It’s Asia Week in Hong Kong, celebrating Asian art with a variety of exhibitions and auctions.  Robyn and Judy have taken some of our best Chinese and Tibetan art to exhibit at one of the star events.  Please join us this weekend, May 25 – 27th, 11am to 7pm at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre – Hall 5G.

These Ando Hiroshige woodblock prints had languished in their antique frames for many decades, getting acid-stained and foxed from mold.  With diligent and gentle conservation, the stains were removed and the prints restored to their former glory.  The original blue colors can now be appreciated and they appear clearer overall, with all of the fine detail enhanced.

Removing previous patches and repairs is one of the many steps in restoring this woodblock print

If you have a Japanese woodblock print in need of restoration, feel free to email us at info@robynbuntin.com with a photograph of your artwork and we’d be happy to get back to you with an estimate of cost and what type of treatment would be advisable.

Meet our Head Art Conservator: Frankie Saucedo

April 20th – May 20th, 2013

Shunga literally means “Spring Pictures” and this year we are celebrating the season with an exhibtion of Shunga along with a series of Saturday talks led by John Stevens and Judy Buntin. See the beauty of classical as well as Meiji and Taisho era erotic paintings and prints.  We look forward to seeing you at our opening reception and 1st talk!

• Take a look at some of the shunga already displayed in the gallery by clicking here: http://robynbuntin.com/japanese/shunga
• We are currently working on a catalog/book for the show and it will be available on our website on our RB Publications page or stop by the gallery to browse it in person after April 20th!

Shunga Discussions

Saturday, April 20th

1pm to 3pm Reception 2pm to 3pm “Loving Couples” with John Stevens

Saturday, April 27th

2pm to 3pm “Shunga of the Meiji Period” with Judy Buntin

Two beautiful D. Howard Hitchcock oil paintings of Mauna Kea on the Big Island and Ainahau, Waikiki are arriving soon to the gallery from the Michael Crichton collection of Hawaiian art. In addition to his illustrious writing career, Mr. Crichton collected fine Hawaiian paintings for his home here in the islands. These two paintings are some of the finest early Hawaiian paintings that we’ve had the pleasure to handle. Please stop by and see them in person!

Sunrise on Mauna Kea by D. Howard Hitchcock

Ainahau, Waikiki by D. Howard Hitchcock

Is this Princess Kaiulani as a young girl walking this palm lined pathway?  The back of this painting has an inscription, “Ainahau, Old Cleghorn Place, Waikiki Oahu”.  Ainahau was the name of Princess Likelike’s lands in Waikiki.  When she passed away her land and cottage became the home of her daughter, Princess Kai’ulani and husband, Governor of O’ahu, Archibald S. Cleghorn.

]]> http://robynbuntin.com/blog/2013/d-howard-hitchcock-paintings-from-the-michael-crichton-collection/feed/ 0 http://robynbuntin.com/blog/2013/restoration-of-paul-jacoulet-prints/ http://robynbuntin.com/blog/2013/restoration-of-paul-jacoulet-prints/#comments Sat, 16 Mar 2013 01:21:19 +0000 Robyn Buntin of Honolulu http://robynbuntin.com/blog/?p=794 Conservator Frankie Saucedo has become an expert in handling Paul Jacoulet prints due to the high demand of restoration work on these difficult and fragile woodblock prints.  Mica, bronze, gold, ground pearl, embossing, and numerous colors make this type of print especially challenging if not impossible for conservators without specialized …]]>

Conservator Frankie Saucedo has become an expert in handling Paul Jacoulet prints due to the high demand of restoration work on these difficult and fragile woodblock prints.  Mica, bronze, gold, ground pearl, embossing, and numerous colors make this type of print especially challenging if not impossible for conservators without specialized training.  Luckily, Frankie’s experiences at the Honolulu Museum of Art as well as working on Jacoulets from private collections has earned him a level of expertise that is hard to find.  Take a look at these dramatic Before-and-After photos to see what’s possible!
Curious about Paul Jacoulet? Click here to see more of his works
Do you have one that you’d like restored? Call us at 808.523.5913 or Email us at info@robynbuntin.com

Acid-burned and foxed with mold

De-acidified, foxing removed, and paper reconditioned to restore suppleness. The mica blue background and subtle colors remained intact.

