John Tilley wrote:
I have a very similar box that contained the slate and shell stones I bought in late 1971 from Richard Bozulich of The Ishi Press. The Nihon Kiin catalogue of Showa 44 (1969) October lists the same thickness stones that you have, 2kyu, which is 5.7mm. In that catalogue stone sizes run from 37 to 25 (7.0mm) and below that are 1kyu (6.3mm), 2kyu(5.7m), 3kyu(5.1mm) and 4kyu(4.7mm).
I think you have the 2kyu stones from that Nihon Kiin catalog.
This is fantastically useful, thank you! The similarity in the box is indeed striking. The thickness (~6.2mm) suggests that they're closer to 1kyu, yet the "2" mark on the outside of the box is entirely suggestive. (I only measured one or two and may have checked outliers, especially if "5.7mm" really means "at least 5.7mm, but not so thick as the next grade up at 6.3mm.")
joellercoaster wrote:
John Fairbairn wrote:
The other critical phrase on the box is 特選 or "specially selected" which usually implies Mexican clams or Taiwanese squilla.
Sorry to drag this thread (even further) off-topic, but: I thought squilla were mantis shrimp? Do they grow big enough to make stones out of, or is this a special-use name for a kind of clam as well?
FWIW, I've heard "squilla" used to refer to just about any kind of shallow-water crustacean that's not a lobster--informal usage seems quite broad! (Although when I think of Taiwan I think of Ing stones--do they perhaps come from some very peculiar kind of oyster?)
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
amb
