Jingasa Information Requested - Is this a mid 20th Century Molded Jingasa?

[tbonesullivan]

This came from an estate sale as kind of a freebie, as it was damaged and glued back together. Looking at it, I'm not sure it's even a genuine article. I've dealt with a lot of different Jingasa helmets, and while I don't really get that deep into them, this has lots of red flags, and I've seen helmets like this before at shows, but they looked brand new and I stayed away. I can see some of the cross section, and it's uniform, looking like it's made from melamine or some other type of molded plastic. I'm used to seeing layers of paper, maybe with metal, and then layers of urushi lacquer. It doesn't look new at all, but it definitely doesn't look real. It also has molding artifacts around the outside rim, and these little bumps on the inside, just like the "brand new" looking ones I see.

 

Does anyone know the story on these? This one looks like it was aged, or maybe it is decades old, but I doubt it is any type of "real" jingasa.

[uwe]

Hello David,

at a glance I would say resin copy of a Bayo-jingasa. The cracks are looking kinda strange…different than one might expect from the materials commonly used. Internal surface looks “unreal” as well. 
However, as you know, judging by images only is always tricky. So can you take more pics? Especially from the damages on the top and the whole inside?! 

 

 

[tbonesullivan]

8 hours ago, uwe said:

Hello David,

at a glance I would say resin copy of a Bayo-jingasa. The cracks are looking kinda strange…different than one might expect from the materials commonly used. Internal surface looks “unreal” as well. 
However, as you know, judging by images only is always tricky. So can you take more pics? Especially from the damages on the top and the whole inside?! 

 

 

 

Well, just found this. It's almost identical, down to the little bumps" on the interior.  I've also attached some more pictures.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/305700110811

[uwe]

Hence we can be sure…!

[Bugyotsuji]

You are right to be suspicious, but can still be used as part of a background display, or use for the village festival, hang in the hall, etc.

[tbonesullivan]

On 8/19/2025 at 11:24 AM, Bugyotsuji said:

You are right to be suspicious, but can still be used as part of a background display, or use for the village festival, hang in the hall, etc.

True! They are definitely great for that. The problem is that many of these are floating around military shows with people thinking they are the real thing due to having aged from being decades old. The cross section however is completely wrong.

[O koumori]

I have an identical one that I bought about a year ago. They are repros.