Yokosuka Naval Armory, Skill Badge...

[kaigunair]

Been awhile, but really nice to see so many new and interesting topics on this board.

Thought I'd add to the discussion. Came across this listing which is interesting, but way to expensive for someone like me whose's not primarily into pins and badges:

http://www.ebay.com/...=item20c3a6d631

If I've translated it correctly the front kanji,技, indicates this is a badge for "skill".

Rear kanjis read 横須賀 (yokosuka) 兵廠 (arsenal).

The symbolism packed into this little badge is amazing. From the top, there's the naval anchor which also becomes the outline of the front of a ship. The straight line/curls is symbolic of signal corp, there's the sakura and propeller (air), torpedo, telescope, axe and hammer (carpentry), wrenches, artillery shell, and the waves/sea spray.

Edited August 8, 2012 by kaigunair

[Hugh]

I wonder if the item you have identified as a telescope (I think) might really be a naval gun. Either would be appropriate as they both need a great deal of care and feeding.

Best,

Hugh

[JapanX]

Came across this listing which is interesting, but way to expensive for someone like me whose's not primarily into pins and badges

I think even for them $195 is way too much

Nice badge. Not your usual small round badge "for long service"

Thanks for posting!

Cheers,

Nick

P.S. Looks like seller is FrancoNetherlandofob :lol:

[JapanX]

...might really be a naval gun.

Definitely a naval gun Hugh!

Cheers,

Nick

[kaigunair]

ah yes, a naval gun would make more sense! :speechless:would also clear up a different question I had when I was looking at proficiency badges and what they were issued for...thanks!

[fukuoka]

Nice badge, but the price is sky-high. I would imagine more like $50 in that worn condition?

The translation is correct. Technical Skills badge from the Yokosuka Arsenal.

BTW, why isn't GMIC displaying kanji characters any more?

Cheers,

Rich

[JapanX]

BTW, why isn't GMIC displaying kanji characters any more?

Not only kanji, but russian letters, arabic, etc ...

Some glitch in the system I guess.

[fukuoka]

I guess we shouldn't complain too much--even about glitches--or the Mods will get irritated...

Edited August 9, 2012 by fukuoka

[JapanX]

I guess we shouldn't complain too much--even about glitches--or the Mods will get irritated...

Simul ipsa silentia terrent! ;)

[kaigunair]

well now, looks like someone picked it up for $150! Turns out it was listed in the Peterson book too right after the proficiency badges section...

[JapanX]

well now, looks like someone picked it up for $150! Turns out it was listed in the Peterson book too right after the proficiency badges section...

$150?!

Not bad ... :whistle:

[kaigunair]

I'm alittle more dissapointed that no one mentioned it was listed in peterson. At least the info perhaps helped someone on this board...

[Jareth]

A real bargain that kaigunair should of bought!

[kaigunair]

A real bargain that kaigunair should of bought!

nah Jareth, can't be expanding the collection to include these pins, especially since I just got into a different area of awards .

from my understanding, this type of pin back is usually indicative of a private shop creation, vs an "official" issued badge. I'm getting that from era pics of badge/medal shop advertisements. I did like the design, but price wasn't right for me...

still haven't taken the leap into the metal helmets...yet!

Edited August 10, 2012 by kaigunair

[fukuoka]

I'm alittle more dissapointed that no one mentioned it was listed in peterson. At least the info perhaps helped someone on this board...

I forgot it was in there, to be honest. I rarely look back at Peterson since there are so many other sources to examine (not in English, though). Perhaps I am misreading your message, but did you mean that we purposefully did not mention it was in that book? I cannot believe either Nick or I would've done that. There would've been no reason to hide this info.

BTW, that badge has been on ebay for months now. It took a looooong time to sell, but seriously, that price (even at $150) was far too expensive. I remember the seller first listing it as a Pearl Harbor attack commemorative. When I told him he was wrong, he bombarded me with messages saying how terrible my website was, blocked me from sending messages, and told ebay I was a menace! LOL! All kinds of crazies on ebay...

Edited August 10, 2012 by fukuoka

[kaigunair]

Hi Rich, did not mean that, and will be more careful with my wording. The forum has certainly got more lively, much more so than when I first visited it a few years back. Many of the posts here have so much more info than the ones back then, lots more info being exchanged which bodes well for future collectors. I still am trying to catch up with all the older posts. An example of this is the more recent buko-sho discussion which was really helpful and came to a pretty convincing conclusion, much different than the past ones I've had on this and other forums. Its very encouraging.

I think I do recall seeing the naval skill medal listed a while ago, maybe last year or earlier? It was definitely early last year at the least. I do think it is weird that it sold all of a sudden. But I think its a positive sign for jpn medal collectors that this area of collecting is getting "hotter", at least by the way ebay prices seem to be going up...

[JapanX]

A real bargain that kaigunair should of bought!

Definitely! :lol:

[kaigunair]

"That's not a technical skills badge, THIS is a technical skills badge!":

Can't believe I almost forgot about this badge I picked up from Rich a while back! Also shows how much I've been focusing my attention elsewhere. Maybe it was a subconscious reason why I was drawn to the ebay badge, but when looking at this one, no comparison!

Edited August 11, 2012 by kaigunair

[fukuoka]

Now THAT badge is worth some money! I remember that one--that was a few years ago, wasn't it?

[fukuoka]

See here: http://imperialjapan...mentsbadge.html

Didn't Nick Komiya write about this badge on the Wehrmacht forum?

And of course this silver technical skills badge--also very valuable and scarce:

http://imperialjapanmedalsandbadges.com/armytechnical.html

Edited August 11, 2012 by fukuoka

[JapanX]

And of course this silver technical skills badge--also very valuable and scarce:

http://imperialjapanmedalsandbadges.com/armytechnical.html

This badge is completely different story...

Made in silver and has interesting design!

I'd pay $150 for this one at any time!

Anyone? :whistle:

[kaigunair]

See here: http://imperialjapan...mentsbadge.html

Didn't Nick Komiya write about this badge on the Wehrmacht forum?

And of course this silver technical skills badge--also very valuable and scarce:

http://imperialjapan...ytechnical.html

Yup, I had posted the badge to get confirmation of the translation, and Nick Komiya helped out big time! Back then, this forum was much more sleepy.

Been looking for that other silver technical skills badge but only saw it on yahoo jpn once. Don't know why these appeal to me...

[fukuoka]

I have another Yokosuka Navy badge--Air Squadron watch fob--but how can I post a picture?

Edited August 12, 2012 by fukuoka

[kaigunair]

You have to use the "more reply options".

[fukuoka]

'Yokosuka Navy Air Squadron, 40th Class, Upper Class Aircraft Maintenance Skills, Cadet Graduation Commemorative, 2600 [1940].'

I translated 'Seibi Jutsu' as maintenance skills, seibi meaning equipment. Not sure if that is the correct translation.