SWORD-FURNITURE
finely but irregularly pitted, after the manner of the face of a stone; second, the kashiji (pear-ground) ishime, which gives a surface like the rind of a pear; third, the hari-ishime, where the indentations are so minute that they seem to have been made with the point of a needle (hart); fourth, the gama-ishime, which is intended to imitate the skin of a toad (gama); fifth, the tsuya-ishime (lustrous), produced with a chisel sharpened so that its traces have a brilliant appearance; sixth, orekuchi (broken-tool) ishime, a peculiar kind obtained by fracturing a chisel and hammering the surface of the metal with the jagged tool (this last variety is spoken of as arashi-ishime, a generic term applied to all rough work); and seventh, gozame-ishime, so called because it resembles the plaited surface of a fine straw-mat. These details may seem insignificant, but without some knowledge of them it is impossible to appreciate the quality of Japanese metal work.
A word must also be said about the different methods of chiselling. Of these the most important is taka-bori, or chiselling in relief. The Japanese distinguish three varieties of relief carving, namely, atsu-niku-bori (high relief), or alto relievo; chiu-niku-bori (medium relief), mezzo relievo; usu-niku-bori (low relief) or basso relievo. These expressions explain themselves. But it may be added that, in the opinion of the Japanese expert, they occupy the same respective rank as the three kinds of ideographic script occupy in the realm of calligraphy. High-relief carving corresponds with the kai-sho, or most correct and classical form of writing; medium relief, with the gyo-sho, or semi-cursive style; and low-relief, with the so-sho, or grass character. Passing to incised
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