Shakudo Pendant

[Jim Kelso]

I recently finished this pendant. I have always loved the theme of autumn grasses, and have spent many hours, day and night, in the fields around our home admiring their beauty. In this piece I wanted to convey the feeling of grasses in the moonlight. A small feather rests quietly in the foreground.

The shape of the pendant is from a lacquer design by Shibata Zeshin depicting the Japanese “Wish-giving jewel”.

The metals are 18 & 22k gold & shakudo. The shakudo is 3% gold with the balance copper and a trace of shirome (see below). This alloy sheet was given to me by Toshimasa sensei (Masaichi Sakai) a year ago in his home in Osaka. He said it was made for him by a business that was sadly no longer functioning. It may be the only shakudo alloy sheet containing shirome outside of Japan so needless to say I was jaw-droppingly flabergasted and honored when, during a discussion about alloys and shirome he jumped up, hurried to his shop and brought back a sizable sheet of this shakudo with shirome alloy for me.

Shirome is a pre-industrial metallic compound, mostly arsenic, that was a byproduct of early silver and copper refining in Japan. It was added to alloys such as bronze and shakudo to enhance pouring and the coloration. Any shirome found in Japan probably dates from the 17th 0r 18th century as the process that produced it was replaced by more modern methods. You can see a detailed description of shirome in the book Kodo Zuroku which describes pre-industrial copper mining and refining with beautiful wood-cut illustrations. A facsimile edition was published by the Burndy Library (now sadly defunct) in 1983 with an intro by Cyril Stanley Smith. I see some new and used copies at Amazon.

What I found in the patination process was that the patina came super fast (almost totally in less than a minute). I kept it in a few more minutes. It was a lovely bluish/purple black and I didn't want to loose that. In the photo you can see how it compares to the neutral gray background.

The grasses were engraved in katakiri-bori using hammer and chisel and also the Lindsay AirGraver. Width is 33mm (1 5/16")

[Daniel Houwer]

Perfect

[DaveP]

Hi Jim,
I have never seen a pendant that I love more. It brings back wonderful memories of walking past a local pond on a blustery late fall day when the sky is dark with clouds but a watery sun filters through. I know that your intent was a feeling of moonlight in autumn but my feelings gravitate to an autumn day. I can almost smell the air.

dave

[Jim Kelso]

Thanks very much Daniel and David. I never expect such nice complements.

David, I believe art is about feeling, and it's gratifying to know that it can be transfered. Thanks very much.

Jim

[Dmitry Martinov]

Simplicity in action. Awesome as always Jim

[KDavid]

That is absolutly stunning Jim. I really admire your work
David

[Jim Kelso]

Thanks very much Dmitry and David. Much appreciated!

Jim

[gravalance]

Good to see something from you again! Really nice atmosphere in this piece, the "transfer" works quite well each time on what you do :-)
Thanks for showing, and for the story too!
Hanne

[Jim Kelso]

My pleasure Hanne. Thanks very much!

Jim

[Tang]

Very elegant as someone with an interest in sword fittings it is alwayd a joy to see these metals and techniques used.

[KDavid]

I'm wondering since this is a piece of jewelry that probably at sometime or another, is the arsenic in the Shakudo a concern?

[Jim Kelso]

Thanks very much Tang & David.

David, I understand your concern. I would say it's not an issue as the danger with arsenic would be mostly from inhalation or digestion. I suppose if the concentration were high enough in a liquid it could be absorbed through the skin, but this seems remote bound up in the alloy as it is. Also the pendant is designed with the bezel protecting the surface front and back from wear and I doubt it would be worn on bare skin anyway.

Jim