[solved, thx] Please Help Identifying Stone Quality

[Bonobo]

<edit>
Thanks to Erythen and dfan I now know about the stones, but I’d still be thankful if somebody could translate those Japanese texts for me
</edit>

Hey everybody.

Who was it who said “Yield to temptation!”? Mae West?

Anyway, there was an offer for a (I think) shin-kaya table board (~26 mm, four-piece), shell & slate stones (9.2 mm, Kiseido S33Y), and bowls (Keyaki, Kiseido T378), offered as “used once” (which was nine-and-a-half years ago, i.e. in December 2006), and I couldn't resist.

Stones and bowls were originally purchased from Kiseido in Japan, the price of the stones at the time was ¥35.000 (w/o shipping), and that’s about all I know, the original owner couldn't tell me anything about the “grade” of the stones.

So I’d like you to help me identifying, please, and you’d make me happy if you could provide translations for all texts (Pls forgive the bad photo quality, can’t find the camera and had to shoot with olden iPad 2.)

Both boxes from above:

1 - Boxes.jpg (305.66 KiB) Viewed 12976 times

Stones box, front side:

2 - Boxes.jpg (207.09 KiB) Viewed 12976 times

Bowls box, front side

3 - Boxes.jpg (157.34 KiB) Viewed 12976 times

[cont’d in next post, only three attachments allowed]

[Bonobo]

Taking away the lids … on the left, which says White and which Black?

4 - Boxes.jpg (287.42 KiB) Viewed 12975 times

Even more lids to take away …

5 - Bowls, Stones.jpg (308.42 KiB) Viewed 12975 times

Stones in bowls:

6 - Bowls, Stones.jpg (223.1 KiB) Viewed 12975 times

[Bonobo]

And, lastly, the shell stones (I’ll scan a few stones tomorrow if it is necessary and helps)

7 - White Stones.jpg (246.36 KiB) Viewed 12969 times

In the previous images, the colour of the Keyaki bowls are totally off … here’s a photo I stole from Kiseido which has it quite accurate:

Keyaki.jpg (15.91 KiB) Viewed 12969 times

BTW, if the Kiseido order number for the stones was “S33Y” … would it be “Yitsuo”? Nowadays those would have a “J” at the end, but I don’t know how it is pronounced, so perhaps a “Y” would be the same?) wrong, see comments below, thx.


Thanks in advance!

Tom

p.s.: And if any of you ever should come to the Lüneburg Heath in Northern Germany, you’re welcome to visit and play with me If I know long enough in advance I could even put you up for a few days, incl. WiFi You’d not be the first Go visitor.

[Erythen]

Hello,

The "Y" in 33Y probably stands for "Yuki." Which means snow (grade).

Look for the kanji below to see the grade in Japanese
33Y = Yuki (Snow) 雪
33T = Tsuki (Moon)月
33J = Jitsuyo (Standard/Practical)実 OR 実用

This fits with the description on the box which also says the stones are Snow. At a cursory glance at the stones confirms that, though I'd have to see better pictures to be sure. The stones are definitely Mexican in origin. But Kisedo wouldn't lie about their stones

The bowls are most likely Keyaki. I don't know the Japanese characters for it, but their coloration and grain looks right.

I can't translate everything, maybe someone else with a little more Japanese skill

Hope this helps

[dfan]

According to Kiseido, S33Y are Yuki stones.

[Bonobo]

<gasp> so … these are highest grade stones? (OK, I know that Mexican stones are esteemed less worth than Japanese, but … I actually don't really care, even them being Yuki is, well, nice, but not really important, more that they are simply beautiful. And it’s just nice that now we have another real nice set for our little village Go club <happy>)

Thanks for your replies, Erythen and dfan, muchly appreciated!


Now I need to gain a LOT of playing strength and probably personality to justify playing those stones …

[DrStraw]

Now I need to gain a LOT of playing strength and probably personality to justify playing those stones …

Or you could invite some strong players to your house and watch them play.

