damage it. Using our ironing board & elect. iron, I "sandwiched" the map between pieces of un-colored cotton fabric. Starting at lower temps, I experimented until the wrinkles were gone. The map was not damaged at all & wrinkle-free.

The dilemma now is what now? It measures 34" x 30" and that would take a large frame & also I have run out of wall space to display it.

I like Central Michigan. I met my lovely wife of 40+ years in Jackson, MI.

What a treasure.
Thanks for your stewardship and sharing it with us.

Really, I'd say get the creases out of it by all means but please resist any desire to display it anywhere except controlled light. It WILL fade albeit eventually. Avoid any natural light or even bright light like the plague!

Damn boys..........
Now you've got me too nervous to touch or even look at it !
My wife retired from and knows a few over at Michigan State University.
She'll be contacting, her contacts this week to get some help.

I just talked with my Daughter in law explaining that these flags were highly sought after as souvenirs, along with a Samurai sword.
To my shock she replied "The long sword thing?" "We have that also, along with a little one and the things they slide in"

We'll be seeing each other over fathers day.
I sit amazed! :eek:

Thx All
Charlie-Painter777

Love to see that long sword thing and the little one...and the things they slide into also. Make it so...

What some people do if they have a framed picture or painting that they are concerned about being damaged by light is to have a black veil/curtain covering the frame which is only lifted up when they wish to look at the picture.

Good point about the UV and glass.

Standard "float" glass lets a lot of the UV through, but reflects most of the Infra-Red that is the result of the UV penetrating the glass.If it didn't, greenhouses wouldn't work.

Polycarbonates like "Perspex", are pretty good at blocking UV, as I found out many years ago trying to use a piece to make printed-circuit boards using it as a "cover" for the negs. I had made from my Boshop Grappics track layouts. (long story).

Like a precious oil-painting, whatever the transparent material covering it, avoid direct sunlight as much as possible.

As I understand it these flags were given to Japanese soldiers when they went to war by their families. The family members would write well-wishes and farewells on the flags as in this example.

I have heard that many WW2 veterans, or their family members, have returned these flags to to Japan so that the Japanese families will have some remembrance of their lost loved ones.

Not knowing how to post a link, just enter the following search to learn more:

'Aging U.S. Veterans Seek To Return Captured WWII Flags To Japan'

Just so you know - do as you wish of course....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lgr1613

I have heard that many WW2 veterans, or their family members, have returned these flags to to Japan so that the Japanese families will have some remembrance of their lost loved ones.

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Considering their insistence the whole thing never happened, I wonder what really happens to these priceless war souvenirs?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

Originally Posted by lgr1613
I have heard that many WW2 veterans, or their family members, have returned these flags to to Japan so that the Japanese families will have some remembrance of their lost loved ones.

browningautorifle:
Considering their insistence the whole thing never happened, I wonder what really happens to these priceless war souvenirs?

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Shipped From Japan,
Maybe Some end up on Ebay......... This link being just 1 from a COMPLETED AUCTION SEARCH

Captured Original Japanese Army Signed Battle Flag with Stamp! | eBay

Item location:Tokyo Japan...yup, very special heirlooms.

A very good friend had a valuable Samurai sword he acquired in Sept. 1945. He was in the first or second plane that landed in Japan at the end of the war. Military Intelligence guy, he also served in Africa in WWII. His Japanese aide picked it out of a pile of surrender swords being processed for a smelter. The family who turned in it contacted many years after the war and asked him if he would sell it to them. The sword had been in their family some 400 years. He was making plans to sell it to them as he was getting old. Neat guy.

Great piece of history.
Don't risk, frame it with glass, if possible uv-filtering, and put it away from direct sunlight.
I did the same for some very old prints we inherited some time ago, which would fade within a short time otherwise.
They keep doing well under these circumstances.

Look forward to viewing the sword, if you know how to remove the handle, then this will reveal the maker etc, post a pic of this I'll send it to a mate, who will translate, some swords as mentioned are hundreds of years old and some were mass produced during the war....

Problem with the sword etc.
My daughter in law knows they are in her mothers possession, but they are not speaking. A road I don't want to travel down, but worried to death about these items being properly stored. On top of mental health issues, the mother would have little to no interest.... I Know, thus the worries.

Another hazard to these things, and to artworks in general, is "domestic" UV light.

ALL fluorescent tubes, "compact" flouro squiggle bulbs, and most of the dichroic "tiny" lights, emit UV in various quantities.

Interestingly enough, RED is the first colour that starts to fade. UV will also eventually deteriorate the fabric. It's just what it does.

A very nice flag.I have sent you a PM about getting a translation and hopefully you can get the info needed.

Semper Fi
Phil