This is an antique Japanese military sake cup, decorated with a naval insignia with a pair of flags and the word "Award". The words on the back are "Showa 9th Year (1934) Maizuru Fortress Defense Unit Carrier Pigeon Skills Competition". Whoever won this cup was the winner of a carrier pigeon competition for the Maizuru naval garrison. I looked up info about carrier pigeons for the IJN, and it's hard to come by - what little I found were some tests they did to check to see if using carrier pigeons was viable from ships or even planes - the results for planes was too dicey, but from ships they worked quite well. It's interesting stuff. The first carrier pigeon cup I've ever come across, for a good reason. The cup is made of pewter.

Condition: Excellent - some surface marks.

Size: 3.75" across