This old set includes refurbished Go Stones and unique storage boxes.
The stones are size 20ish (~5.5mm) Slate & Shell.
The 180 clamshells are Suwabute stones, Japanese clams that are no longer harvested due to depletion. Japanese clams are not graded like Mexican clams, as they grow slower at a higher latitude and so have a higher density. My lightbox shows their densely packed lines. The clamshell stones were been cleaned per our Care Instructions, including a week-long soak in h2o2 and a rinse with distilled water.
The flashlight on your phone will shine through most Mexican clams to reveal a yellow color, but Japanese clams reveal a deep orange - in this regard, they are similar to egg yolks of different qualities. On the other hand, Mexican clamshell has a pure white exterior, while these vintage Japanese clamshells have various coloration.
The 181 slate stones are slightly larger, to account for black's slimming effect. They were washed with soapy water, rinsed with distilled water, but have not yet been buffed with mineral oil (we leave this choice to you).
Instead of bowls, there are neat wooden boxes for storing the stones. They are constructed of a light wood, possibly Paulownia. They were refurbished in our Colorado workshop with a Monkey Butter treatment. They are quite old, but fit the stones comfortably.
This is one of our Vintage products. The stones and boxes may have small defects. If you want a new set of Hyuga Suwabute stones that will be pure white and without any wear & tear, we recommend visiting Mr. Kuroki or HyugaGoBoardStone, where you can find them in the $1500-$4000 range (when available).
Shipping Details:
This item ships from Colorado, USA via USPS or UPS. Allow 3 business days for handling, then you will receive a notification with the tracking details. Shipping box: 10x8x6 4.2lb