My theory is that these beads were bought in China during the Japanese occupation - for the ladies, as they show up strung on those nice braided cords that are used as obidome for wear over a kimono sash.

The guys seemed to like small sake bottles and cups, or sets of small wine/tea cups.

The dragons on these things are all pretty casual - foreign occupation, wartime economic conditions - but the Japanese were the customers, and if these were the little souvenir type things that young soldiers could afford, that's what got made? Craftsmen have to eat.

Young US soldiers, on the other hand, in Peking before 1937 and after 1945, seem to have been attracted to cigarette cases and traditional calligraphy brush washing dishes, which they no doubt bought as ashtrays.

But World War II was a long time ago, especially if you were born in the 1980s and are now disposing of grampa's stuff or finding things at antique shops, flea markets...

And "Ojime" has that magic glow of being something for which collectors will pay nice sums. These beads seem to usually go for around $45-50 apiece.

MOMENTS LATER: I rest my case: item 321878840555