Inro and Japanese Inro

g antique black lacquer and gold Japanese Inro, Japanese Lacquer, Suzuribako, and Fubako for more than 34 years ---in the business both as a collector and a dealer I can confidently say that I am an expert, treat my friends and customers fairly, am doing this business because I like it. I am a collector as well as a dealer, but often sell items from my collection to my customers and friends, especially now that I am retiring. I sell: Sagemono, Japanese Inro, Lacquer, Maki-e, Makie, and Suzuribako; also Japanese Samurai Armor,Japanese Armour, Japanese Swords, Samurai Swords, Tsuba, Kozuka, Inro, Tansu, Scrolls, Screens, Netsuke, Inro, Gold Lacquer Boxes, Armor, Japanese Samurai Helmets, Mempo, Menpo, Noh Masks, Ukiyo-e, Shunga(Japanese Erotic Prints), Paintings, Woodblock Prints, and much more. Call me for Inro, Japanese Inro, Japanese

Scarification and Nanotechnology

At an early age, I wondered why I was scarified on my chest. I vaguely remember a ceremony, rhythm and herbs. Later as an adolescent, I found it aesthetically reassuring: I was marked by a mystic signs, a printed message, a memo, a code. Could it change? Could it talk? Could I use such body modification as a means of self-expression?

I started to think about communication, the languages of skin and technology. Living and working in Japan allowed me to meet Japanese R&D people and learn more about nanotechnology.

Curious parallels arose between scarification and nanotechnology: one makes a message visible, the other makes a function virtually disappear; one is deeply rooted in ancient black-skinned tribal lore, the other surfs a global belief that the way back is dark. I find these ambiguities constructive in many ways. Marking the skin carries universal connotations of pain or slavery as much as an appreciation of beauty and authenticity. Yet deep within this apparent dichotomy lies a sense of wonder about the creative possibilities of transformation and intelligent living surfaces. I too wonder about the functional dimensions of skin coding and see further crossroads of communication to explore, paths as yet unmapped…

And what if China starts buying up gold

Davos (AsiaNews/ Agencies) – The price of gold is likely to rise three, four-folds if China starts to buy gold and dump US dollars, said Peter Munk, chairman and founder of Barrick Gold, a leading gold-mining company। He made the prediction at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, an annual event that draws leading figures from the worlds of politics, finance and industry to discuss the main economic issues of the moment।
Despite the drop in commodity prices, the value of gold has jump by more than 20 per cent since last October. This according to Munk is due to investors buying heavily into physical bullion in the form of coins and bars, and physically backed assets, such as exchange-traded funds, as a safe store of value at a time of increased volatility in other asset prices.
The downward pressure on the dollar, partly due to massive US spending and printing money to stimulate the economy, is likely to further increase gold’s attractiveness as an investment.
There is also a possibility that central banks, including that of China, a major dollar asset holder, might start buying gold.
“If they [the Chinese] decide to diversify [their investments in US dollars], we assume into gold, then we start to talk about a trebling or quadrupling of the gold price,” he said. “It could be followed by Russia or Kuwait.”
Although still not very likely, such a scenario for Munk is more likely now than two years ago.
In Europe gold traded at US$ 930 an ounce, not too far from the record high of US$ 1,030.80 achieved in March last year.

And what if Asiyastarts buying up gold

Surging Gold Prices Spurs Interest In Gold Prospecting

AUBURN, CA - APRIL 28: A book on how to find gold is displayed at the Pioneer Motherlode Mining Supply April 28, 2008 in Auburn, California. With gold trading over $900 per ounce, people are flocking to California's gold country in search of gold. Companies offering gold panning tours are being inundated with reservations and mining supply stores are seeing a spike in people interested in purchasing supplies.