They were signed for an RCA marketeer at the Tokyo Prince Hotel in Shiba-koen on Monday December 4th during the Isolar 2 tour. Mr Sasaki had organised a similar signing 5 years previously during the 1973 tour of Japan in April.
Mr Sasaki: "The boards were for senior members of RCA Japan for their office walls.. They were also used as competition prizes or given to well known Japanese celebrities at the time".
Sasaki (as was/is common practice) retained several for himself, eventually selling some to an antique dealer in Japan and the rest privately over the last couple of years to a UK colllector including two very rare 1973 boards. He commented "David would be asked to sign around 30 for dignitaries and promotional purposes".
Shikishi boards are made from fine handmade card art paper. They are edged with a strip of gold and are traditionally used for sumi paintings, haiku poems, calligraphy, and watercolor paintings. Record companies started logoing them up in the early 70's for their roster to autograph or draw cartoons on. These boards measure just under 25cm x 25cm and are printed RCA with the wording Records in Japanese underneath.
David's signature rarely ever looked the same as can be seen in the gallery. On this particular signing he was set at a desk (as he was in 1973). Some of the variations, written within seconds of each other, are as always considerable - Mr Sasaki, who was on friendly terms with David until the last time they saw each other in 2004 considers his signature a form of art.
Not for RCA. David's last global tour whilst under contract to RCA which included Japan was to be 1978 (he signed with EMI in 1983). The 9 boards still in existence are shown below.