Thousands of years, tens of thousands of yearsTaking an enormous amount of time生みだされる天然石。The vivid colors are so striking that they take your breath away,A mysterious pattern created by the intertwining of coincidences.時には風景のように。時には抽象画のように。None of them are the same.美しさを内包しています。
To color the days in the atelier
In the days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when going out is difficult, the time spent in the studio naturally increases. I want to make this space more enjoyable. Such thoughts have been bubbling up within me.
What came to mind was the mineral specimens I was planning to create for display when I moved my atelier to Kobe. At that time, I was too busy organizing the atelier to make it happen, but finally, the timing has come to take it on.
The non-jewelry natural stone collection "Decorative Natural Stones" project is starting.
Three groupings and themes
I have decided to take another look at the natural stone collection I have been gathering so far. I will select items that are suitable for this collection. I can see three main groupings emerging.
The things that look like landscapes, the things that look like abstract paintings. Beautiful patterns created by the different formations of each inclusion.The theme is "landscape." We will select natural stones that are truly "picture-perfect," like "Picture Agate."
We have selected natural stones characterized by their rough shapes and textures resembling freshly mined raw stones. The theme is,The term "ore" refers to minerals. We select stones that resemble "crystal agate," which looks like a steep mountain revealing its rugged rock surface.
There are vibrant natural stones in colors like yellow, green, and blue. For example, the yellow color of "Leaf Agate" resembles a primary color. We decided to give a theme of "hue" (color) to focus on these unique colors.
Aim for antique mineral specimens
The design source is a mineral specimen that was used in a French school over 100 years ago. It is very rare, and although I couldn't actually obtain it, I thought I would try to create something based on it.
First, glass containers. While searching for a glass bottle that resonates with me among the glass bottles available in the world, one particular glass bottle catches my eye. It is a seed bottle, a glass container used for storing seeds. Originally, it was a laboratory instrument in the field of chemistry, but recently it has also been used for packing coffee beans and as an interior accessory.
However, there is one problem. That is the width of the waist. Since it is designed with the premise of holding seeds, the waist is narrow, which significantly limits the size of the natural stones that can be displayed. I tried various seed bottles made by different glass manufacturers, but I couldn't find one that could solve the waist issue. If there isn't one, I have no choice but to create it. Thus, I will create an original glass container specifically designed for displaying natural stones.
All parts crafted with artisan skill
Although I contacted several glass container manufacturers, I continued to be rejected as I couldn't find one that met my conditions. In the midst of this, I came across a factory where artisans hand-blow each glass product.
Founded in 1912, Koizumi Glass Manufacturing has a history of over a hundred years. Using borosilicate glass, which is excellent in heat resistance and chemical resistance, this glass manufacturer continues to produce mainly scientific instruments and kitchenware.
The glass, melted at high temperatures in a melting furnace, is wrapped around the end of a metal tube called a blowpipe, and is shaped by blowing air from the opposite side of the tube.
"Blown glass," a technique invented by the Phoenicians along the eastern Mediterranean coast in the mid-1st century BC. It is said that the manufacturing method has hardly changed since ancient Roman times.
The prototype we checked when visiting the factory for a meeting. Perhaps because it is hand-blown, each piece seems to have its own expression. Of course, the waist width has also been increased to accommodate larger natural stones. It has turned out even better than we imagined.
The brass parts that support the natural stones are commissioned from a small factory in Osaka. What we have on hand is just an illustration of the completed image that we hand-drew. We will repeatedly prototype through trial and error.
The biggest challenge was that the sizes and shapes of the natural stones were all different. We tried various ways to use parts in a V-shape or to use donut-shaped parts for fastening. We experimented to see if we could secure stones of various shapes and sizes. The craftsmen at the factory also found it interesting, saying, "This is the first time I've been asked for something like this," and they patiently worked with us through our unreasonable requests.
Finally, a matte finish is applied to complete the product. Brass is a metal that changes over time. As time passes, it gains a more weathered appearance, evolving into a truly antique piece.
▼Collection｜Decorative Natural Stones
https://cobaco.shop/collections/mineral_specimens
