3 ms·

Really interesting, and what a cool niche to work in (although I also think it would be ... frustrating). This part didn't parse for me: [...] racks of wooden

by unwind 8y ago

Really interesting, and what a cool niche to work in (although I also think it would be ... frustrating). This part didn't parse for me: [...] racks of wooden-handled brushes with bristles made from rat’s tail fur and the hair of pearl divers. The hair of what? Can "pearl diver" mean something else than a human diver, hunting for pearls? Do they really donate their hair to make brushes? Why them? What ... ?

jacobush 8y ago
Maybe their hair gets a certain quality from being exposed to sea water for many hours.
davegardner 8y ago
From what I've discovered, it must be a Japanese Lacquer Brush. Traditionally these are made from the hair of pearl divers, "selected as the finest and densest fibre."[1] Another reference I found quotes that "They say that the salt strengthens the hair"[2] [1] http://spitalfieldslife.com/2012/01/12/pedro-da-costa-felgueiras-lacquer-paint-specialist-japanner/ http://spitalfieldslife.com/2012/01/12/pedro-da-costa-felgue... [2] https://www.nippon.com/en/views/b02309/ https://www.nippon.com/en/views/b02309/
- unwind 8y ago
  Thanks! I guess that makes sense, but I didn't think it through. I wonder what the original author thinks of that, do they expect their audience to be aware of this? Weird.
  - JKCalhoun 8y ago
    Ha, ha, author wants the reader to perk up and do some googling... ;-)