Traditional Lacquer Styles/ Techniques

[mas4t0]

I tend to not post as I mostly read old threads and I don't know anywhere near enough to add anything meaningful to active ones.

 

Anyhow, after a few months of lurking, I have a question which I've not been able to find an answer to. I'd appreciate some opinions on the different lacquer finishes which are used on saya. Are there conventions as to which style of lacquer should be used with certain styles of tosogu, or for blades of a specific period, or was this always an area which was very individual?

 

Is there any functional difference between the different finishes, say Ro-iro and Ishime?

 

I've always been particularly taken with Nashiji lacquer, but have only ever seen it on tachi and aikuchi mounted tanto, but never on uchigatana. Would it be 'wrong' to have a saya for a katana/ wakizashi finished in this way or is it simply personal taste?

 

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

Kind Regards

[Kam]

Hi Mas

 

This is a hard subject to find information about in english especially as there is nothing comprehensive. I have been studying lacquer styles and techniques for close to 20 years and I am forever discovering new info to add to the confusion. I will scrape up some info today and post it up for you. But as a quick reply styles and tastes constantly changed often depending on class and occasion. In regards to roiro and ishime, Roiro is highly polished and any scuffing or marks tend to stand out where as ishime tends to wear better. This also would depend on the Artist and his method on creating the texture. . . . not all ishime is equal. Interesting note when I was at the2009 Sydney Shinsa Roger Robertshaw was speaking to me about the styles of Lacquer I had on display and I pointed to a Handachi Adrian was selling on the adjacent table and pointed out that it was one that I had Lacquered (in Ishime), he then surprised me by saying that his guy was not able to do that type of Ishime and did not know of any others that could do this "old style". I highly doubt it isnt done by other craftsman but due to its time consumption and difficulty it is not favorable. It seems a common practice now, and I have seen many examples since of creating it via spray gun although in saying this there seems to have been a revival in Kanshitsu Ishime which is created using crushed dry urushi. There is a wide range of styles (while not complete) on my website.

 

Regards

 

Kam

[mas4t0]

Hi Kam,

 

Thank you for the reply.

I was looking at the work on your website for the best part of an hour just now, I'm pretty much lost for words.

 

Kind Regards.