| Antique Japanese lacquer inro and boxes
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| | particular are featured quite frequently
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| are such incredibly beautiful works of
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| | in a wide range of Oriental art.AMAZING
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| art, particularly, pieces from the late
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| | SKILLSMany of the new Japanese techniques
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| 18th and early 19th century. I consider
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| | and most of the superb designs were
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| many of them to rate very highly, amongst
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| | originally to be found on the 14th and
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| the finest treasures of the World!Without
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| | 15th century boxes. The skills and
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| I hope being too technical, my intention
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| | control in decoration that were developed
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| is to use and to explain the terms and
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| | in the 18th and early 19th century, were
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| names, that are most commonly in use.
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| | based both on these earlier techniques
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| This way readers who might be tempted to
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| | and designs, but this was a period where
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| look at sale catalogues, will be more
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| | new peaks were reached and breathtakingly
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| able to appreciate and understand the
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| | beautiful lacquer works have been
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| descriptions.INRO FASHIONWith the
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| | created.Several craftsmen were involved
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| introduction of the kimono, the inro
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| | in the making of an inro. First the very
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| became one of the most important and
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| | thin wood base would have been
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| essential fashion accessories used to
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| | painstakingly made, with carefully
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| carry on ones person such items as ink
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| | selected wood, where all the knots had to
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| seals and medicines.The kimono had no
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| | be avoided. Conifers were preferred as
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| pockets so the inro was a clever
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| | this wood contained very little resin.It
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| container, consisting of a number of
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| | would then have been handed to the next
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| interlocking small separate sections, all
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| | craftsman, a specialist at applying the
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| held together on a silk cord and worn
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| | numerous base layers of lacquer. Each
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| hanging from the sash tied at the waist.
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| | layer would be extremely thin, and
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| Soon it evolved from a purely functional
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| | gradually finer and finer quality lacquer
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| item to one of very high fashion, and the
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| | was used, at least 30 layers were
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| designs and decoration gradually became
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| | applied, so that no trace of the wood
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| richer, finer and even more
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| | inside could any longer be visible. Only
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| lavish.NETSUKE, OJIME AND INROA bead
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| | at this stage would the lacquer artist
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| known as an 'Ojime' kept the various
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| | responsible to design and create the many
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| sections closed tight together. A toggle
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| | layers of decoration begin.What does seem
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| normally a small wood or ivory carving
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| | amazing to me, when one considers how the
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| known as a 'Netsuke' would also be
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| | wood base was made, was the fact that
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| threaded on to the silk cord. The netsuke
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| | they would have had to make allowances
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| (these are such superb little sculptures)
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| | for the thickness of all these layers.
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| would be pushed up under the sash (known
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| | Yet the Inro sections fit and slot into
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| as the 'Obi') that was tied round the
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| | each other so perfectly, that one can
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| waist, and would thus hold the inro
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| | hardly see any of the dividing lines once
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| hanging below.The silk cord would have
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| | closed.THE DECORATIONOften two artists
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| had to be about 56 inches long, and was
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| | would collaborate to decorate an inro,
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| threaded in such a way, that about 3 to 4
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| | one a lacquer artist, the other could be
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| inches of the cord would show below the
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| | a metal worker or even a netsuke carver,
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| 'Obi' to the 'Ojime' and 'Inro'. Are you
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| | providing wonderfully worked items, that
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| still with me? Under the inro a
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| | would be inlaid in the lacquer. Various
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| many-looped special bow was formed, with
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| | materials have been used in this way such
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| normally six loops all of the same size.
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| | as precious metals, pottery, ivory,
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| There would only be one knot and this
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| | shell, horn and many others.
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| would be hidden in the larger of the two
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| | Incidentally, there had to be very close
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| cord holes, within the Japanese netsuke.