There are several things to keep in mind if you’ve got a Paul Jacoulet (or other woodblock prints) to restore:

• Do you know that Jacoulets are some of the most sophisticated woodblock prints ever produced?  Some prints took up to 300 individual impressions of nearly 60 blocks, carved on both sides to create!
• Conservation and restoration is best handled as soon as possible.  If you notice mold spots (foxing) appearing on your artwork, have it treated immediately.  It will not only save your artwork, it’ll save your wallet from a bigger bill if left untreated.
  A recent analogy that we liked was this: leaving foxing untreated is like leaving bird poop on your car 
  
• conservation is limited to the base materials.  Jacoulet used wonderful paper but even this type has its limits.  Get it treated before it gets to the “potato chip” stage.  Acid is what turns paper brown and brittle.  When it gets so brittle that it feels like a potato chip, the extent of restoration can be limited since the paper itself can’t handle much treatment.
• A funny story told to me by the late and great Richard (Gerry) Miles who wrote the book, “The Prints of Paul Jacoulet”: Paul’s prints were produced during some of the hardest times in Japanese daily life [post-WWII] when essentials such as rice and clothing were precious.  Even then, Jacoulet was such a perfectionist that if the paper had an imperfection in it, he would use it as a liner in his chicken coops!
• If your artwork was framed in Japan or other parts of Asia, take a closer look because that’s a red flag!  Asian framers have been slow to adopt acid-free and archival standards of handling artwork.  Even some of the best framers continue to use plywood and cardboard behind artwork which leads to a not-so-slow acid death.  Getting your Japanese frame refitted with acid-free materials is very economical, fast, and will save you a lot of headaches in the future!
• Margins matter – Jacoulet prints and most other Japanese prints are valued based on rarity, condition, and size (among other factors).  Having margins which have not been cut, folded or stained can seriously affect the value of your artwork.
• Prevent fading by using ultra-violet filtering Plexiglas or museum glass.  The value of Paul Jacoulet prints and other woodblocks can be severely diminished if it’s been faded.  We prefer the UV Plexiglas in clear or non-glare since it is lighter than glass and will not shatter in the same way that glass does.  Also, if you’re a traveler or someone who tends to move around a lot, the Plexiglas will allow for safer transport and peace of mind.  Plexi has come a long way and looks beautiful.  Stop by our framing department to check it out.
• Colors tend to appear brighter after conservation and restoration because the yellow/brown acid color has been removed.  Observe the brighter blue and red in the Jacoulet print below.

Have questions about your Paul Jacoulet print or other artwork that needs restoration?  Email us or call us at 808.523.5913 and we’d be happy to chat with you!

Google Maps brought their cameras indoors and did a spectacular 360° virtual tour of the gallery.  For those of you who aren’t in Honolulu, please take a spin and see what we’re like in person!

Tips: Click and drag on the image to move around.
If you’re on a phone or tablet, simply move your device to navigate.
Want to see it full-screen? Click on the upper right corner icon showing 4 arrows.

View Larger Map

The virtual tour allows you to see our many different departments:

• Asian Art & Antiques
• Hawaiian & Polynesian Art
• Custom Framing
• Print Room (Japanese Woodblock Prints)
• Jade Room:
  • Netsuke
  • Snuff Bottles
  • Jade & Scholar’s table items
• Scrolls

An afternoon painting session with the legendary artist Don Ed Hardy in his San Francisco studio.
This is a dream for most fans – being a fly on the wall while the artist creates a painting out of thin air.  Can’t help but love the music too!  The only warning: it’s not as easy as they make it look

