Eyes & holes

​When talking about the eye of a piece it is not necessarily the same as discussing the hole by which it is hung.  However, in much modern NZ carving the hole is often adorned by features reminiscent of an eye, and is located in the relevant place, but there are many instances where this is not true.  I’ll give you some examples below.  Firstly, where the piece does not have an eye …

​Here’s a picture of a lovely piece of lashing on a beautiful adze made by my friend Steve.  It replicates the ancient lashings made by Maori craftsmen on a piece which has been ground back to accommodate the binding.

​And here is a really strong piece made by my friend Buddy, with the lashing made by his daughter Jess.  If you think about it, it opens up the possibilities for other decorative lashings in a modern theme.

A piece of work does not have to have a hole at all if there is a sterling silver cap attached.  This is one of my pieces carved from South Westland inanga a few years ago.
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​Here is a nice piece made from Marsden where the holes are flat, along the top of the piece.  It was given to me by a gentleman I met in Greymouth NZ some years ago.  It again opens up all sorts of possibilities for hanging pieces in interesting ways.

​If sterling silver wire is used the hole can be virtually plain, with no bevel needed – but it should still not have a sharp edge.  When cord is used there needs to be a smooth bevel to the hole to stop fraying.

​Here is a simple “loop” or arch made in the stone to accept the hole.  I made this manaia some years ago for a friend in NZ.  Fitting it into the design helps minimize the impact of the tether.

​Here I have used the motif of a horse’s tail to augment the loop into a teardrop shape.  Ornamentation is king!

​And finally we get to making eyes in the stone …

​Here is a manaia where the eye is represented, but not associated with the lashing.  The piece is made from Marsden.  Maori craftsmen used sealing wax to fill such features in the past.  The lashing is recessed into the side of the stone and then whipped in imitation of a bridle.

​And finally, here is a matau where I have used the representation of an eye, located in the head of a fish, which has the cord passing through it.  There are many variations of this.  The groove helps in lieu of a bevel on the hole, and by preference you should align the natural hang of the piece with the line of the eye groove.  I almost achieved that here!

​So the ornamentation and variety of holes are almost limitless.

​I include a diagram here which is shown as “Fig. 14 Basic Hole Types” from Page 57 of a wonderful book, “Jade” edited by Roger Keverne (full details are given at the bottom of the “About Jade” page here in my website) to show the different types of holes which have been used in the past.