Original Imperial Japanese WWII Era “Inken” Signal Lantern in Original Crate - Broken Leg
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Original Item. Only One Available. This is an unusual Imperial Japanese WWII era portable military lantern, traditionally identified as an “Inken” signal lantern, complete with its original fitted wooden transit crate. The lantern is equipped with two folding or deployable support legs for freestanding use, although one leg is now broken and survives in several pieces inside the crate. The lantern shows extensive age and service wear and is missing its original source of illumination, but the surviving body, clear lens, support system, and purpose-built transit chest make it a particularly interesting example of Japanese wartime field equipment.
The lantern was designed as a portable piece of military lighting equipment. Its compact construction and folding supports allowed the unit to be transported in its fitted chest and then erected for use in the field.
Inken military lanterns were portable lighting equipment that used candles as a light source and were taken onto the battlefield.
This would have been issued with a detachable lens set meant to give signals in red, green, and other colors, but this lens set is now gone, and there is only the base transparent lens attached. As mentioned, one of the two deployable legs is broken off and the pieces are in the transit chest.
The transit chest is marked on the front with several Kanji characters, but only two are still legible, translating to Lantern. The chest retains the closure latch and measures 21 ⅝ x 8 ½ x 8 ¼”, and has heavy paint chipping on the lid. The latch is now very oxidized. There is a small cushion piece inside that was used to keep the glass safe during transit.
Condition overall is fair and incomplete. The most significant issues are the completely missing illumination assembly, loss of any accessory colored lenses or filters, heavy general wear, and the broken folding leg. Importantly, the broken leg components remain with the set rather than having been lost entirely.
With its original fitted transit crate, surviving Japanese inscription, folding support arrangement, clear lens, and retained broken-leg components, this is an unusual piece of Japanese WWII era equipment despite its incomplete condition. It would fit particularly well in a collection devoted to Imperial Japanese Army field gear, communications and signaling equipment, or portable military lighting.
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