Update: Yahoo Japan - Pilot Makie - Faux?

[stan]

The following 1950s Pilot was hammered down today for Y70,000.

This is the second time out of the gate for this pen having not reached it's reserve last week.

The same bidder did not reach the reserve.

 

The urushi seems pristine. The bird appears applied on top of the urushi.

No evidence of a signature. There is some sort of plant on the cap that is under the top coat of urushi.

Not a great photo.

Seller claims it came form the Pilot stable of artists.

 

An associate who collects makie called it a 'fake.' Meaning, not original.

What do you think? FWIW, it is a nice pen.

 

 

[cleosmama]

Even if it's "fake," it's beautiful.

[KBeezie]

Even if it's "fake," it's beautiful.

 

Exactly my thought. At that point it's something I'd get primarily for the artwork. Though for 683$ (approximately), I'd probably want that on a non-fake since a good deal of that price is typically afforded to the actual brand and known maki-e artist.

 

It's still beautiful though.

 

What's the nib look like in terms of fake?

Edited April 19, 2014 by KBeezie

[Gloucesterman]

If it's a fake, then the Maki-e could also be fake. And then the pen would be worth very little.

[KBeezie]

If it's a fake, then the Maki-e could also be fake. And then the pen would be worth very little.

 

Well the process of Urushi and Maki-e have very little requirement, it could still be Maki-e after all they sell that artwork for as low as $50, just a matter of the quality. So I think what makes more sense to say, if the pen is a fake then the "artist" mentioned as doing the Maki-e is also a fake, as the pen is still done with Urushi (lacquer) and Maki-e (sprinkled painting), just not with the background/origin expected.

 

ie: would be like buying a painting by a no-name artist at the price of a well renown artist, it's still a painting, it's still paint, it's still artwork, just doesn't have the market 'value'.

Edited April 19, 2014 by KBeezie

[stan]

 

Exactly my thought. At that point it's something I'd get primarily for the artwork. Though for 683$ (approximately), I'd probably want that on a non-fake since a good deal of that price is typically afforded to the actual brand and known maki-e artist.

 

It's still beautiful though.

 

What's the nib look like in terms of fake?

 

Y70000 = about $800 to a foreigner when one includes all transaction costs.

It has an appropriate PILOT 14K nib.

[KBeezie]

 

Y70000 = about $800 to a foreigner when one includes all transaction costs.

It has an appropriate PILOT 14K nib.

 

I can only go off of what Google says for "70,000 yen to USD" which results with, not sure where they get their results. But yea still saying personally in my opinion I wouldn't spend 600-800+ for a pen that's not pilot and has an unknown artist, for all the unknowns I probably wouldn't go over 150-250 or so just because it does least look well made so least some value in terms of the artwork and parts.

 

70000 Japanese Yen equals

683.4100 US Dollar

 

(Course when you say to a foreigner guessing there's going to be around 150 taxes and what not?)

Edited April 19, 2014 by KBeezie

[stan]

When a foreigner uses shoppingmalljapan or any other proxy they are responsible for paying the proxy a percentage of the sale. On top of that are shipping costs to the proxy in Japan and to the buyer in America. Should the pen be purchased from a shop or business, sales tax is also added. Since the proxy must eventually be paid in Yen, there is also the cost of exchanging dollars for Yen..

 

When i say transaction costs, it is all the above inclusive. it is not the Google Yen to Dollar converter cost.

[KBeezie]

When a foreigner uses shoppingmalljapan or any other proxy they are responsible for paying the proxy a percentage of the sale. On top of that are shipping costs to the proxy in Japan and to the buyer in America. Should the pen be purchased from a shop or business, sales tax is also added. Since the proxy must eventually be paid in Yen, there is also the cost of exchanging dollars for Yen..

 

When i say transaction costs, it is all the above inclusive. it is not the Google Yen to Dollar converter cost.

 

Makes sense, but yea IF one were trying to purchase something from outside of the region.