Leading pewter brand Royal Selangor joins creative forces with 300-year old Japanese lacquer-ware experts Zohiko to produce exclusive sculptures featuring the legendary koi.

Crafted in pewter and lacquered with the age-old Maki-e technique, the Shori collection pays homage to the Japanese legend of a determined koi who turned into a dragon. The old myth recounts the attempts by a school of koi swimming against the flow of a waterfall to reach the top. Only one would succeed, pleasing the Gods and as a reward was turned into a magnificent dragon.

First cultivated in Japan, the koi or nishikigoi are one of the most elegant and graceful ornamental fish species that come in a variety of colours – each with its own significance. The limited edition sculptures feature three variations of the koi—Go, Miyabi and Irodori —a deep bronze symbolizing strength, gold exuding elegance and a multi-coloured koi to represent beauty.

Cast in fine Royal Selangor pewter, each piece is painstakingly hand-worked and polished by skilled artisans, breathing life into the elements that surround the fish. The completed pewter work is then flown to Kyoto where Zohiko’s craftsmen add the finishing touch of lacquer sprinkled with gold and silver dust, followed by more layers of lacquer. The pieces are then carefully polished to reveal the intricate design.

The Shori sculptures come complete in a box that also functions as a display case. Carefully assembled, the back and base panels are specially lacquered with the Mine kumo nuri technique pioneered by Zohiko to produce a mesmerizing blue on black effect and used for the first time in this collection.

The Shori collection can be viewed at selected Royal Selangor retail stores. The collection is limited to 88 sets worldwide and is only available upon order.

For more details visit shori.royalselangor.com