1920s Japanese something?

bigbeardboy · May 21, 2020

I found this a while ago a house built in the early 1900s. Seems like it is something that is not actually Japanese but made here to look Japanese. Similar the the Egyptian revival of the early 1900s. It looks like a geisha holding a fan. It's about the same size as a half dollar.
any ideas?

ncplumber · May 22, 2020

I can't help with the token, but someone on ebay ran an auction for one like yours. If you search for" Vintage Japanese Geisha Token Japan - Holed - 28 mm & 2.4 grams "you can see it.

bigbeardboy · May 22, 2020

wow, that is exactly the same as mine. Now I know that there are others out there.

okinaw55 · May 22, 2020

here is another one

https://www.ebay.com/itm/JAPANESE-U...g-FAN-AND-SURROUNDED-BY-FLOWERS-/373052373633

I'm fairly certain the last character is "ya" but I will need my wife to look at it.

bigbeardboy · May 22, 2020

Wow, thanks for the leads!
I found this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-An...=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
maybe it was originally from a clasp?

Voriax · May 23, 2020

there seems to be several different styles: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Geisha-wit...a=1&pg=2047675&_trksid=p2047675.c100036.m2109

Voriax

Beachhunter · May 23, 2020

That’s a very cool find!

okinaw55 · May 24, 2020

I had my wife (who is Japanese) look at the characters on the left and she says its rubbish (not real characters in Japanese). I also doubt it is Chinese as they only use kanji and these characters have too few strokes for most Chinese kanji.

I think you're initial guess was right and that it was produced in the US to look foreign. Kind of like the Fred Harvey era jewelry was made to look Native American but was trinkets (albeit with silver and turquoise)

1920s Japanese something?

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