eye/ear candy
eye/ear candy
I just wanted to upload a few photos of a very unusual shakuhachi. If you are on my mailing list, you've already seen it, but for those who aren't, it's well worth looking at.
The bottom end at the root in the front has a chrysanthemum carved into it in beautiful detail.
The middle has a phoenix in a bamboo grove under ginko leaves.
The top has sakura.
And the utaguchi was reconstructed in a very unique way.
The instrument sounds sweet and focused with a beautiful, full mid range ring.
Instruments with carving come around once in a while, but this is the first time I've seen one quite like this.
Hi David,
There is no way to tell the exact age, but I suspect from the usual signs (general hole ware, patina, tuning style, bamboo sizing) that it is pre WWI. Of course that's a very big time period, but that is about as close as I care to get to a guess. As to who made it, again there is no indication. There is no visible hanko on the instrument. All that I can tell you with any certainty is that the maker (if indeed it was one person) wanted to express beauty in more than an audible way and succeeded. As for stories, like most shakuhachi, they usually die with the originator. A little sleuthing will lead one into fanciful directions though and there's certainly adventure in that.
There is no way to tell the exact age, but I suspect from the usual signs (general hole ware, patina, tuning style, bamboo sizing) that it is pre WWI. Of course that's a very big time period, but that is about as close as I care to get to a guess. As to who made it, again there is no indication. There is no visible hanko on the instrument. All that I can tell you with any certainty is that the maker (if indeed it was one person) wanted to express beauty in more than an audible way and succeeded. As for stories, like most shakuhachi, they usually die with the originator. A little sleuthing will lead one into fanciful directions though and there's certainly adventure in that.
It looks very very nice and elegant! Thanks for posting, Jeff!
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One more down the road. I recently came into possession of yet another beautifully carved and made shakuhachi. It's late edo, requires a little refurbishing, but has a beautiful tone as it is.
The carving is exquisite. Represented are a noboru tatsu (rising dragon) at the top which represents happiness and long life. There is the traditional
'tama' within the tatsu's reach that has some further significance in it by the inclusion of what appears to be a sybolic plant.
At the root end is the representation of Sho Chikku Bae (pine, bamboo, plumb) which are symbols of prosperity, tenacity and happiness.
Enjoy!
You can see photos of it on my blog at http://one-breath-breath1.blogspot.jp/
The carving is exquisite. Represented are a noboru tatsu (rising dragon) at the top which represents happiness and long life. There is the traditional
'tama' within the tatsu's reach that has some further significance in it by the inclusion of what appears to be a sybolic plant.
At the root end is the representation of Sho Chikku Bae (pine, bamboo, plumb) which are symbols of prosperity, tenacity and happiness.
Enjoy!
You can see photos of it on my blog at http://one-breath-breath1.blogspot.jp/
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