M421

1942 Nagoya Gunbai Set

M421 -1, Type 1: Brown Ink on Back

M421-2, Type 2: Green Ink on Back

M421-3, Type 3: Blue Ink on Back

M421-4, Type 4: Aqua Ink on Back

M421-5, Type 5: Blue Ink Reverse on Back

    Description:  This is 1 of only 2 WW2 menko sets know to be in existence.  I'm not sure if they are true menko as they have no Gu-Choki-Pa or any fighting numbers on the back.  It is possible they might be a stadium set.  The date of print is actually listed on the back, 17th year of Showa.  However, the menko depict the rikishi between the May 1942 basho and the January 1943 basho and none of the ranks seem accurate to one specific banzuke.  They have Dewaminato listed as an Ozeki, but he never attained this rank.  What I think happened is that Nagoya Gangu tried to predict the next banzuke and the rikishi's new rank, but they got Dewaminato's wrong.  Instead of moving from Sekiwake West to Ozeki, he moved over to Sekiwake East instead.  Nonetheless, I have listed this as a 1942 set since it matches the May 1942 banzuke the best and is what is printed on the back.  This set also has a nice pre-yokozuna menko of Maedayama!

    Company: Nagoya Gangu                                        Availability: Extremely Rare

    Card Size: 1.5" x 3.00"                                           Card Material:  Thin, paper stock 

     # of Cards in set: 30+                                              Packaging: Box

    Winner Stamp Description: Unknown

    Front Design:  This set features the rikishi in the kesho-mawashi.  Shikona is in the upper right or left.  Red border surrounds the menko. 

   Back Design:  Rikishi's statistics are inside a large gunbai.  Rank is at the top and reads right to left.