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Mokume Gane (Mo-KOO-may GAH-nay) is an old metalworking technique that originated in Japan in the 1700s. The words translate to “wood eye metal,” which accurately describes the topographical patterns that appear when metals are twisted and forged using this process. The look is similar to the swirling, watery patterns of Damascus steel or ancient Chinese lacquer work. Though the technique was initially developed for use in sword making, jewelry and hollowware are the most common modern commercial applications of this method.
Japanese craftsman Denbei Shoami (1651-1728) is credited with the invention of Mokume Gane for embellishing samurai weapons and hilts. The process was only used in sword making until the 19th century. Changes in Japan’s political and social structure in the late 1800s saw the collapse of the caste system dominated by the samurai warriors. They were no longer allowed to carry their katana (sword) in public so demand for these arms decreased. Metalsmiths then began transferring their skills to create more artistic products.
The husband and wife team of Eugene Michael Pijanowski and Hiroko Sato Pijanowski brought Mokume Gane to the United States in the early 1970s. They learned the technique from ninth generation metalsmith Norio Tamagawa.
Today Mokume Gane jewelry, flatware, hollowware and art objects are created by layering precious and semi-precious metals such as Gold, Platinum, Palladium, Sterling Silver and Copper. The layers are bonded and deformed by rolling, forging, and twisting. A combination of techniques including punches, chiseling, carving, and surface abrasion exposes the beauty of the work: the unique layering of these metals. A Mokume Gane artisan can make an unlimited number of distinct patterns with no two being precisely the same. |
