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The format for this article is different than the others as I want to post
my impressions on lacquering and makie first.
We got to Wajima yesterday. Left on the first bus in the morning for the
two hour ride. Little shops selling lacquerware abound in this town. That
does not mean they all sell quality wares. All have some work that has taken
real time and effort to produce. With very few exceptions, none are done by
true masters. Regardless of what you buy you will not leave without an object
of lasting beauty.
There seems to be a lot of hype regarding the name Wajima or urushi, as
if any and everything that comes from, or might be associated with, here has
a sense of magic. There are real gems and great works of art made here and
many are on display at the local museum. There are also more common utilitarian
objects too. Better works, and many of these are very simple in appearance,
take time to produce and are expensive. The process from creation of the wood
base, preparation for finishing, and simple lacquering can take a year. There
is a film at the museum that shows it can take almost five years to do a high-end
table and tea set. Great pains, experience, and talent are required for this
level of workmanship and, in some cases, over twenty individual craftsmen
are required to produce one item.
A good must-see site to visit is the Wajima
Lacquerware Home Page.
Lacquerware is produced on a wood substrate that requires several steps
of preparation before the finish layer of lacquer can be applied. And
then, it is either scribed for application of gold foils (chinkin) or sent
to a
makie artist, for application of different treatments of gold. For chinkin
work, one error will ruin one year of preparation and lacquering and
it has to be done right the first time. At this stage, makie can be removed
and redone.
Makie is the surface application of gold and other materials to a lacquered
substrate. Although applications by screening or other mechanical processes
are called makie by Pilot, Platinum, Sailor, and other pen makers, this
is a misnomer. Not one of the craftsman we met would ever consider this
the case.
True makie is time consuming, done by hand, and generally much more expensive.
Writing instruments do not need the number of craftsmen required to create
and prepare the substrate. An ebonite barrel and cap might need minimal
preparation for the final lacquer coats to be applied. Some ebonite pens
from the 1930s
might only have one thin coat of cheap lacquer. Plastic should need none
at all.
Some random thoughts on Wajima, Urushi, and makie.
- Unless you have a strong interest in Japanese culture, lacquerware,
and have time on your hands, Wajima might not be the best way to spend
a day in Japan.
- To his credit, Stephen Overbury had it right in his discussion and
appreciation of makie as a traditional Japanese art form. High-grade
makie artwork is painstakingly
done and can take years to complete. Only the best artists can perform
at this level and, unfortunately, they are a dying breed. One-of-a-kind
or very
limited edition pens decorated by specific artists will maintain and
increase in value over time.
- Urushi as a protective coating has been in use over 8,000 years
and, in Japan, was a commonly applied material before the advent
of plastics
and modern mass production applications. It is still used on lacquerware
and all
lacquerware from Wajima uses Japanese urushi, which is supposedly of
a higher quality than that obtained from China or Taiwan. Urushi, with
the addition
of natural pigments, can come in a number of colors. There is nothing
special to the selection of urushi types, only in the preparation and
application of the material. Outside of the nib, the cost of an urushi
coated pen
is directly
related to the preparation and application time and quantity of pens
being produced.
- Makie is an applied art form. Screen applied designs are too. Screen
printing is not makie. Both need to be appreciated and valued for what
they are, and the subjective aesthetic value they convey. Screen applied
artwork
on pens is intended for mass-production and rarely is only one, or
a very small run done. Most of the so-called makie one sees in Japan
is screen-printed,
from simple chopsticks to elaborate boxes. Over time dumbing-down of
most
anything can occur, and screen printing can be viewed in this context.
It is but an effort to make an exclusive art form available to the
masses.
- Several people have asked me about getting a custom pen made. Anyone
can have a pen designed, prepared, lacquered, and decoration applied.
One only needs to find the proper craftsman and pay an appropriate
fee. Knowledge
of Japanese is extremely helpful and direction to appropriate craftsman
is needed.
- It is my opinion most do not understand what it takes to produce
a quality makie lacquerware bowl, tray, or pen. The best analogy I
might make
is retaining
a great artist to create a work for you. Only when someone can understand
the time and effort (and translate that to cost) that goes into the
work, can it be truly appreciated.
- My feelings about Japanese crafts are again validated. My connection
with Japan goes back over thirty years and, longer if you can understand
karma. One foot has always been set in Japanese culture, language,
history, religion,
and society and the other here in America. This trip to Japan has granted
me fresh appreciation for both. With luck we will be able to return
soon.
My next report will be from Takayama and will include real pen stuff
and great pictures of Japan.
Some pictures:
Chinkin Artist
Dragon done in chinkin technique
Cup with pine needles. The design is intended to show pine needles dropped
from above. There are hundreds of individual pine needles on the tea
container
A finisher at work
All are over 100 years old and in perfect condition.
Some works for sale
From where it all begins – a bucket of urushi
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