Posted by Dave Bull at 8:34 AM, May 19, 2013 [Permalink]
Do you remember the excitement around here back in March, when we spotted an auction for a box of old tools?
Well it's time for Round Two! We've turned up another 'interesting' one. Here's the main photo from the auction listing:
And here are two closeups the seller provided:
These are old tools, and I mean old. The brushes are visibly worn to the point of being ready to throw away. It looks like a woodblock printer was asked to provide a panel showing his common tools, and put this together.
But there are two barens here, presumably 'hon' barens. And one thing about a real baren - it never dies. It will get progressively weaker as it gets older, but that simply means you use it for a different job. A strong baren originally intended for use in printing deep backgrounds will end up being used for more delicate work.
So - of course - I want these!
The auction was set for a five day term, and priced to start at 1,000 yen ($10). If you read the post I made about that previous auction you will know that I had quite a battle on my hands, and ended up paying a very high price for the treasure. Well, this auction ended last night, and I can happily report that I had no competition, and the hammer thus fell at 1,000 yen.
Does that mean everybody else is too sensible to buy this 'junk', or simply that nobody else noticed it?
We'll see when the goods arrive in a few days!
