This awesome Kaya goban is 18cm thick, and stands 30cm tall with legs. It came to BadukClub from Akita, Japan, and is being refurbished in our Colorado workshop (work in progress).
Refurbishing will be a month-long process. First, the sides and bottom were refinished to remove the old patina (thanks to KagenSound for the assistance!). Next, a coat of Special Linseed oil was applied to the board and legs, and the are currently being given 1 week to cure. During this time the board is kept in a humidor to maintain the moisture level. After that, a layer of Monkey Wax will be applied, the board was given another 2 weeks to cure before being buffed.
It is a textbook species of Kaya, with these indicators:
- The Cut: it is a Plain-sawn board (Kiura-itame) to show off the heart of the tree.
- The Grain: the lines are wavy and thin, indicative of slow annual growth.
- The Weight: it is very dense, over 18kg with legs and cover on.
- The Size: You can see that the rings are flat, not semi-circles.
- The Color: A warm orange, the heartwood is a uniform color with only a few imperfections.
- The Smell: It has an unmistakable sweet scent, like vanilla and cloves.
The playing surface was not refurbished, it has its original raised lacquer grid - this hand-lacquered technique is called tachimori (youtube link).
Pith rays in the endgrain are old pathways used by the tree to transfer water internally. It's possible that cracks can form along these lines without proper care. If this does occur, the cracks would likely extend along the bottom of the board and not affect the playing surface. Kaya boards are cured extensively, so serious cracks are unlikely.
The legs have proud shoulders that come to modest points. The tenons of the legs fit snugly into the board, and have been marked to match the mortises where they fit - please place them gently with a nylon or rubber hammer until they sit firmly.
The board comes with a protective Paulownia lid.
Purchased new, such an item would cost about $4000-$6000 today (plus shipping). A used board like this has had decades to cure without cracking, so it is in some ways a superior product.
Visit my Care Instructions to learn more about caring for our Vintage items.
Shipping Details:
This item will ship from Colorado, USA on or after November 15th. If you purchase after that date, please allow 3 additional business days for handling, then we will email you the tracking details. Box: TBD
