Japan, Empire. An Imperial Japanese Army Lieutenant’s Dress Cap, c. 1920

This is a very well-preserved Imperial Japanese Army Lieutenant’s dress cap, constructed of smooth black wool. The crown of the cap bears a five-pointed star constructed of machine-embroidered gold bullion wire, and is trimmed with dual bands of identical construction. The body of the cap is trimmed at both the top and bottom with additional dual bands of gold bullion wire, with four bands emanating from the top band at the cap’s cardinal points, extending vertically into the crown. Pinned into the peak of the cap is an insignia, constructed of gilded bronze, consisting of a stylized radiant sun, measuring 54 mm in diameter at its widest point. The top of the insignia has a hole for the accommodation of a decorative plume feather, which has since been lost to time. The cap is flanked by two bronze buttons, each bearing a raised cherry blossom, holding in place a black leather chinstrap, the latter resting upon the visor. The visor itself is constructed of black lacquered leather, crimped along the peak, and is securely stitched into the body of the cap. The interior bears a 40 mm-wide black leather sweatband neatly stitched into the walls, and is joined together at the reverse by a bowtie-style ribbon. The cap features a complete black silk interior liner, inscribed with a maker’s mark in Japanese characters. The cap measures approximately 205 mm (w) x 248 mm (l) x 125 mm (h). There is some age-appropriate material fatigue evident to both the wool and leather features, and the reverse exterior bears a small patch of mothing. The cap is in an otherwise better than very fine condition.