Lets Talk About Sparkelygois

[Bern]

I'd never given this a thought before, but I think the Lady makes a lot of sense. I have only one Ginrin in my pond now and thats a Matsukawabake, the only other I've had was a Tancho Kohaku, which fitted the understated dress code notion to a tee. She wore a beret, very French but no motoguru.

At last years Dutch show I was in the team that judged size 4 and when it came to Ginrin A there were only two candidates. One a Hi-showa and the other a regular Showa.

The Hi-showa had no GR on the sumi (which was highly polished), just on the beni. The other showa had it from head to tail.

To me the Hi-showa looked more attractive. It was blessed with a better body too. Truly a case of less is more.

The regular Showa's pattern and colours was swamped by the GR.

rgds Bern

[keokoi]

Ok Gin Rin Asagi for me if very nice. Its kinda like a crunched up piece of foil. Plus I like it cause its not every day you see one. I also like Gin Rin Platinum. Maybe I like those 2 because I have both. To me I really look for that luster shine througout the body. Yes those Goshiki's in gin Rin look awesome as well. I agree with SMG they look good on plain colored koi.

French women with Motoguro is fine as long as confirmation is good. DOH! :shock:

[Andrew]

Bern,
Just be grateful it's motoguro not ti beri! :wink:

[Fishbreeder]

Interesting statement about the ginrin showa, no ginrin on the sumi.

Look very, very closely, I bet there is ginrin on the sumi. I've seen this in only one other showa in over 20 years.

The sumi is so strong that the ginrin cannot shine through it. In the case of the other showa with ginrin end to end, I bet the sumi isn;t as black.

I like ginrin because it sells good.

Don't much care for any chagoi, soragoi, or other such with or without ginrin. Might as well keep a river carp, can't hardly tell one of them from a chagoi anyhow. I have seen ginrin on river carp, also on grass carp and even on largemouth bass. It is not an effect limited to koi. It is an adaptive disadvantage for "wild" fish though.

I like ginrin kohaku best. Like the effect of silver scales in the white and gold ones in the red.

I prefer the beta gin arranged in straight lines. On some fish, Hiroshima style ginrin (sprays instead of lines) looks very powerful and is fun to see.

In all my years of breeding I only have produced one koi with true "pearl ginrin". A shiny, translucent pearl at the center of each scale. The fish was a sanke and it was sold for a considerable sum to a collector that does not show fish.

If you are looking for a ginrin look for strenght in the area of weakness. Right on the shoulder immediatly behind the head. Usually that spot has weak or non-existant ginrin scales. If the ginrin is strong there, it should be strong everywhere. The other place to look is on the belly. If the ginrin scales go all the way around, it is usually strong ginrin.

Flashy, gaudy, gausch, whatever, it sells good.

Brett

[Bern]

Yeah, absolutly right. Gin was there under the sumi but the sumi was so thick it was very hard to see.

rgds BERN

[MikeM]

I have 4 Gin Rin. All but one are available to a good home!

If you have access to photos of the 1990 All Japan winners, check the Gin Rin B winner in size 10. Every scale was GR, and all lined up in near perfect overlaps such that shimmers of reflection carried from head to caudal like crystals. I'd like to have such a fish. Unfortunately, most GR I see have the look of crumpled aluminum foil as they age, due to lack of uniformity, imperfect overlap and the scales becoming dull as a result of the surface of the scales becoming less even with age. About 5 years ago I saw one for sale about 20" long that had the crystal effect (but not at the level of the 1990 prize winner). The price was considerably more than I was willing to spend on a koi at that time, and I did not appreciate the rarity of the crystal effect. I've not seen another GR like that. When I do, I'll want to buy her.

So, why do I have 4 GR when I really do not care that much for them? Because they are all so beautiful when small, that they are hard to resist. And why is there one not available to a good home? Because HE is magnifcent, despite mediocre GR. In fact, seems to me that the best GR I see are males. Maybe the females stay in Japan.

[shiromujigirl]

I get it now.

Well...... European women have more sumi in the tail also. 8)

It is funny how in a show a less good koi in the gin class with better gin rin can win over a better fish with crumbier gin rin. I often hear judges mumbling over a tank then one of them will suddenly almost yell, "Well it IS a gin rin class!" You can almost count on this happening.

[Bern]

Hi SMG.

That was certainly the case in Holland. IMO, in a BKKS show the higher emphasis on body and skin would have seen the opposite decision.

rgds BERN

[dick benbow]

SMG,
I quess I like narumi asagi best because of the fukerin. the gin rin
destroys the very reason why I like them. if i ever owned a gin rin, it would not be asagi. I am cracy about hosokai's silver edged fukerin on his narumi. more subtle more beautiful (more expensive)lol!

[luke frisbee]

SMeaGol,
Rarely does anyone change my "appreciation" of koi with a post. Not even when Brady cranks up the time machine. I mean most of us think, "What I like Is right, and the other guy can like what he likes." (Most of the koi people won't own up to the "is right" part).
But this post has made me see the ligh...sparkley in a clearer light.
I think I'll buy me a solid colored sparkley koi.
I think i may have already been thinking this way but you helped the ideas meld together in my mind.
Unfortunately I have what is considered a good 2 step sparkley kohaku Tosai and ki utsuri. They don't eat much.