Antique goban with calligraphy from Cho Chikun！

[gowan]

The board looks like katsura to me, judging by the grain, the color, and the carving of the legs. Of course I could be wrong since I can't see the board in person. I also think it is a nice find.

[chen1664]

The board looks like katsura to me, judging by the grain, the color, and the carving of the legs. Of course I could be wrong since I can't see the board in person. I also think it is a nice find.

I didn't know the carving of the legs are different between kaya and katsura, that would explain why the price was so low.
They also carry a quiet nice looking antique light color hon-kaya goban with tenchimesa cut 6.5 inch (I believe its Japan grown) that they are selling for $200 more than the board I bought. which one do you think I should keep and which one would be more valuable over time (like for resale and bragging to go friend value )?

Thanks!

[chen1664]

I have, hope you guys enjoyed it as I do!

I enjoyed for sure, thankyou for posting!
Can you share also your intervention on the wood?

if you want to know my process and what type of oil/wax I used.

What I did was actually very simple, first I bought a few (four to be exact) 100% polyester hand towel and used it initially to clean the board. Just by wiping the board it board already looks nicer than its originally condition. But there were still a lot of white spots on the board ( I think that was dried wax). To get rid of those I used "Refined Linseed Oil"
https://gogameguru.com/go-board-care/
I started with the legs using a few drops for each leg, I wipe out the oil after about 5 mins, then I oiled the back, the side, then the front (a few drops on each star point) the board looks reborn when I finish applying oil. After wiping out the oil an making sure there are no part of the board that is really sticky I let the board dried for about 20 mins. After that I started to apply wax I bought from KGT and repeat the process I did for applying oil. I feel like the wood is still very dry and not as shine as I would like it to be, so I am planning to apply oil everyday for a couple of days. Let me know if you have any other questions.

[EdLee]

the carving of the legs are different between kaya and katsura

Could someone (briefly) explain the difference(s) ? Thanks.

100% polyester hand towel

Maybe very small differences: with a microfiber towel. (100% soft cotton probably the best.)

[Erythen]

Congratulations on finding a nice board

It's Katsura, and looks like it might have a little preservative clay on the sides and legs, but I can't quite tell for sure.

Have you oiled the sides, legs and bottom? If not, doing so will likely dampen or eliminate the scratching on the sides, legs and bottom.

the carving of the legs are different between kaya and katsura

Could someone (briefly) explain the difference(s) ? Thanks.

I've never noticed a difference in carving between Katsura and Kaya legs. There is a difference in quality of the cuts, but that's usually a matter of board quality and not wood. Sadly I'm in China at the moment and don't have my notes with me, so I don't remember what they're called. The first kind of leg is seen on cheaper wooden boards and the lotus carving slops downward and out. The other is reserved for higher quality boards, generally seen with Kaya but also good Katsura and Spruce (This board seems to have the better carving, but there are no good pictures of the legs so I can't say for sure). The higher quality Lotus slopes inward and up to a point in the middle. In rare cases (generally the very best of the best ) there may be further decoration like a second layer to the lotus blossom, but it's unusual.

I'd post some of my own pictures, but the Chinese internet is sketchy at best right now, so I'll just send some link examples.

Normal legs. (Example is Spruce)
http://shop.kurokigoishi.co.jp/upload/i ... =475_2.jpg

Nicer legs. (Example is Hyuga Kaya)
http://shop.kurokigoishi.co.jp/upload/i ... =798_2.jpg

The legs are where an artisan can really show their skill.

[sybob]

Nice find!

[chen1664]

Hi Erythen,

Thanks for sharing the detail information about the curving of the legs!

Have you oiled the sides, legs and bottom? If not, doing so will likely dampen or eliminate the scratching on the sides, legs and bottom.

Yes, I have oiled the whole board + wax. I have posted the pictures right after the pictures of its original condition.

There is a difference in quality of the cuts, but that's usually a matter of board quality and not wood.

I have read somewhere that says traditional Katsura board were all Itame-kiura cut, I am not sure what's the reason.

Since you seems to know a lot about different types of wood, which goban do you think I should keep?
This board with the calligraphy but Katsura or add $200 more for a masame cut Hon-Kaya goban with no calligraphy?

Anyone can feel free to share with me your opinion, so tempting to switch for the Hon-Kaya goban! But I feel like it's so rare to get the chance to buy a goban with calligraphy, especially in the US, which makes it worth more than the a regular Kaya goban. Let me know what you think

[jeromie]

I don't think you should make your choice based simply on value. I doubt the value of a goban will appreciate that much over time and they are fairly hard to sell casually. Instead, you should choose the one that will give you the most pleasure. Since Cho Chikun is one of your favorite players that seems like a really special find, but I can't really judge how much you care about having a kaya goban.

[chen1664]

I don't think you should make your choice based simply on value. I doubt the value of a goban will appreciate that much over time and they are fairly hard to sell casually. Instead, you should choose the one that will give you the most pleasure. Since Cho Chikun is one of your favorite players that seems like a really special find, but I can't really judge how much you care about having a kaya goban.

Thanks for sharing your opinion. I actually have a table kaya board, I really like the smell of the kaya board and its light golden color. Other than that I don't see a particular reason why I want the kaya board.. maybe it's because kaya goban that are new cost so much more than Katsura goban... but you have a good point since I really like Cho Chikun it adds another layer of meaning to the board.

[Erythen]

I have read somewhere that says traditional Katsura board were all Itame-kiura cut, I am not sure what's the reason.
.....
Since you seems to know a lot about different types of wood, which goban do you think I should keep?
This board with the calligraphy but Katsura or add $200 more for a masame cut Hon-Kaya goban with no calligraphy?

Yes, I may have misread the post about the legs. Katsura boards are always Itame (Kiura or Kiomote) because the trees don't grow large enough to produce Masame boards. The legs themselves will be a combination; simply from the nature of the way their cut. Typically they should come from the scraps of the same tree (left over from the board).

For what kind of board to buy it's a matter of personal taste and real (non-monetary) value is determined by you.

It is a pleasure to own good Kaya and clamshell, but Go is a beautiful game that can be easily be played with lines drawn in the sand and rocks picked up off the street. Nice equipment adds to the aesthetic, but so does the feeling that's gone into it. A decades old board that's truly loved will have a lot of soul. It's a matter of what you yourself are looking for, are you wanting to build the soul in a board or find one that has history and love in it already?

Yeah, I know, I'm sentimental

[tchan001]

Nice find.
My antique goban also has quite a bit of history and soul
https://tchan001.wordpress.com/2011/05/ ... en-go-set/

[chen1664]

Nice find.
My antique goban also has quite a bit of history and soul
https://tchan001.wordpress.com/2011/05/ ... en-go-set/

It's a nice board that you got there! It must feel very special to use a board that a Honinbo once used! and I can't believe the ink preserved so well on your board, do you use it regularly or is it more like a decoration for you? I am curious to know if the board still produces the unique smell of kaya board?

[sybob]

Nice find.
My antique goban also has quite a bit of history and soul
https://tchan001.wordpress.com/2011/05/ ... en-go-set/

Wow!

[daal]

It's a nice board that you got there! It must feel very special to use a board that a Honinbo once used!

Same goes for the OP, who has a board from the 25th Honinbo

[John Fairbairn]

Same goes for the OP, who has a board from the 25th Honinbo

But I very much doubt it belonged to Cho. More likely he signed it for a fan.