Check out more of his fine art available for purchase here

Thank you to all of the art lovers who came out for the opening reception of Joyful Instincts: Andy Kay, Esther Shimazu & Donna Shimazu last night.  One of our largest receptions to date, we had a full house with lots of fun all around.  If you couldn’t make it to the reception, please check out the artwork online or even better – stop by to see it while the exhibition is up (until April 13).
Want to interact with this show on Facebook?  Click here for the Event Page

See an interactive virtual tour of the exhibition on Google Maps by clicking here: http://goo.gl/maps/dGa42

Sisters Donna and Esther Shimazu

Andy Kay with guests

Guests and Joel Bright

Yvonne Cheng, Frankie Saucedo & Aisha Buntin

Eat Your Vegetables Guardian by Esther Shimazu

Eat Your Vegetables Guardian by Esther Shimazu

Tusha Buntin, Bart Potter, and Jerry Lee

Tengu by Esther Shimazu

Rochelle, Donna, and Esther

Pua and Jay Jensen

Old Dog by Esther Shimazu – Sold!

Don and Pam Lichty with Esther Shimazu

Debbie Young, Tusha Buntin and Andy Kay

After-Party at Royal Garden with office manager Betty Bernstein, Andy Kay, and Jerry

Anais Nin Quotation by Andy Kay

Pele Quartet by Andy Kay

Andy Kay with guests

Esther Shimazu and guests

Anne with John Koga

Cheryl and Jerry, our wonderful bartenders for the night

Judy Buntin showing guests some of Donna Shimazu’s hand-crafted jewelry.

Jean Morel and guest

Tusha Buntin talking with Daniel and guest

Join us on March 7th, 2013 from 5pm to 7pm to meet the artists and see their new creations!  Click here to see the artwork online

Updates:

• See the exhibition as a Virtual Tour on Google Maps >> http://goo.gl/maps/dGa42
• Check out our Opening Reception Photos by clicking here!

Tusha’s off to Tampa, Florida tomorrow to participate in one of the largest sword shows to date.  With over 125 tables of swords and sword-related arts on view, it’s sure to be an exciting event, bringing together enthusiasts of martial arts and fine art.  We’re happy to be going to the show with our good friend, Robert “Bob” Benson of Bushido who will be at a table close by.

Can’t make it to the show?  Check out highlights of what we’ll be exhibiting below or click here to purchase the 2013 SS Show Magazine.

Hope to see you there!

Show Hours:  (click here for address and more details)
Friday, Feb. 22nd: Noon to 10 pm
Saturday, Feb. 23rd: 9 am to 10 pm
Sunday, Feb. 24th: 9 am to 3 pm

Highlights of what we’ll be exhibiting:

