My listing include some items from my father’s collection. Authentic items related to Japan and the US from 1950 to around 1980. Many items have already been sold.
Brochures about Japan – A set of brochures encouraging tourism in Japan in the postwar era, when relations between the two countries were being revised from the wartime footing. 1950s to 1970s.
Serving Tray, Bembo of Okinawa, Bamboo pattern – Sold – A wooden tray with black lacquer finish. Estimated date 1960s. This is called Rykyuan lacquerware (Ryukyu is the old name for Okinawa). Ryukyuan lacquerware is one of the chief artistic products of the Ryukyu Islands. Okinawa, as a military base for the USA, often created items to be sold to soldiers at the base.
See: Sekaimon search for Bembo
Asia Scene Magazine – this issue was sold but others are for sale – a trade-oriented magazine from the 1950s, when Japan was rising as a manufacturing country.
The magazine was largely about Japan, and written for an expatriate US audience, but also included some information about Japanese American life. The story in the photo is about The Crimson Kimono, a Sam Fuller film that is set in Japanese America, featuring many locales in LA. The US office for Asia Scene was located on 2nd St. in Los Angeles, right in Little Tokyo. (I think it was 323 2nd St. The location is now Federal Public Defender, but I’m pretty sure this used to be the Mitsubishi Bank building. This was all built well after The Crimson Kimono was filmed.)
The link performs a search for Asia Scene.
Sony Demonstration Cassette
These were included with cassette recorders. One side was prerecorded, and the other side was blank.
The song selections were intentionally international.
[…] found this library book at the thrift store, and bought it because it was 昭和レトロ Showa Retro USA. Published in 1968, this childrens book, written for elementary school readers, explained the daily […]