【BUNKOYA-OOZEKI’s 98th Anniversary Patterns】MARU series

Hello everyone！
Today I would like to talk about the "MARU series" which is a little different from our usual new designs.

"MARU" means "circle" in Japanese.🤗

The three plates used in this series are old plates that had been stored in a warehouse for a long time.



The exact year this version was made is unknown, but it was likely made by the company's founder, Ozeki Usaburo (grandfather of the current president), in the mid-Showa period.

Nowadays, all embossing plates have beautiful lines made by machine, but when this plate was made, the pattern was made by hand from the metal plate.

▼ A version of "Betta" made with current technology



▼ Hand-carved "MARU Series" plates


When you compare them, you can really see the difference! 
The hand-carved block has jagged edges, layered unevenness, and noticeable roughness.

▼ Embossing creates lines that look slightly blurred or faded.


Although it's not neat and tidy, it has a nostalgic quality that draws you in.
Perhaps that's the charm of retro hand-engraved versions.


The founder of the company, Usaburo, who created this printing block, was said to have been a great lover of art, and left behind many sophisticated designs based on Western designs and pictures.

▼ "KINSHA" is also a pattern left behind by Usaburo!

There are lots of "MARU" in this pattern too🧐


"MARU series" is an exotic pattern created in an era before the Internet.
For this reprint, we've given the pattern a new name in French.

【Petale】

 A very modern and stylish space where curves and straight lines dynamically intersect...
The grace and cuteness of the flowers blooming in the gaps is captivating 💐


【Bijou】

It has the splendor of an Art Nouveau ceiling,
but the sky blue color scheme is refreshing and elegant💎🩵

【Eclat】

It is an elegant pattern reminiscent of the decorations on antique✨

There is also a motif similar to the "Rocaille" pattern based on the Rococo architectural style.




When deciding on the color scheme for these three patterns, a competition was held where various coloring ideas were brought in. 
Unfortunately, the ideas that were not selected were all wonderful, so we would like to introduce them to you !









It's an exciting sight, like a row of small plates in an antique shop✨
As part of a single "series," the direction was decided with an emphasis on the atmosphere and cuteness that would emerge when the three types were lined up.


▼This is what the embossing process looks like.

▼The embossing was also done beautifully. 

The "MARU series" would make a great gift.
Please pick it up, take a closer look, and enjoy it ! 


This concludes our 98th Anniversary blog series. Thank you.😁