This go game set includes bowls with lids, slate black stones, and white clamshell stones. It is a rare luxury set.
The white “Legendary Go Stones” are made from Suwabute clamshells that were collected in the Okuraga-hama beach in Hyuga City (Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan). Due to depletion they can no longer be harvested and are increasingly rare. Unlike Mexican clamshell, which are taken from Giant Clams that grow quickly in warm waters, these clams are slow growing in a colder climate. For this reason they are more dense and exhibit some color instead of being pure white. The 180 white pieces are quite thick at just under 10mm - this is very thick for Japanese stones. This set is used, so small defects do exist. A new set of Suwabute stones can be purchased via KurokiGoishiTen, the shop of a top Japanese craftsman. On that website you'll find sets that cost $2000 (for low grade stones at 6mm and 7mm thick) up to $8000 for thicker stones that trend towards pure white. This set has a creamy patina, it may be whitened slightly with a 2-day soak in Oxygenated water (h2o2).
The 181 black stones are Japanese slate. They are slightly larger than the white to account for black's slimming effect. The black stones were washed with soapy water, rinsed with distilled water, but they have not yet been buffed with mineral oil - I leave this option to you. If you do buff them with mineral oil, I'd suggest adding a liner to help keep excess oil from darkening the bottom of the bowl.
The bowls are lovely with wide lines. They are likely Camphor or some kind of mulberry. I have refurbished them: the outer finish was removed with an abrasive plastic pad, then they were treated with my homemade paste wax (mineral oil and beeswax) and buffed. They fit the stones comfortably, so there is room in each container for a soft liner or cushion.
Shipping Details:
This item ships from Colorado, USA. Please allow 3 business days for handling, then you will receive a notification with the tracking details. Shipping box: TBD
