Tsuge: Urushi Maple Leaf Billiard Tobacco Pipe

Urushi can refer to either the incredibly durable lacquer that is created from the sap of the Asian sumac or to the totality of the completed product. Some Urushi products can take up to a year and a half to complete. The beautiful patterns that you see fall into the maki-e subcategory of Urushi creation. Meticulous renderings are created on ultra-thin paper and then an outline is traced in Urushi on the reverse side, the "wet" side is applied to a dry Urushi surface and adhesion provides the outline of the elevated forms to come. This lovely, classically shaped Billiard is a fine example of the style, understated and elegant all at once.