The Carving Path: Operculum - The Carving Path

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Operculum

#1 Guest_Clive_*

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Posted 06 December 2007 - 04:04 PM

Hi all...

Has anybody ever used Operculum or come across its use in Japanese art? The picture is of the Operculum of the Turban shell which I think is often refered to as Pacific cats eye, but what I'm interested in is larger forms... perhaps from Conch?

Cheers
Clive

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  • Attached Image: monthly_12_2007/post-75-1196956304.jpg

#2 User is offline   Brian Chan 

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Posted 06 December 2007 - 04:55 PM

So that's what it is!

I collected a few handfuls of those when I was walking on the beach in Hong Kong. I thought they were the vestigial shells of some kind of large sea-slug. hmm.

#3 User is offline   tsterling 

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Posted 06 December 2007 - 05:31 PM

Hi Clive,

The northwest native Americans and Canadian First Nations peoples who lived along the Pacific coast used operculum (the front doors of certain snail shells) in lots of their wood carving and jewelry. It was also quite a trade item, but I've never heard of it being used in Japanese art. Maybe the Ainu, who have a remarkable similarity in their traditional arts to northwest native American art?

PS How's the arm doing? Are you back to carving?
Tom Sterling
www.sterlingsculptures.com
Here is a test to find out whether your mission in life is complete. If you're alive, it isn't. Richard Bach

#4 User is offline   Janel 

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Posted 06 December 2007 - 05:50 PM

Interesting page, includes operculum about 3/4 down on long page.

Also interesting about the snail's shell parts and functions.

Janel
Teachers open doors, you enter by yourself. Chinese proverb
What you can do, or dream you can, begin it; Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. ~ Goethe ~

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#5 Guest_Clive_*

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Posted 08 December 2007 - 01:30 AM

Thanks guys... I've found out that there is rare specie of pacific conch that was used as an inlay material in Japanese art and some of the material is being source for me... I'll post updates.

Hi Tom... not carving at full steam yet... apparently there's been some nerve damage so its a wait and see situation.. very frustrating... I might take up chainsaw carving!!
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