[Bonobo]

Now I need to gain a LOT of playing strength and probably personality to justify playing those stones …

Or you could invite some strong players to your house and watch them play.

Well, Doctor, you did read that invitation above, no? If you come I promise to find somebody stronger than me for you to play

[DrStraw]

Now I need to gain a LOT of playing strength and probably personality to justify playing those stones …

Or you could invite some strong players to your house and watch them play.

Well, Doctor, you did read that invitation above, no? If you come I promise to find somebody stronger than me for you to play

Well, there are two problems: you have wifi, and I don't travel. But thanks anyway.

[Go_Japan]

The first image on the left, says "Clam Go Stones", in Japanese it is "Hamaguri Go Ishi"
On the right of the first image, it is hard to read the calligraphy for me on the right side. The signature also on the left bottom is very difficult. I can only read the big text in the center, which says, "Go Bowl" or "go ke" in Japanese.

In the second image, it is basically the same thing that all go stones say when you buy real clam stones. It is like a standard label that they all use.
In the blue area it says, "Hyuuga Made Real Clam Go Stones"
In the white area, on the left, it says, "Special Clam White Stone" and under, it says, "Real Nachi black stone" Nachi, I am not sure if is the word for slate or the location in Mie prefecture where the slate comes from.
On the right, it says "Yuki Grade Size 33"

The third image
On the top it says, "wood made Go Bowl" I am not sure what the second character is on the top.
On the bottom it says, "Keyaki material" on the left, and on the right it gives the size of the bowl "special big"

In the forth image, the top white box says, "real clam" the bottom says "Real Nachi Black"

Hope that helps.
Edit: I fixed some of the Kanji after asking my wife.

[EdLee]

Hi Tom,
Congrats.
Is this your first ever slate & shell set ?
Is this your first experience with Mr. Kuroki ?

On the right of the first image, it is hard to read the calligraphy for me on the right side. The signature also on the left bottom is very difficult. I can only read the big text in the center, which says, "Go Bowl" or "go ke" in Japanese.

Yes, the calligraphy on your Go bowls box is "medium" free style,
but it's still non-trivial, even for native Chinese or Japanese to parse.
All 3 columns are read top-down.
Right-most column:

• 2nd character: 50% chance 木 (ki; wood), 50% chance 本 (hon; as in honte; Honda; proper/authentic/original ).
• 6th character: 99% chance 物 (mono; thing -- likely in combination with the 5th character ).

[Go_Japan]

Hi Tom,
Congrats.
Is this your first ever slate & shell set ?
Is this your first experience with Mr. Kuroki ?

What makes you think it is Kuroki (Actually, it says clearly they were purchased from Kiseido originally)? He doesn't even sell size 33 stones as far as I see on his website. It also seems as though his stones are sold with a wood box, not cardboard. Of course, the bowls could be his, but they are still likely to be made by someone else, so the name and signature should be someone else. Even his expensive bowls are clearly marked, like these: http://shop.kurokigoishi.co.jp/item/771. They are marked with Nishikawa and come with a certificate, where the Kanji are quite clear. I am asking a friend to see if they can read it as well, since this is difficult to read even for Japanese people. Unless you know what it is in advance, calligraphy can be very hard to read.

edit: if you could get a close up of the Red stamp, it might be easier to read than the freehand Kanji.

[EdLee]

What makes you think it is Kuroki (Actually, it says clearly they were purchased from Kiseido originally)?

My tired brain ?
I've been shuffling (pebble sized) rocks for about 7 hours.
( Plus working with stone slabs weighing 150~300 lbs (68~136 kg). )
From morn till sunset.
This has been brought to you by the letter K.

[tj86430]

With such nice stones you really need to have an equally nice kaya board.

[Go_Japan]

With such nice stones you really need to have an equally nice kaya board.

Indeed. A new set of size 33 yuki stones will be over 55,000 yen these days.