Puntogf Antiques.

Japanese Antique

Keeping and Handling Japanese Inro

Antique lacquer was always highly valued for its lasting qualities and strength. A very high gloss could be achieved, proving impervious to alcohol, acids and hot liquids. It would also have appealed to the Zen Buddhism ideals of ‘Yin and Yang’, as lacquer appears to be so delicately beautiful and light in weight. Yet, it is hard, impermeable and enduring.

However great care still needs to be taken when handling antique Japanese lacquer inro (especially when complete with ojime and a netsuke, or manju) as the inro can so easily be damaged by knocks. The most common cause of damage occurs when an inro is first picked up. If the netsuke, or manju, is allowed to swing and bump into the inro, the lacquer will certainly dent and worse still might chip.

The best and correct way to pick up an inro, is to firstly pick up the netsuke, or manju, then to hold and use the silk cord to turn the inro around to look at the other side when inspecting Inro, rather than to finger the lacquer, as there is something in our perspiration that dulls the shine in time. As an alternative some people only handle lacquer whilst wearing very soft gloves.

All lacquer is best kept in a reasonably humid atmosphere, avoiding any sudden changes of temperature. In some climates this is difficult to arrange, without having good airconditioning. It is also a good idea to keep a bowl, or two, of water where ever the inro are stored, but even more important to avoid the use of any hot spot lights within the same cabinet.

Antique Japanese lacquer Inro and boxes are such incredibly beautiful works of art, that I consider many of them to rate very highly, amongst the finest treasures of the World! So it is well worth while taking good care of them.

About the Author

John N. Cohen A past director of Jacey Cinemas Ltd. Later the proprietor of a design & photographic studio, now a director of Jacey Homes Ltd., a property development company. Interests and Hobbies: A top international award winning photographer who also became a well known Asian antiques collector and an enthusiast of Jensen British classic cars. Other interests are skiing and Salsa dancing.

For John’s other interests please have a look at: - http://www.jncohen.net

The author has been a very keen collector for many years in helping to create ‘The Cohen collection’. http://www.jncohen.net/Cohen_collection/index.htm

To see other articles, with photographs, please use the following link:
http://www.jncohen.net/antiques/articles.htm

Japanese $10 Japanese

Collecting Japanese Antiques (Paperback) $22.33 Collecting Japanese Antiques is an excellent overview of the Japanese aesthetic, an aesthetic unique to that island nation. Antique hunters will benefit from the practical and cautionary advice in this book; newcomers will appreciate information on the basics of collecting; while other sections might reawaken interest in experienced collectors, all supplemented with beautiful photographs.

Antique $22.99 Antique

Japanese Message $10 Japanese Message

Japanese Text $10 Japanese Text

Japanese Design $10 Japanese Design

The Japanese Footbridge $10 The Japanese Footbridge

Japanese Taiko $8.49 Japanese Taiko

Japanese Vacation $7.49 Japanese Vacation

Sing In Japanese $7.99 Sing In Japanese

Japanese Whispers $5.49 Japanese Whispers

Japanese Favorites $9.99 Japanese Favorites

Japanese Drums $13.99 Japanese Drums

Japanese and Americans $72 Japanese and Americans

Japanese English $60 Japanese English

Japanese Corpse $13 Japanese Corpse

Working for the Japanese $14.15 Working for the Japanese

The Japanese Woman $16.39 The Japanese Woman

Japanese Hospitality $10.55 Japanese Hospitality

Antique Japanese Writing Set - Yatate Portable Case