Maruishi Fender Ornament (Kangaroo) Part 6

次回この記事の日本語版を投稿します。

In the first four installments (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4) we traced the origin of the kangaroo trade mark used by Maruishi Shokai on its Premier model which was first imported from Premier Cycle of Coventry, England in 1912.  And, in the previous post (Part 5), we noted that even prior to 1912, Maruishi was already importing bicycles from Pierce Cycle Company, Buffalo, New York, USA.

Along with the kangaroo trade mark first used on the Premier model, Maruishi also had another trade mark.  In Japanese, Maruishi is written with the two characters Maru (丸＝ round, circle）and Ishi (石=stone), thus, literally "Round Stone".  The trade mark is a pictogram using an "oval=O” to express "丸＝round" with the character for stone (石) inside it.

Here is a guarantee medal with the Maruishi trade mark.


Maru (round) "O" and Ishi (stone) 石.


Here again is the trade mark on a head badge.（←link Japanese only)

Maru (round) "O" and Ishi (stone) 石.

The same trade mark was used on the Pierce model.

And also on some fender ornaments.

On signs and advertisements.

（There are four trade marks in the advertisement below.
   can you find them all?)

And even on work aprons.

 

The trade mark appeared in neon lights perched high atop the Maruishi Building as seen in this advertisement taken from a 1956 export catalog. Note the "Brands" listed.
・Premier
   (originally imported from Premier Cycle of Coventry, England)
・Pierce
   (originally imported from Pierce Cycle Company, Buffalo, New York, USA.)
・Golden Arrow
   (Unknown)
・Maruishi (own brand)


In the next, and final post on Maruishi, we will take a closer look at the Maruishi Building (above) which was completed in 1931, still stands today and is registered as a "tangible cultural property of Japan".