Manju Netsuke with Fish Design
Item #1183   $1,350

Shishi Netsuke
Item #2160   $3,200

Sleeping Puppy
Item #2171   $1,650

Stag Netsuke
Item #2199   $1,450

Yellow Jade Mythical Animal
Item #2806   $4,500

Bamboo Shoot
Item #3443   $4,500

Inro Suite
Item #3477   $9,500

Wakizashi Tsuba
Item #3621   $650

Wakizashi Tsuba
Item #3622   $550

Beetle Design Dish
Item #4583   $3,600

Smoking Set
Item #5112   $4,000

Kanyu Manju Netsuke
Item #5118   $3,500

Ryujin
Item #5721   $7,000

Silver Tobacco Pipe
Item #6234   $900

Smoking Set
Item #7358   $1,800

Smoking Set
Item #7359   $2,850

Smoking Set
Item #7360   $2,850

Carved Edo Pipe Case
Item #7361   $1,850

Lacquer Pipe Case
Item #7365   $475

Sukashi Tsuba
Item #8599   $400

Sukashi Tsuba
Item #8601   $400

Sukashi Tsuba
Item #8604   $400

Tsuba
Item #8606   $600

Sukashi Tsuba
Item #8607   $500

Tsuba
Item #8609   $400

Heianjo Tsuba
Item #8610   $500

White Jade Openwork Plaque
Item #9103   $4,700

Archaic Crossbow Mechanism
Item #9646   $4,200

Shin Shinto Tanto
Item #9998   $5,700

Komai Watch Fob
Item #10058   $675

Komai Dragon Belt Buckle
Item #10061   $1,200

Pair of Tibetan Finials
Item #10072   $3,500

Damascened Tsuba
Item #10565   $1,500

Pair of Menuki Earrings
Item #10585   $1,500

One Line Calligraphy by Yamaoka Tesshu
Item #12429   $2,800

Silver Presentation Box
Item #12647   $1,100

Silver Presentation Box
Item #12676   $1,250

Silver Tsuitate
Item #12689   $1,150

Teppo Netsuke
Item #12877   $4,800

Agate Snuff Bottle
Item #12906   $4,500

Tanto
Item #12908   $3,200

Wakizashi
Item #12910   $2,900

Boy Fishing Tsuba
Item #12911   $1,200

Floral Bronze Tsuba
Item #12912   $1,400

Jade & Diamond Ring
Item #13060   $5,800

Jade Ring
Item #13315   $1,900

Daruma by Onisaburo Deguchi
Item #13324   $25,000

Jade & Ruby Pendant with Gold Chain
Item #13367   $4,100

Menuki Brooch
Item #13380   $1,400

Mamezo Hotei by Hakuin Ekaku
Item #13431   $25,000

Rose Quartz & Spinel Belt Hook
Item #13542   $3,500

Agate & Jade Belt Hook
Item #13553   $4,500

White Jade Belt Hook
Item #13612   $5,800

Jadeite Ring
Item #13815   $2,200

Ivory Kendoist by Sadatsugu
Item #13860   $1,900

Magic Dragon by Kokai Toryu
Item #13900   $2,800

Jadeite Gourd Toggle
Item #13946   $1,900

Tsuba by Umetada
Item #13983   $750

Sukashi Tsuba
Item #13984   $650

Tsuba
Item #14121   $650

Sword & Skull Calligraphy by Yamaoka Tesshu
Item #14181   $5,000

Flowing Moon by Omori Sogen
Item #14183   $2,800

Jadeite Ring
Item #14188   $3,500

Zen Skull & Ikkyu’s Poem by Yamaoka Tesshu
Item #14557   $7,500

Everyday Mind is the Way by Nantembo Toju
Item #14558   $2,800

NIN Calligraphy by Ashikaga Shizan
Item #14561   $2,500

Kagami Buta Netsuke
Item #14562   $2,800

Jizai Okimono: Iron Dragon
Item #14648   $65,000

Jizai Okimono: Red Ivory Shrimp by Shosai
Item #14655   $12,500

Crystal & Agate Belt Hook
Item #14868   $4,200

Namu Amida Butsu by Hakuin Ekaku
Item #14907   $9,500

Jade Pendant
Item #14938   $4,200

White Jade Peach & Bat Toggle
Item #15056   $3,800

Jadeite Bangle
Item #15105   $550

Rooster & Bamboo by Ito Jakuchu
Item #15279   $9,500

Man’s Jadeite Ring
Item #15306   $7,500

Zen Bull by Tsuo
Item #15590   $3,800

Kannon by Takahashi Deishu
Item #15613   $4,800

Hidden Treasure Enso
Item #15627   $5,500

Every Day Is A Good Day by Ashikaga Shizan
Item #15628   $2,300

Muge Calligraphy by Nakayama Hakudo
Item #15635   $3,500

Chicken Bone Jade Snuff Bottle
Item #15954   $3,500

Focused Effort, Maximum Efficiency by Kano Jigoro
Item #15977   $5,200

Hakuzosu, The Fox Priest by Otagaki Rengetsu
Item #16190   $7,000

Jadeite Necklace
Item #16199   $6,400

White Jade Garment Hook
Item #16326   $3,800