I recently purchased this stone from a fellow ebay seller. It measures approx. 10"x5"x5", is cut, and has a custom dai. I really like it, but don't know much about it as I am very new to suiseki. I know it was collected in California, but thats about it. What kind of stone is it? There also seems to be some sort of wax-like substance coating the stone, and I'm not sure if I should clean it all off, or leave it. Any suggestions?
I can't offer much with regards to the type of stone. Maybe jasper, but that's a relatively uneducated guess. As far as the coating... it's a little unfortunate (my opinion). From what I've seen in the past, waxes and oils leave a residue when attempts are made to remove them. I guess if it was wax you could try to melt it off. That way you wouldn't have to worry about particles getting stuck in the wax.
I'm not the biggest fan of cut stones, but I realize there's a time and place for it. It's one of those personal choice things. I'm also not a big fan of polishes, etc. Mostly just because it requires maintenance to keep them looking good, you can't just leave them be. But again, it's a personal choice. In the Chinese aesthetic it seems more acceptable than in the Japanese. But that's just an observation and my perception may be wrong.
I like the colors a lot. The daiza is nice, that in and of itself is a bonus. Finding a well made daiza is not easy or cheap.
If you haven't read it yet, The Japanese Art of Stone Appreciation by Yoshimura and Covello is a good intro to suiseki. Kemin Hu has some books on gongshi and shangshi (Chinese stone appreciation), but I only have one so I can't speak to them.
