For sale due to collection reorganization. A valuable old sanshin by Harumasa Mekaru, a Chinen Daiku style. This is from the time when there was no signature on the core, but it is confirmed to be genuine as Mr. Mekaru himself confirmed it when he was still alive. As you can see from the images, the craftsmanship is of a very high quality. Those familiar with the current Mekaru-made Chinen should definitely compare them. What's interesting about the old works is that both the Chinen Daiku and the Makabe have similar faces and pigeon chests. They are different from the recent Chinen and Makabe. The lacquer is from the old days, so it doesn't have the modern, sharp finish, which is also a characteristic of the old ones. Material: High-density Kuroki (black wood). The neck alone weighs 540 grams. Lacquer: Kojo Urushi finish. There are some scratches (see red marks) and signs of use, as well as a single crack in the surface coating on the back of the nomura (see red marks), but it does not reach the wood itself. No twisting or warping, and in good condition. The powerful style of the tenbu (head) is, of course, present, and the curves and carvings from the pigeon chest to the underside of the tsume (nail) are magnificent. The chiga (body) has a double-layered surface with eight-part tension and an old artificial skin on the back.