Rare Antique Japanese 1931 Cruiser Yahagi Pescadores Magong Defense Silver Navy Sake Cup
This is a very rare Japanese military silver sake cup, decorated with an anchor on the front. The words on the side of the cup along the edge are "Warship Yahagi Showa 6th Year (1931) Magong Defense Commemoration". This is in reference to the first warship Yahagi, a cruiser in the Chikuma class, not the second Yahagi which wasn't laid down till 1939. Magong is the port of Pescadores (Penghu) islands off the coast of Taiwan in the Taiwan Strait. In 1931 we had the Mukden Incident which triggered a few years of military tensions between Japan and China, ultimately leading to the establishment of Manchukuo in 1932. This cruiser was probably sent to the island to boost defense along the coast of Taiwan in case of a Chinese invasion or something along those lines.
The cup has a mark of "pure silver" in the base, and comes in original wooden box that says "Commemoration" on the lid. It weighs about 32g. There's a sticker from the shop that made the cup under the lid, stating Tokyo as the location for the shop.
Condition: Mint
Size: 3" across