IM Corona Urushi - Japan Varnish

Urushi is a lacquer technique and an old Japanese craftwork, which originated about 6000 years ago. At first the resin was used to glue heads to arrows and spears. Later, in the 6th century, Urushi reached a high artistic level, and was, for decades, a luxury reserved to the Imperial House of Japan and the gentry.

 

The raw material that is used for this particular lacquer technique is the resin of a tree which is native to East Asia (rhus vernicifera, No Ki in Japanese). The resin is clear, and bright to dark amber in colour.

The objects to be painted are mostly made of wood or papier mâché, and they are prepared by applying a ground-coat made from urushi and clay powder. Still wet, they are processed with a whetstone or sandpaper. Then several layers of coloured urushi are applied. Urushi’s traditional colour is red (created by adding iron oxide and cinnabar) or black (soot), but it can be used as a clear lacquer too.

Sometimes other material is added to the lacquer, for example gold or silver dust, metal foil, nacre, or even eggshell. Each layer is dried and hardened under water vapour in an absolutely dust-free environment. The lacquer has a glossy clarity and contrast, which can be accomplished neither by applying shellac varnish nor by using modern synthetic lacquers.

Items like bowls, chopsticks, trays, furniture, but also Kyudo bows and Japanese sword sheaths are being decorated using Urushi. And, of course, pipes.

 

 

 pipe details approx.

 

A	4,0 cm	1.58 inch
B	5,1 cm	2.01 inch
C	14,0 cm	5.51 inch
D	2,0 cm	0.79 inch
E	4,1 cm	1.61 inch
Weight	54 gramm	54 gram