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| | collaboration, for each time an inlay in
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| No loose ends would be visible.Sometimes
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| | the design overlapped more than one
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| a 'Manju' would be used instead of the
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| | section, it had to be made in two pieces
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| netsuke. These are rather like a thick
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| | to allow the inro to open. Such inro
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| pocket watch shaped carving, comprising
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| | often have two signatures as both of the
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| two sections that open up. The lower
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| | artists would sign.The superb gold inro
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| piece has a central hole, and an eyelet
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| | photographed is decorated with
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| for the cord is fixed inside the upper
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| | exquisitely applied metal work, the scene
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| section. Once attached to the cord, the
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| | being of an outside stage with two
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| knot would remain hidden inside but
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| | actors. One is an archer, about to fire
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| unlike the netsuke, the carving or
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| | his bow at the other on the reverse, who
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| decoration of a manju is only
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| | is crouching down protecting a monkey.The
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| two-dimensional.The earliest 'Ojime' were
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| | face of the archer, although mostly
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| simply a drilled bead, often of coral, as
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| | viewed in profile, surprisingly, has his
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| they had faith in a superstition that
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| | full-face details if viewed from the
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| coral would disintegrate if near to
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| | side.The remarkable metal work extends
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| poison. Quite valuable to them, if only
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| | over three of the Inro sections. In this
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| it had been true, as they carried and
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| | particular case, both the Lacquer and the
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| took some very strange medicines. Later
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| | metal work were by the same artist and it
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| semiprecious stones and ivory were used,
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| | is signed Noriyuki. (See the photograph
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| some of them are beautifully carved, and
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| | by using the link at the end of this
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| there are also many very fine metal
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| | article).This inro has an attractive
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| ojime. Today collectors even specialise
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| | metal Ojime, and a good Ivory Netsuke, of
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| in just ojime and they have become quite
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| | two musicians. The Netsuke is signed
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| valuable. I do think it is rather a shame
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| | Harumin.THE ARTISTSSignatures however,
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| that so many of these items are now
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| | are not always a sure way of knowing who
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| collected separately, when they really
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| | did the work. Often the signature was
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| all belong together.For many years there
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| | placed in honour, not as a forgery, of a
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| have been Japanese netsuke collectors,
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| | great artist who originated the design
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| and I can appreciate why, as they are
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| | such as the top early artists Ritsuo and
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| complete artworks, as well as being
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| | Korin. Many very fine lacquer works were
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| wonderful handling pieces. Anyway, so
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| | not signed at all. Pieces that were
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| many netsuke collectors given time find
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| | commissioned by the Shogun or Daimyo,
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| they are tempted by inro too! I always
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| | where only the highest of standards were
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| considered myself to be rather a
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| | acceptable, would not normally be signed,
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| specialist collector, but I would not be
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| | no matter how important the artist.In
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| happy to own inro, without an ojime or
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| | 1868 the Meiji restoration meant the loss
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| netsuke, as they would seem so
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| | of such patrons, and Japan had opened up
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| incomplete! I could not imagine being
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| | to the west. This meant that artists had
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| satisfied with only collecting the ojime,
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| | to try to appeal to new clients, with an
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| beautiful as some of them are. Obviously
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| | unknown Western taste. Thank goodness,
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| these high prices have been the main
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| | they were not prepared however, to give
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| reason for such specialisation!KEEPING
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| | up certain of their traditional designs
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| LACQUERGreat care needs to be taken when
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| | and techniques.Family names passed down
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| handling lacquer, as it can so easily be
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| | from one generation to another; the name
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| damaged by knocks. The most common cause
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| | of a particularly admired artist would be
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| occurs when the inro is picked up, for if
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| | signed by all the following generations.
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| the netsuke is allowed to swing and bump
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| | They would also have non related
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| into the inro, the lacquer will dent and
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| | students, who would be encouraged to use
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| chip.One should always try to hold the
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| | the same name, on work of a high enough
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| silk cord when inspecting inro, rather
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| | standard, that is, until they were
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| than finger the lacquer, as there is
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| | sufficiently proficient to become
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| something in our perspiration that dulls
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| | independent. One such family name was
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| the shine in time.All lacquer is best
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| | Koma, where the later very famous 19th
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| kept in a reasonably humid atmosphere
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| | century artist, Shibata Zeshin was
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| avoiding sudden changes of temperature.
