Hi Ford (if I may), this is some very concentrated knowledge you are presenting on your channel. Thank you for that. The reason for not seeing so much gilt brass is much more probably due to the fact that most brasses contain(ed) to much lead. Leaded material is notoriously difficult, if not impossible to fire gild. The gold ends up in the lead. Depending on the period an the way brass was manufactured, you end up involuntarily with an elevated lead content.
Hi and thanks for taking the time to comment. Brass in the Japanese context is actually a relatively late introduction, probable very late 16th cent the earliest. The brass was almost certainly made using Chinese imported zinc and local Japanese copper, which tends typically to have a lead content lower than 0.4%. As you say, though, brass is notoriously tricky to fire gild, (I've done it but it's a pain!) I think the problem is in fact the low temperature at which the zinc can oxidise and eventually become volatile. I don's recall what I said in the film but when brass was introduced to Japan it seems to have been enthusiastically adopted as a cheaper version of gold. I suspect its tendency to develop attractive patina was soon noted though and embraced as being more to native taste and sensibility. Being a sucker for a bit of ancient metallurgy I'm going to have a peek at what you're up to on your channel now :-) Cheers
@@FordHallam I only saw this now, with youtube it is always so difficult to follow a conversation... Thanks for your reply! That is interesting, as metallic zinc is only really available from the late 16th c. Before that brass was always made by the cementation process. The earliest metallic zinc, that is, intentional metallic zinc production is from India. Paul Craddock from the British Museum has done a lot on this. I am always happy to discuss all things metal (:
I love this. thank you for the education.
thanks for your analyse ! respect to the ancients engravers
Hi Ford (if I may), this is some very concentrated knowledge you are presenting on your channel. Thank you for that. The reason for not seeing so much gilt brass is much more probably due to the fact that most brasses contain(ed) to much lead. Leaded material is notoriously difficult, if not impossible to fire gild. The gold ends up in the lead. Depending on the period an the way brass was manufactured, you end up involuntarily with an elevated lead content.
Hi and thanks for taking the time to comment.
Brass in the Japanese context is actually a relatively late introduction, probable very late 16th cent the earliest. The brass was almost certainly made using Chinese imported zinc and local Japanese copper, which tends typically to have a lead content lower than 0.4%. As you say, though, brass is notoriously tricky to fire gild, (I've done it but it's a pain!) I think the problem is in fact the low temperature at which the zinc can oxidise and eventually become volatile. I don's recall what I said in the film but when brass was introduced to Japan it seems to have been enthusiastically adopted as a cheaper version of gold. I suspect its tendency to develop attractive patina was soon noted though and embraced as being more to native taste and sensibility.
Being a sucker for a bit of ancient metallurgy I'm going to have a peek at what you're up to on your channel now :-) Cheers
i've subscribed, nice to meet you.
@@FordHallam I only saw this now, with youtube it is always so difficult to follow a conversation... Thanks for your reply! That is interesting, as metallic zinc is only really available from the late 16th c. Before that brass was always made by the cementation process. The earliest metallic zinc, that is, intentional metallic zinc production is from India. Paul Craddock from the British Museum has done a lot on this. I am always happy to discuss all things metal (:
this is pretty cool version of artwork i havent seen before on these things
Did you ever recreate this or a similar Shakudo? I would love to see the process.
Yes please redo the rim
That burnt piece is really interesting, i'd love to see you reverse engineer it