Ralf that is a big help and helps confirm that star was mostly the maker of the badge with " world's supreme quality " written on. If that is the case, and they were the only ones who made those badges. That's at least one good slice of info that can very useful.

Ralf - you also had some badges with names that I didn't even have on my list. So far I've reached 144 different names. Thankfully I've been able to label some as Star, Hoshino, & Pearl. The real trick is figuring out when certain names switched over. Good example is U.S.Mercury. The badge you have screams Star. Where as the kit and badge I own scream Pearl. Has Pearl lugs,mounts, the works. So I wouldn't be shocked that when Star switched to Tama, that was one of the names Pearl picked up. Looks like ti happened on a few instances. Perhaps those names were being asked?

I've got some things kicking about my head. Gonna see if any of them retain water, and I'll make a post later.

It would be great if all this info was published in a book. maybe you could get in touch with rob cook at rebeats.

Jay earlier in the week I was in Chicopee Mass.

I was picking up a really nice 5 piece mij kit (Zim Gar)from a guy up there

And stacked up with some other orphaned drums, was a red sparkle mij snare drum.

the drum had the thin foil oval shaped (post Star) "Stewart badge

but otherwise it was the identical build to that Hoshino made blue sparkle snare that you have.

It was the first time I have seen that re-pop Stewart badge

on anything other than a Pearl made drum

after Star went away to form Tama. those later foil badged stencils

with re-pop former Star labels apparently were not exclusive to either of the two remaining builders Pearl or Hoshino but were rather produced at least in some cases by both.

This whole MIJ thing is starting to look like tangled fishing line,lol. Think we got a handle and then we're thrown a curve. It could be that maybe both bought the rights to use the names or perhaps there was such a demand for certain names that both were able to get business. Maybe store A called Hoshino asking for Stewart drums, and store B called Pearl asking the same since Star / Tama no longer made them. I could see that as being a plausible possibility. Then again....

Hello,

both Stewart (ex Star and ex Pearl) are 'oval shaped' ...

Left: genuine Star, right: Pearl made.

Cheers, Ralf

Is "World's Supreme Quality" the giveaway? Star always had that on their badges, didn't they, or did I just dream that?

Worlds Supreme Quality is certainly Star as the Pearl version just had made in Japan. Interestingly enough to this, the Hoshino version says nothing about Japan, coinciding with my theory that they just had the brand name on the badge ( vivant,stewart,etc.. ) but no MIJ,Supreme Quality or anything else. Just the name. I'll snap a photo of mine so we can see all three variations. Now we're cookin!

Here is the suspected Hoshino ( does say Japan I found, but really tiny. Grommet would almost cover it completely.

I personally have not run into any drums with those oval shaped, metal, Pearl made badges with the name Stewart spelled out in non-cursive script and fastened with two small nails

I have seen the badge before, but no actual drums wearing it yet.

most of all the Pearl made post-Star Stewart badges I have seen on the drums

are the oval shaped thin foil "sticker"

with the Stewart in the original cursive script

but without the original "Worlds supreme quality" tag

I would guess the above mentioned non-cursive metal version saw a very limited run

before being phased out and replaced by the foil stickers and that any kits wearing them could be considered something of a rarity

So the one I posted is Pearl. Did Pearl or Star make two variations? Or could the Made in Japan one be Hoshino? I can't imagine making one badge a couple different ways. Then again.... lol

Either way we know there are three very distinct Stewart badges.