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| | taught.There is a wonderful display of
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| This is not so difficult to arrange in
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| | Japanese inro by Zeshin at the V & A
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| this country, it is simply a matter of
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| | Museum, of a collection based on the
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| keeping a bowl of water in the same
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| | twelve months of the year, which is well
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| cabinet and avoiding the use of any hot
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| | worth a visit. Each piece is superb, and
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| spot lights.LACQUER BOXESMost of the
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| | a large variety of techniques can be seen
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| early 'Boxes' or 'Kogo' were made to keep
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| | all in one place!THE GREAT SCHOOLSThe
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| things in, such as Suzuribako, these were
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| | finest artists were all talented members
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| fully fitted writing boxes that contained
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| | of schools, often under the supervision
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| the ink block, water dropper, all the
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| | of a master, such as Koma and Kajikawa,
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| brushes and tools. Some were fitted with
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| | and these two schools produced high
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| all the requirements for pastimes such as
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| | quality Lacquer for over two hundred
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| the Incense Game or the Shell Game,
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| | years. Other schools have become known
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| whilst others were designed as Picnic
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| | for their special techniques. One is
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| Sets.A lot of Japanese lacquer boxes were
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| | Somada that specialised in very fine
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| used as a means of packaging, for
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| | Shell inlay; another is Shibayama who
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| deliveries of documents, or sweet cakes
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| | worked with more thickly encrusted
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| and gifts.The practice used to be that
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| | materials such as shell, ivory,
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| once filled with gifts, they were then
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| | soapstone, pottery and many other
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| simply wrapped in a material that was
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| | materials. There was also Tsuishu Yosei
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| formed into a sack. This was then
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| | who brilliantly carved red Lacquer, but
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| carried, over the shoulder, by the
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| | the Shiomi Masanari School favoured the
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| messenger and delivered. The recipient
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| | most difficult technique of all, known as
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| would later have all the boxes returned,
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| | Togadashi where the surface is kept
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| normally with a note and something little
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| | perfectly flat.Superb quality Lacquer
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| in them, as a gift to say thank you, and
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| | work was not restricted to Inro, but
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| so these boxes would be used over and
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| | there are also some magnificent boxes
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| over again.They all are beautifully
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| | that were used, such as 'Bunko' for
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| decorated and it is surprising to us that
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| | documents, 'Fubako' for letters and
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| these boxes were not, in those days,
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| | 'Kogo' incense boxes, originally used for
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| considered more valuable.THE
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| | cosmetics. Some of these boxes also have
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| DESIGNSNearly all the designs were taken
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| | a fitted tray, and sometimes a set of
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| from early classical literature,
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| | smaller boxes, that all fit perfectly
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| paintings or woodblocks. Printed picture
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| | inside. Many of these items including the
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| books had become very popular in the 17th
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| | already described writing, games and
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| century. They hardly ever had any text,
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| | picnic boxes as well as pieces of
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| but many of the illustrations were copied
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| | furniture, can all be found just as
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| and used by lacquer artists, in the same
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| | finely decorated as inro.The little kogo
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| way as other craftsmen had done, such as
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| | photographed is signed Kosentie and so
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| enamellers, potters and metal workers.
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| | beautifully decorated on the cover and
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| This is why we find various popular
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| | sides, with continuous scenes of bamboo
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| scenes recurring in inro, such as the
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| | growing besides a running stream. The
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| young herdsman playing the flute next to
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| | fitted tray has a similar scene and every
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| his resting ox, and Rosei's dream is
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| | other part is covered in tiny gold
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| another subject frequently found.The
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| | pieces, each placed by hand individually.
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| photograph (To see the photographs please
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| | So much richer a finish is achieved, than
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| click on the link at the end of this
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| | the more usual 'Nashiji', where fine gold
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| article) of an inro depicting Rosei's
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| | is carefully sprinkled on! (See the
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| dream is a very fine example: it shows
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| | photograph by using the link at the end
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| him partially hidden by his fan that is
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| | of this article).If you have a good eye
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| inlaid with a very thin piece of
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| | for composition the appreciation of
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| iridescent shell. At certain angles of
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| | lacquer work is hard to resist. On inro
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| light his face can clearly be seen. On
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| | they have very ingenious methods of
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| the reverse, in superbly fine gold work,
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| | design to make one wish to see the other
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| is the subject of his dream. He is
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| | side, such as the use of a rope that
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| dreaming of his ride in a stately court
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| | mysteriously disappears round the side,
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| procession. This inro is Signed Komo
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| | or a scroll that flows round the
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| Kyuhaku.Together with this inro is a
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| | inro.When we began collecting, we were
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| lacquer Ojime, and a wood netsuke, carved
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| | simply only buying pieces that we
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| as a kneeling man with a dagger. This
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| | instinctively liked, and we have had no
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| intriguing netsuke is signed Minko. By
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| | regrets. There is so much to learn
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| pulling gently on the sheath, the steel
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| | however, once one becomes interested,
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| blade comes into view, creating quite an
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| | especially these days when modern inro
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| effective illusion.I must apologise, as
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| | are being produced to a very high
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| the silk cord is not tied in the correct
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| | standard. Having seen the work of
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| fashion in both of the inro photographed
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| | Unryuan, a very good artist born in 1952,
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| - one day I shall have to put this
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| | his inro command nearly as much as the
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| right!Compositions in general favoured
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| | antique works. So many inro these days
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| nature, animals, flowers, birds, insects,
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| | have been very cleverly repaired and now
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| Mount Fuji, every day life, myths and
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| | that so much money is involved a lot of
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| legends. The first western visitors also
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| | care when buying is needed.I do hope that
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| fascinated the Japanese. The Portuguese
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| | there will always be private collections
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| were the first to arrive in 1542,
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| | and that lacquer will not be confined to
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| followed soon by the Dutch, and all the
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| | Museums, as it is such a fascinating
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| arts were greatly influenced from the mid
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| | hobby!
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| 16th century onwards. Dutchmen in
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