Maki-e (蒔絵) - literally meaning sprinkled picture - is an art technique unique to Japan. It is a form of Japanese lacquer painting where the design is sprinkled with gold or silver powder and has, for the longest time, been held in high recognition and renowned for its exquisite beauty and artistry. The production of maki-e requires multiple processes, starting from lacquering, drawing, sprinkling and finally, polishing. 

Originating in the Heian period (794-1185), maki-e objects were cherished by the highest of social classes - Court nobles, royal families and military leaders incorporated maki-e objects into their daily lives as a symbol of power. There was an element of hidden elegance with maki-e, it was neither flashy nor blatant, yet held a compelling aura of grandeur to them. Minuscule details were elaborate and immaculately executed, emphasizing its classiness and sophistication, thus its appreciation by only the most prestigious. Maki-e can be regarded as the epitome of complexity, in simplicity. The oldest Maki-e in existence now is the ornamentation on the sheath of the Kara-tachi sword treasured by Emperor Shomu (701AD – 756AD).

The technique used on the Kurono box is ‘kaga maki-e’ – which is similar to that used by Kokusai on Namiki’s Nippon Art fountain pen series. By balancing hand silk-screening and hand-painting, the maki-e art is achieved much faster than being fully hand-painted, and significantly reduces the price. The average price for a full maki-e fountain pen is about JPY1,000,000. 

Urushi lacquer is made from the sap of the rhus vernicifera tree. To harvest the sap, a couple of slashes are made in the tree for it to seep out. Once the sap is obtained, it is filtered several times through layers of special paper. The result is a translucent lacquer which color ranges from very light to a dark amber.  

Layers of red urushi (or akane-urushi) are first applied by hand with a horse-hair brush to the hand-sanded wooden base, and then cured in a special cabinet that maintains a very specific and consistent heat and humidity.

Multiple layers of translucent black suki-urushi are then applied over the cured akane-urushi base. While the box looks black - the edges where the suki-urushi is typically the thinnest reveal a bit of red where the base akane-urushi color peeks out. This effect will be amplified over time, exposure and usage - and more of the akane-urushi's red vibrancy will be revealed as the suki-urushi lightens. 

Each layer of urushi that is applied must be cured in this cabinet for a minimum of 24hrs to fully harden. Only then can that layer be sanded before the application of a next layer. After the final layer is cured, the surface is polished and left to time where it will harden even more as it ages.

Tamenuri is an ancient Japanese urushi application technique dating back to the Jomon Period (14,000 to 300 B.C.), and slowly perfected over time from craftsman to craftsman.

On the box, Kuro-Tamenuri is used - a style where you have a solid opaque red urushi base which is then applied with additional layers of of dark translucent suki-urushi on top. This results in a uniquely deep patina which will naturally lighten over time, and slowly reveal the red base beneath as it matures.

Black pigmentation is achieved by the addition of iron, and red pigmentation is brought about by the addition of ferric oxide (Fe2O3) or cinnabar (HgS).

Sunlight - specifically the UV light - will over time lighten the top suki-urushi layer and make it more translucent. Whether you prefer a redder or blacker patina to your box depends on where you display it, and how much natural light you expose it to. 

"... in the still dimmer light of the candle stand, as I gazed at the trays and bowls standing in the shadows cast by that flickering point of flame, I discovered in the gloss of this lacquerware a depth and richness like that of a still, dark pond, a beauty I had not before seen. It had not been mere chance, I realized that our ancestors, having discovered lacquer, had conceived such a fondness for objects finished in it..."   ~ Jun’ichirō Tanizaki, 1933