MASTER-SERIES:  Hand-made Cat-Hair Maki-e Brush by Kuno Shop.
We curated 2 very special maki-e brush for your selection.  
 
This 20mm cat-hair brush is made by brush master Kuno of Nagoya. This red-handle brush has a long name 久野赤軸根朱替.  [根朱] is a synonym for rat hair. The uniqueness of maki-e brush is the head is adjustable and removable for different stroke-control and also for cleaning. The fine, 20mm-long hair gives you precise, fine urushi line in a clean drag.
 
There are very few remaining maki-e brush masters in Japan.  And with few successors, these Masters' brushes is becoming rare.  There is often long wait time like 3-4 months when the masters cannot catch up with the orders. 
 
The Legend of Maki-e Brush:
Centuries ago, very specific rats residing at store rooms of sailing ships would be used for these brushes. Artisans have tried hairs from various animals and have selected these specific rats as they were well-fed by grains in the store room and stays indoor, so their hair remains fine and soft. There is no longer rats from sail boats, so these maki-e brushes are now made with cat-hair. Thus, the word [替] means substitution.  Currently, rat-hair brushes are almost impossible to find and usually priced highly due to its rareity. 
 
Japan's Handmade cat-hair brush is a very important tool for Maki-e Artisan. Centuries of trial-and-error with different hair types and brush sizes have led to the perfected, beautiful maki-e brushes. They are the pride of the brush artisans as well as maki-e artisans. And since the foundation of kinstugi was set by Maki-e masters, if possible, I would urge serious learners to experience using maki-e brushes in their practices.
 
My personal experience with artisanal maki-e brush is, once you get used to using it, it is hard to go back to cheap nylon brush. It is very well-made and the natural hair gives the right amount of tension to pull smooth skinny lines. As with any brush, if maintained well, it will last for decades. The brush does deserves a lot of care.
 
Kuno is one of the few remaining maki-e brush artisans in Japan (last 2 maki-e brush expert makers). Their work is in high demand as the tedious hand-made production process is very slow. Each brush is like a piece of art.  So please take extreme care for these brushes.  
 
INVENTORY
*** We only carry very small inventory as these are hand-made in small batches.  If out-of-stock, we accept pre-order so we can hold the item for you when we receive the new batch from the brush artisan.  With the rarity of these Master's brushes, wait for order could be 2-3 months. 
 
If you need assistance in choosing brushes, email us and we will make recommendations.  Check out our video on what brushes to use and how to maintain delicate maki-e brushes.