Kiseruzutsu - Chinese or Japanese?

[John C]

Just picked this up and I'm hoping it's Japanese. Google says Chinese, however I defer to the experts. What do you all think?

Lots of poems (?) and a signature. I actually picked it up for the Nakashima-like bowtie crack inlay (bone I think).

 

John C.

[Matsunoki]

Imo Japanese. Nice “wabi sabi” feel to it.

[John C]

Thanks, Colin. I had to look up wabi sabi. I had the same thought but didn't know the term.

 

John C.

[John C]

I have a question about the engraving on the tabako-bon I'm hoping you all could answer. I was concerned the writing was made by a rotary tool of some kind due to the way the carvings have a scalloped edge. I've been able to take some closer pictures and it does not appear to be a rotary tool (the bottom of the carvings are not smooth and some of the areas come to a point). Indeed, the width of the carvings is very thin. It does not look like it was carved with a straight blade or chisel either. If I had to guess, a small circular or semi-circular gouge of some sort. Note the valleys coming off of the scalloped edges into the bottom. 

Have you all seen this before? Any ideas what tool was used?

Thank you for looking. 

Regards,

John C.

[Matsunoki]

Well to my eyes it looks carved in exactly the same way as mei on swords…..a series of close taps/chips/cuts with a small very sharp cutter. Wood and ivory carvers had a vast array of different tools, cutters and chisels of great varying sizes and shapes at their disposal (probably not the same as used to carve iron) and used them depending on the effect required and the rapidity of material removal needed. This looks like a very fine “v” shaped tool not unlike those used in katakiribori.

In wood carving the material is actually removed whereas in mei on swords it is usually pushed upwards leaving a “ridge” around the mei kanji.