[AVIATION, RIVALRY, AND NATIONAL ASPIRATION IN 1930S JAPAN].

[亜欧記録飛行記念灰皿とニッポン号新聞号外]. [Toa kiroku hiko kinen haizawa to Nippon-go shinbun gogai].
[Commemorative Ash Tray on the Intercontinental Flight from Asia to Europe WITH An Extra Edition on the Nippon's Around the World Flight].

東京. [Tokyo]. [大阪毎日新聞社]. [Ōsaka Mainichi Shinbunsha]. 1937 - 1939. Stock ID #219986

Porcelain ash tray illustrated with a colour map (12 x 13cm) with accompanying folded newpaper sheet, map, black and white photographic illustrations, 4pp. 54.5 x 39cm,

A striking pair of items reflecting Japan’s aviation ambitions on the eve of the Pacific War.

By the late 1930s, Japan had developed advanced aircraft capable of long-distance flight, achievements that were widely celebrated and closely followed by the press. The globe-shaped ashtray commemorates the highly publicised 1937 Tokyo–London flight of the modified military aircraft Kamikaze, sponsored by Asahi Shimbun. The flight captured the public imagination and was reported as a major national success.

The ashtray is attractively decorated with an image of the aircraft, together with its route from Japan to Britain and the precisely recorded flying time of 94 hours, 17 minutes, and 56 seconds.

In response, the rival Mainichi Shimbun sponsored an even more ambitious venture: a round-the-world flight by the aircraft Nippon. The accompanying four-page newspaper supplement promotes the undertaking with photographic illustrations, including a dramatic front-page image of the aircraft flying over Mount Fuji, and a detailed projected route map. Period advertisements, featuring Western military aircraft, add further visual and historical interest.

Thenewspaper conveys a clear sense of competitive ambition, expressing the hope that this flight would surpass earlier records. With a crew of seven, Nippon completed its journey in approximately two months. However, the outbreak of World War II in Europe shortly after departure forced the cancellation of planned stops in London and Paris, although Berlin and Rome were successfully visited.

Together, these pieces offer a vivid insight into the intersection of aviation, media rivalry, and national aspiration in late 1930s Japan.

When referring to this item please quote stockid 219986.

Price: $300.00 AU

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