"May Your Military Fortunes Be Long Lasting"

Collector Interview #5

Today we will be talking to Paul Garnier about how and when he first became interested in collecting Japanese military relics.  More specifically we will ask about his interest in Good Luck and related Japanese flags of the World War Two period. I have known Paul since at least 2006, where we met on one … Read more

To Whom Do Military Relics and Medals Belong? by John Adams-Graf (published in the Military Trader, June 10, 2021)

Hardly a week goes by that I don’t read a heart-string-pulling story about “Purple Heart returned to family…” And for a good reason—these types of stories are full of emotion and ego, two things people outside of the militaria hobby like to read about. Regardless, the argument for returning of relics to families or not … Read more

The King of Beasts! Literary Titan Interview with Michael Bortner on his Book Battle Carried:Tiger Art Good Luck Flags

Battle Carried examines the history and meaning of tiger imagery of good luck flags in Japanese culture. Why was this an important book for you to write? Battle Carried was important for me to write because it took into consideration two primary subjects that I had been passionate about since childhood: Japanese good luck flags and the … Read more

Collector Interview #3

Today, I would like to introduce you to Japanese samurai sword collector, Chuck Scarl.  I first met Chuck about ten years ago at one of the two large collector’s shows in the United States.  At the time, he was interested in unusual Japanese good luck signed flags and senninbari belts with custom painted art on … Read more

Camouflage and Non-Standard Painted Japanese Type 90 Steel Helmet for the Army and Navy

“I imagine good teaching as a circle of earnest people sitting down to ask each other meaningful questions.  I don’t see it as the handing down of answers.  So much of what passes for teaching is merely a pointing out of what items to want.” Alice Walker “The strongest human instinct is to impart information, … Read more