[Lao Pan]

Hmm a thought just crossed my mind "Pirate Meccano Set" "Hyundai Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries" Same Same?

Now it would appear that I have to thank one of the Captains that I sailed with, over 40 years late! I can't for sure remember who it was but was, possibly either Captain Griffiths, Captain Quigley or Captain Hunt.

What happened was that on either the Ibn Qutaibah Christmas 1978 or more likely Hijaz Christmas 1979 we were in the Far East - as part of the Christmas Day Celebrations there was a Lucky Dip Tub, which everyone put in something - I think I put in a new pair of long white socks (Don't think I ever wore tropical socks, always just sandals) When it came to my turn to dip, out came a box with a rather nice Satsuma Ware Ginger Jar in it. Not bad I thought (it was the star prize) and when I got home gave it to Mum.

Last year both parents had to go in to care and we started to clear the house a bit - I don't think they ever threw anything away! - and I repossessed the Ginger Jar.

I had always thought the jar was made in the 1970s - I think it was given to the Captain by the Dunnage Man, probably in Kobe, as a present, after a large order for dunnage.

A couple of days ago my wife suggested I try and find more info about it on the net - she is an avid watcher of Flogit, Dickinson et al. She looked at the Japanese kanji on the base and could read them as they were the same as Chinese characters, "That's Shui, same as my name and that's San, mountain" she said. After a quick Google search we came to the conclusion that the maker was Shuzan of the late Meiji period which ended in 1912, so it would appear that I am in possession of a Genwin Anteek which is possibly worth a lot more than I have thought for the last 40 years.

I also have to thank Captain Hunt for a piece of advise he gave me and the other J/E in the bar one night - I can't remember what the conversation was about but he said "Whatever you do don't try to marry a Taiwanese Girl - the marriage isn't legal and they can't leave the country" Of course I didn't take his advise a few years later, but it made me make sure we were doing exactly the right things before we got married.