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Showing posts with the label *Shoji & Kumiko

A Weaver's Notes From Japan

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The Weaving Notes Of Linda Spencer, Apprentice Kasuri Weaver 1976 The back story on the partial manuscript presented here. Some time ago I was yet occupied as a generic antiques picker and dealer. A fellow picker spoke to me of a small collection of Japanese weaving tools and a note book he had picked. The collection was in storage. We went over to the storage unit to check out what was what. He had the notebook of one Linda Spencer of Wilmington, NC along with a four harness loom of user make, a Japanese spinning wheel, a few weavers tools and a handful of woven samples. I offered to help get them up for sale but, pickers being pickers, he declined. I did convince him to let me take some photos of the notebook for research. Unfortunately I could only take a small set of photos, which photos you will find here. First up is a transcription of the newspaper article giving the story of Linda Spencer. Although from Minnesota, Ms. Spencer had lived in Wilmington at the time of her passing....
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Shoji & Kumiko - 85 Vintage Designs Trade Catalog c1930 ISBN: 9781087817187

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Shoji & Kumiko - 85 Vintage Designs c1930 - A Japanese Architectural Catalog ISBN: 9781087817187 Discounted! Buy Direct from Toolemera Press Shoji & Kumiko: 85 Vintage Designs   is a precision facsimile of an original c1930 Japanese architectural proposal catalog of Shoji and Kumiko designs.This one of a kind Japanese catalog of architectural designs is an essential period reference for anyone interested in the history of Shoji and Kumiko. SHOJI: A Japanese screen or sliding door used to partition living spaces. KUMIKO: A decorative and practical Japanese woodworking system consisting of lattice pieces held together through precision joinery lacking any nails or other metal supports. Gary Roberts, Toolemera Press publisher, returns to print classic books on early crafts, trades and industries. All titles are produced from the originals in his personal collection. More Furniture, Woodwork and Architectural Drawings Titles From Toolemera Press Shoji And Kumiko - 85 Vinta...
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In The Works: Japanese Edo Period Shoji

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  Japanese Edo Period Shoji While researching the original of the Shoji And Kumiko book I published some time ago, I ran the images through Google Translate and asked for some advice from the subRed:Translator. The subRed matched what the new Google Translate translated. Clearly Google has been doing something right. What I realized is the book was published in 1934 but the designs were drawn from Edo period architecture and published in 1920. The glass plate photographs are of existing Edo period architecture. Here is the lead to what will shortly be my updated edition: Frozen Music A Collection Of Japanese Edo Period Architectural Shoji Designs Author: Torazo Ito (Shikizo Ito)* Publisher: Kogyo Shoin; Tokyo, Japan 1920, 1934 “Printed on the 9th year of Taisho (1920) October 6th”. The original drawings and text had been published 14 years prior to the 1934 Kogyo Shoin publication dates. The author and publisher considered the illustrations to be important Edo Period design referen...
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Japanese Architectural Texts

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 Japanese Architectural Texts Some years ago I purchased a number of old Japanese texts on architecture, furniture, textiles and carpentry. This was way before the current western interest in traditional Japanese woodworking. A few of the texts I sold and some I kept. Being the former librarian that I am, those I sold were first scanned for my archives. While organizing said archives, I came upon those scans.  Over on Reddit there is a subreddit r/translator , the place for having text and images translated to and from whatever language is unknown. At first I wasn't sure if anyone there could translate some of the older texts. Not a problem. There are a few Redditors there who took the challenges and came through! Lucky me, lucky you. The translation of the image at the head of this post reads: "Hiwada" or "Hikawa", referring to the bark of the Hinoki Cypress tree. Traditionally, it is used on the roofs of temples and shrines. However in this image, it appears a...
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