Paper, wrapping and bark tie - Specimen details

Paper, wrapping and bark tie - Specimen details

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Catalogue Number: 73496

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Plant Name 153.05 MORACEAE Broussonetia papyrifera Entry Book Number 27.1995
Artefact Name Paper, wrapping and bark tie Vernacular Name
Iso Country Japan TDWG Region Japan
Parts Held Paper, wrapping and bark tie Geography Description Japan, Asia Temperate, Eastern Asia
Uses Paper, wrapping and bark tieUse: MATERIALS User: Man TDWG use MATERIALS
Storage Bottles, boxes etc Related Items
Donor FitzGerald S Donor No
Donor Date 24/09/1995 Donor Notes Yoshihara Yx0Dx0A
Collector Collector No
Collection Notes Collection Date
Exhibition Expedition
Number Components Publication
Notes: Note of a visit to a craftsman in Japan, 24.9.1995. The visit was made with the assistance of Mr Y Yamada (President Kowa Creative Art Co Ltd. and Mr Nasawa, a leading kimono artist, who uses washi paper to wrap his kimonos. The craftsman we visited was, Y Koshihara, Managing Director of Shinsu Maisuzaki Washi Ltd, Nagano Omachi, Yashiro 6561; tel & fax 0261 22 0579. He makes washi paper in various grades, and incorporates decorative leaves in some kinds. The mould for the paper is made of very fine ba, mboo, stitched together to make a straight, fine, close sieve. The fibre used in Kozo, using the middle of the stem for the finer washi; it is effective because its fibres are long and silky. It is cultivated as a perennial, and cut (coppiced) annually., The stems are then soaked, boiled for 4 hours, rinsed and stripped, then bleached. Then the fibres are put into a vat with a gelatinous clear liquid added which holds the fibres together, and all is thoroughly mixed. The separate sheets are made by taki, ng up just the right amount of fibrous liquid onto the top of the mould, rocking it to spread the liquid evenly; the main weight of washi are strained and turned out (up and over, inverting the mould) onto a pile of other interleaved sheets to dry - the, specially prepared decorative leaves are added at this stage. When ready, the pile of new sheets are put under a screw press made mostly of timber & iron (somewhat crudely assembled, but a very effective machine nevertheless). Mr Yoshihara also makes co, loured sheets of washi, but uses chemical dyes rather than the more traditional plant dyes. In his shop were for sale, various sets of notepaper, boxes, coasters etc. made from washi, and on the wall, a ladies jacket and skirt also made of washi, though, this last item was a gimmick more than a genuine fashion item. Mr Yoshihara has made adjustments to the most traditional country ways of making washi, presumably to make the process simpler and less arduous; the most traditional method is shown on the w, rapping paper attached to this note. The OJI Paper Museum in Tokyo has a good video showing the traditional way of making washi, but unfortunately copies were not available for sale. (Sylvia FitzGerald: Library & Archives).

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