Stone of the Month: August 2018"Kouko-san"
This beautiful yet mysterious little stone with an exquisite base had been hidden in its storage box for many years until it reappeared in a private collection in Hokkaido this summer. It was given the name “Kouko-san” possibly after a mountain in Korea, although the stone appears to be Japanese in origin. Based on the information provided on the old storage box (kiri-bako), as well as the stone’s patina, it appears that the stone has been a Suiseki for nearly 100 years. The calligraphy on the front outside panel of the box is translated “Kouko-san,” although the two red characters are not clear enough to translate. The writing on the bottom of the box states “March Taisho 11 Peace Exposition.” This refers to the The Tokyo Peace Exhibition held in Ueno Park, Tokyo from March 10—July 31, 1922 to celebrate the ending of World War I. The third line of text was probably intentionally obscured by the owner for reasons we cannot know. It is very rare to find a small stone in a storage box with writing. The box is the appropriate dimensions for this stone and appears to be the original box rather that a recycled one. The original owner of this stone and the person who made the base and box remain unknown for now. We also do not know at this point if the stone was actually displayed in this exhibition that celebrated the ending of World War I, and if so, was that the reason the owner named the stone the “Kouko-san.” The features of this stone and information from the storage box adds interest and value to this stone. Unraveling the history and provenance of a stone is part of the joy of stone appreciation. “Kouko-san” measures just 5.8 x 2.5 x 2.1 cm and is now in the collection of Tom Elias and Hiromi Nakaoji.
