Go Sighting #21: Flowers and Butterflies Maki-e Go Bowls

I have always wanted my own set of maki-e go bowls and I finally have this beautiful set of flowers and butterflies maki-e go bowls 花蝶図蒔絵碁笥 in my personal collection. The butterflies dance so lightly around the flowers that they remind you to keep your moves in go light as well. Not only do I like the pictures but I also like the tactile qualities of the bowl with the smooth but grainy feeling. Not sure how old this set is though, but there is such an elegance in such an understated maki-e handicraft, it just has to be made by an old master. The bowls also came with 182 slate and 182 clamshell stones with thickness of about 9.2mm each so it’s quite a find.