1933 Rikishi 5 Set

    Description:  This is a very early menko set.  This set is one of the first of about a dozen or so "human" sets produced in the 1930's and early 1940s.  This style of sets was common during this decade and fortunately leads to easy identification of the year each was produced.  These sets are different than the similar "human" ones produced in the mid 1950's in the fact that the faces of the rikishi are drawn in these instead of a photo superimposed over the body.    This set is unique in the fact that it features rikishi from both the Tokyo and Osaka Sumo Associations.  After the Shunjuen Incident, many rikishi formed up in Osaka and this set captures a mix of both sets of rikishi which makes this an extremely unique and rare set.  This set has a nice rare Yokozuna menko of Tamanishiki as well as an extremely rare Komusubi ranked menko of the 35th Yokozuna, Minanogawa! Minanogawa was only a Komusubi for 1 tournament!  Menko came in perforated sheets and children had to "pop" them out after they bought them. 

    Company: Unknown                                                Availability: Extremely Rare

    Card Size: 1.50" x 2.75"                                           Card Material:  Thick, paper stock 

     # of Cards in set: 12+                                              Packaging: Sheets

    Key Cards:  Yokozuna Tamanishiki, Komusubi Minanogawa(Future 35th Yokozuna)

    Winner Stamp Description: N/A 

    Front Design:  This set features a drawing of the Rikishi in their Kesho-Mawashi.

   Back Design:  Rikishi's shikona is in big bold kanji in the middle of the menko with the rikishi's rank above this.  Weight is printed on the upper left of the menko back and a war themed work is printed opposite of this in the upper right.  A 5 digit Fighting Number is along the bottom inside of a rectangle.  No Gu-Cho-Pa mark appears on the menko.  Backs are printed in a blue ink.

Banzuke Checklist						Numerical Checklist
Rank	Shikona	Fighting #	Front	Back		Rank	Shikona	Fighting #
Yokozuna (Tokyo)	Tamanishiki	15000				Maegashira	Taikyuzan	85000
						Maegashira	Dewagatake	79800
						Maegashira	Yamatonishiki	74000
						Komusubi	Noshirogata	67900
						Maegashira	Yamanishiki	64700
						Ozeki	Tenryu	64600
						Maegashira	Banshinzan	64600
Ozeki (Osaka)	Tenryu	64600				Maegashira	Shinkai	45000
						Ozeki	Musashiyama	23400
						Komusubi	Minanogawa	17900
						Maegashira	Tokiwano	15820
						Sekiwake	Onosato	15600
Ozeki (Tokyo)	Musashiyama	23400				Komusubi	Tamaikari	15400
						Yokozuna	Tamanishiki	15000
Sekiwake (Osaka)	Onosato	15600				Maegashira	Asashio	12300
						Maegashira	Fujinosato	12300
Komusubi (Tokyo)	Minanogawa	17900
Komusubi (Osaka)	Tamaikari	15400
Komusubi (Tokyo)	Noshirogata	67900
Maegashira (Tokyo)	Asashio	12300
Maegashira (Tokyo)	Dewagatake	79800
Maegashira (Osaka)	Fujinosato	12300
Maegashira (Tokyo)	Shinkai	45000
Maegashira (Tokyo)	Banshinzan	64600
Maegashira (Osaka)	Yamatonishiki	74000
Maegashira (Osaka)	Yamanishiki	64700
Maegashira (Osaka)	Tokiwano	15820
Maegashira (Tokyo)	Taikyuzan	85000