Description
Japanese cast iron suiteki water dropper for use with calligraphy. Water droppers are used by brush calligraphers to hold and dispense exact amounts of water onto an ink stone for the purpose of mixing and diluting ink pigment.
About the Listed Item
Small Japanese calligraphy water dropper shaped like a traditional Japanese calligraphy water dropper. This suiteki is in fair condition with no dents, cracks or large scratches though it does have a good deal of rust on the inside surface. This item dates from the late Japanese Showa period (1926-1989). Please read below to learn more about Japanese calligraphy. Click here to see more suiteki water droppers!
Size:
Height (excluding handle): 1.8 inches (4.5 centimeters)
Diameter (excluding spout): 2.3 inches (6.0 centimeters)
Weight: 6.6 ounces (188 grams)
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More about Japanese Calligraphy
Good penmanship as well as talent with a writing brush were skills more valued in the past, before typewriters, word processors and email largely removed the visual element of style from our writing. Brush and ink were the most common writing tools in Asia before the start of the 20th century, and a writer’s artistry was to a large extent measured as much by the beauty of the characters he created as the meaning they were meant to communicate. The most basic tools of calligraphy include a brush (fude in Japanese), inkstone (suzuri), ink stick (sumi) and water dropper (suiteki). Additional tools exist though these are the most essential. During the late Heian period (794-1185) the standard writing box (suzuribako) was introduced into Japan from China where it became an essential tool of Japanese business and domestic life. Writing boxes typically contain all of the tools listed above plus others, and in the past were produced in many forms including simple utilitarian models for shopkeepers, elegant versions for display in the home and even portable kits one could easily carry on their person. Though few modern Japanese ever use a brush and ink outside a classroom, as a culture they nevertheless continue to appreciate the beauty and artistry of writing produced by a talented calligrapher.
item code: R2S3-0003714
category code: (calligmono)
ship code: L1650
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