24958: Kamuikotan Suiseki - "Buddhas Hand" - 5½ in (14cm)

Quite often, I buy an item because I appreciate it's innate qualities, not because of the sellers story, and this is a perfect example of that, just forgive me for the long description!

The stone was sold as "Golden Kamuikotan", and the box literally says "Kamuikotan", and "Buddha Hand Orange", however it looks darker than examples I've seen of Golden Kamuikotan, but I knew I'd seen something like it before.

After re-visiting my suiseki books, I found in the 9th National Japanese Suiseki Exhibition catalogue what I'd been looking for. On page 138, there is a very similar stone, albeit with a different style of daiza. In that book, the stone is described as "Chinese Stone", formerly owned by Tanomura Takeda, and similar to this one, described as "Buddhas Hand".

So in terms of stone type, it is unclear, and I'm not an expert who can definitively say. This seems to be a common theme in suiseki - "Only the person who pulled it from the riverbed truly knows", is how the saying goes. Whichever kind of stone it is, it has an antique agate-like quality good enough for the national exhibition in Japan.

It is an uncut stone, of a size that fits in the palm of your hand. The main image can be read as mountains or clouds at dusk or dawn, or indeed as inscribed on the box as the benevolent hand of Buddha. I do think it has a second presentation, on it's side, as shown in the picture with the suiban. This is a more abstract view, but it has a good symmetry/assymetry thing going on that is very good in person.

The box also speaks of the age this stone has in terms of being collected. There are two faded seals, but I can't read them. The daiza is very nicely carved and in perfect condition.

All in all, a great stone for a collection and from the book I would say very suitable for display in a show.

SKU: 24958

Size: 140 x 80 x 115mm (5½ x 3⅛ x 4½ in)

Condition: Excellent, uncut.