Sumi

[Russell Peters]

Appraising Sumi


Both Beni and Sumi have luster produced by the skin. Like the way it is with Beni, a good Sumi is the type which develops Maruzome. Sumi has to have a good thickness, and it appears more beautiful when shiny. In contrast, hard sumi with rough texture does not appear beautiful. It must be understood that it is not just the blackness that matters with Sumi.

Truly beautiful Sumi are rare. Currently, appropriate evaluation standards and techniques have not been developed. Quite often, show judges are unable to determine the quality of Sumi. As in Beni, good Sumi possesses elasticity. It adheres to the skin strongly and is solid in its black pigment.

Good sumi is deeply kneaded into the skin. If the skin texture is rough like cotton, however, it cannot become good Sumi. The hobbyist must look for the silky quality of skin in the Koi. Skin quality determines the expression of Sumi. If on a silky skin it will have a strong luster. On a poor skin the shine will be lost.

In a Koi show Tsubo-Sumi is often discussed. In the general sense Tsubo-Sumi is known as Sumi on white skin. Keep in mind however, Nishiki Koi is an expression of artistic pattern. Thinking Tsubo-Sumi as Sumi on white skin, is not an accurate understanding of Tsubo-Sumi.

It is an artistic play of Beni, Sumi, and Shiro, and depending on the shape of a Hiban, the position of Sumi can be critical. It has to be in a critical spot (Tsubo) where it creates a good balance, and yet becomes the emphasis in the artistic play of the pattern.

The three critical spots for Sumi on a Sanke are the shoulder, dorsal area (back) and the tail.

[Russell Peters]

.

[Russell Peters]

There are two basic typs of Sumi. There is the bluish/black Sumi and the grayish Sumi. The grayish Sumi can have an almost brown appearance to it. I do not actually have any pictures of the gray type but I do have some of the bluish/black type. This type is called Aozumi and Mr. Sakai calls his Atarashi Sumi. The Atarshi Sumi has luster and the gray type does not.

[rainblood]

The three critical spots for Sumi on a Sanke are the shoulder, dorsal area (back) and the tail.

I'm not a big fan of Sanke, like soMe others I know , but that is a very pretty fish, homes

[McKTX]

wow, that first Sanke is a stunner! What kind of Gin does it have? Am I wrong in thinking that is a finished fish?

[Russell Peters]

wow, that first Sanke is a stunner! What kind of Gin does it have? Am I wrong in thinking that is a finished fish?

It is a Matsunosuke Sanke, so it is Matsunosuke Gin and doesn't cover the whole body, and it wasn't finished when the picture was taken.

[Russell Peters]

I'm not a big fan of Sanke, like soMe others I know , but that is a very pretty fish, homes

I know soMe enjoy theM More than others.

[rainblood]

I know soMe enjoy theM More than others.

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM....

[Marilyn]

Someday you'll learn, Sir Rainblood, that there is nothing prettier than a nice Sanke.

[Russell Peters]

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM....

I concur Sherlock.

[McKTX]

I think fall 2012 will be the year I try to get one like that first Sanke. That one should change anyone's mind about Sanke's!

[rainblood]

I think fall 2012 will be the year I try to get one like that first Sanke. That one should change anyone's mind about Sanke's!

It is certainly a beautiful thing when pattern & quality mesh together

[TODDER]

Does all underlying sumi at some point come to the surface. Im talking about the light gray areas you can see in alot of showa and sanke that lay just under the surface.


Im with M, there is nuttin better than a well put together sanke. Or maybe a well put together showa. Sanke are deffintely at the top of my list.

[Russell Peters]

Does all underlying sumi at some point come to the surface. Im talking about the light gray areas you can see in alot of showa and sanke that lay just under the surface.


Im with M, there is nuttin better than a well put together sanke. Or maybe a well put together showa. Sanke are deffintely at the top of my list.

This tends to be more the case for Showa than Sanke. There are always exceptions but I have seen less of the underlying Sumi come up on Sanke than Showa. I actually think this is a good this because too much Sumi on a Sanke makes it too busy.

[TODDER]

One of the sanke I got from M has a lot of underlying sumi and if they were to come up would make it a great looking koi. So far there have been no changes. Most of the sumi that is up lies from the dorsal on torwards the tail.

Just wondering if it would come up someday.

[Marilyn]

Time will tell. I've found Matsunosuke a bit more reliable on what will finally appear on Sanke and that one was from Koda.

It makes sense that it's truer with Showa as they are black based koi whereas Sanke are white based.