BRUSH, LETTERING

Description: CYLINDRICAL SHAFT OF DARK STAINED WOOD WITH HORSE HAIR BRUSH AT END AND COILED RED STRING AROUND GRIP END. JAPANESE CHARACTERS ARE CARVED DOWN LENGTH OF HANDLE WHICH IS SPLIT FROM END TO END.

History: BRUSH WAS USED BY DONOR'S FATHER, REV. G.G. NAKAYAMA, WHO CORRESPONDED REGULARLY WITH PARISHIONERS, MISSIONARIES AND OTHERS AROUND THE WORLD HE HAD MET. HE ALSO PUBLISHED NEWSLETTERS AND NEWSPAPERS FOR THE JAPANESE CANADIAN COMMUNITY. THIS IS ONE OF MANY ITEMS HE POSSESSED TO PERFORM THESE TASKS. THE NAKAYAMA FAMILY WAS ORIGINALLY FROM VANCOUVER BUT MOVED TO COALDALE FOLLOWING THE SECOND WORLD WAR WHEN THEY WERE INTERNED AT SLOCAN CITY IN THE INTERIOR OF BRITISH COLUMBIA BY THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT. THE DONOR'S FATHER, REV. CANON G.G. NAKAYAMA, WAS AN ANGLICAN MINISTER IN VANCOUVER, AND THEN ESTABLISHED THE CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION IN COALDALE IN 1945 WHERE HE SERVED UNTIL 1970. SEE RECORD P19970041001 FOR EXPANDED BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION AND PERMANENT FILE FOR FURTHER HISTORY. THE FOLLOWING MEMORIES WERE PROVIDED BY REVEREND TIM NAKAYAMA IN A LETTER TO THE GALT ON 16 AUGUST, 2007. HE WROTE: “JAPANESE CALLIGRAPHY IS A MANUAL ART IN WHICH JAPANESE IDEOGRAPHS ARE EXECUTED BY THE USE OF A “FUDE” BRUSH. THE INK IS PREPARED ON A BLACK RECESSED SMOOTH STONE ON WHICH BLACK “SUMI” (A SPECIAL CHARCOAL SUBSTANCE) IS RUBBED AND MIXED WITH A SMALL QUANTITY OF WATER. THE BRUSH IS DIPPED IN THE PREPARED “SUMI” AND THE IDEOGRAPHS ARE ARTISTICALLY “PAINTED” ON JAPANESE “WASHI” PAPER IF AVAILABLE. IT’S ABSORBENCY TAKES THE BRUSH STROKES THAT ARE BOLDLY MADE IN A GIVEN REGULAR SEQUENCE AND ORDER FOR EACH IDEOGRAPH.”