This striking Japanese postal card, issued during the later Meiji era, features a preprinted postage value of 5 sen, rendered in a rich reddish-orange hue. The design centers around an ornate circular emblem containing the imperial chrysanthemum crest and the denomination 五銭 (go-sen), symbolizing the highest postcard rate of its time. Framed with a delicate border pattern and vertically inscribed with the kanji 郵便はかき ("postal card"), the card reflects the elegance and functionality of late 19th-century Japanese postal stationery.
The front of the card bears a black ink cancellation, with partial legible markings suggesting postal routing through a major city—potentially Tokyo (東京)—although the details are partially obscured. The address side is written in bold, expressive calligraphy, typical of formal Japanese correspondence of the era. The recipient’s address includes 杉並 (Suginami), a ward in Tokyo Prefecture, written in traditional vertical orientation and brush script. The strokes are confident and flowing, indicating an educated hand and adding significant aesthetic value to the card.
On the reverse, the message is inscribed in beautifully composed vertical lines of cursive-style Japanese, known as 草書 (sōsho), used in more intimate or sophisticated forms of writing. The language and tone suggest a personal letter—possibly familial or related to business—with a poetic cadence characteristic of educated Meiji-period communication. Although the full content requires specialized translation, the brushwork alone elevates this object from mere postal relic to cultural artifact.
Printed typographically on high-quality cardstock, the card is ungummed and unperforated, consistent with Japanese postal card production of the time. The 5 sen value suggests either foreign correspondence or use in a special domestic context, as 1 sen was the standard domestic postcard rate during most of the Meiji era. The higher denomination, combined with the refined script and intact condition, makes this a particularly desirable example.
In its entirety, this card is a vivid testament to Japan’s modernization through written communication during the Meiji Restoration. It bridges artistic tradition with institutional reform, revealing the role of calligraphy, symbolism, and structure in everyday Japanese life. As a postal object, it is rare; as a visual document of historical and cultural value, it is exceptional.
Estimate "$120 – 180"