Grail? What are these "grail pens" you speak of?

[kiavonne]

Several months ago, I saw the picutures Jopen posted of his Danitrio octagon twins in Tame-midori and Tame-nuri urushi finishes. Oh, how I wanted to experience these pens! They were beautiful and very alluring, deep in colour, and I knew I had to have them. Well, not Jopen's pens, but a pair of similar octagons for myself.

 

Since aquiring my Takumi Akikazu no Tsuki, I've been completely taken with the beautiful urushi finishes and maki-e artristry of Danitrio's masters. I contacted Kevin, and I asked if I could commission two pens, a pair of octagons like Jopen's in Tame-midori and Tame-nuri, but I also wanted some maki-e (also inspired by one of Jopen's pieces, the sunflower pen). I asked if the artist could add larkspur/delphinium blossoms to my pens as well as a ladybug or two. The larkspur is the flower of my birth month, and the ladybug is special to me for the childhood nickname bestowed upon me by my dad and grandmother. I thought the octagon pens offered up a trellis of sorts in the shape, and the deep urushi finishes conjured up garden images in my mind. I came to a budget, and I asked Kevin to express my wishes to Danitrio. I left the exact interpretation of my visions to the artist's discretion. I have found so many times in the past with many of my commissioned artworks that giving the artist free hand at interpretation after my initial vision will result in the most exciting, beautiful, and awe inspiring works created. This philosophy has proved true once again.

 

Kevin received my pens this weekend, and he sent me a dozen pictures, six of each pen. I don't have these pens in hand, yet, they will arrive next week. But I had to share. These are so wonderful. These pictures are better than any I will be able to take, and Kevin said I could share them with you all. I opened the first and I was amazed. There was the Tame-midori octagon covered in - by my eye - the most beautiful maki-e I've seen to date. Larkspur and ladybugs! There was more detail than I'd imagined my budget would have allowed. The larkspur blossoms were beautifully rendered, and even a raden blossom radiating out to catch my eye. So many blossoms entwined around the pen trellis, and so detailed. And wonderful sprinklings of faery dust (looks magical and mystical enough to me). I noted almost immediately how the blossoms matched so near to perfect the same interpretation as Dexter Seals and Engraving used for the border of my commissioned desk seal (I'll add their concept art photo to the end of this post - it was engraved near exact in the seal). I really was in awe over the Tami-midori pen.

 

Then, I opened the first photo of the second pen. I nearly fainted at the beauty of this pen. My immediate words aloud were, "oh my god!" and with real emphasis. It was not Tame-nuri. Instead, the urushi finish was Byakudan-nuri. A stunning and incredible shade of red I've not seen before. My message to Kevin was to ask how they could have ever known my favourite colour is red, and that red was as near to perfect as I could imagine. The maki-e was not as extensive, but even more beautiful as the blossoms and wonderful ladybugs parted to allow such a beautiful finish show and compliment the master artistry of this pen. Another raden blossom, and more subtle faery dust.

 

I'd thought about grail pens in the past, even went so far to say that the Visconti Camelot in red would likely be as close to a grail pen as could be in my mind. Well, not now. The Camelot is but another "some day when I'm in the mood" pen. The grail pens are those I now will soon enjoy in the Larkspur and Ladybug octagons. The future may hold more of these beautiful pens by Danitrio, but none will surpass the beauty of these in my mind. These are my grail pens.

 

I hope you enjoy Kevin's pictures as much as I am while I await the arrival of these pens to my door. I'm so glad Kevin is here for us to get our "fix" by.

 

The master artist of these pens is Mr. Masanori Omote. He will forever have my respect and gratitude for these beautiful artworks.

 

(Image heavy! If responding to this thread, please remove the image links from quotes.)

 

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Danitrio%20Larkspur%20Pens/IMG_4904.jpg

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Danitrio%20Larkspur%20Pens/IMG_4906.jpg

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Danitrio%20Larkspur%20Pens/IMG_4907.jpg

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Danitrio%20Larkspur%20Pens/IMG_4908.jpg

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Danitrio%20Larkspur%20Pens/IMG_4909.jpg

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Danitrio%20Larkspur%20Pens/IMG_4911.jpg

 

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Danitrio%20Larkspur%20Pens/IMG_4912.jpg

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Danitrio%20Larkspur%20Pens/IMG_4913.jpg

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Danitrio%20Larkspur%20Pens/IMG_4914.jpg

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Danitrio%20Larkspur%20Pens/IMG_4915.jpg

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Danitrio%20Larkspur%20Pens/IMG_4917.jpg

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Danitrio%20Larkspur%20Pens/IMG_4918.jpg

 

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Dexter%20Desk%20Seal/DexterSealManticore.jpg

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Dexter%20Desk%20Seal/355.jpg

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Dexter%20Desk%20Seal/370.jpg

Edited August 30, 2009 by kiavonne

[AltecGreen]

Congratulations. Those are both incredible. No production pen can compete with custom work like this. Each is special to the person who commissioned the pen.

 

Time to get moving on my Danitrio custom pen.

 

 

[Siv]

Breathtaking - simply wonderful!

 

I especially like the bottom of the green pen. It looks like the whole design grows out of that little cluster of grass and leaves... beautiful.

[kiavonne]

Breathtaking - simply wonderful!

 

I especially like the bottom of the green pen. It looks like the whole design grows out of that little cluster of grass and leaves... beautiful.

 

 

I do too, Siv. And there is even a ladybug hiding in there, too!

[Siv]

I do too, Siv. And there is even a ladybug hiding in there, too!

 

Ladybird, my dear, ladybird

[kiavonne]

I do too, Siv. And there is even a ladybug hiding in there, too!

 

Ladybird, my dear, ladybird

 

 

Ladybird it is. I do like this version better than the American one.

[I am not a number]

I can't even begin to describe how stunning those pens are so I won't waste any further words.

[dandelion]

I love those ladybirds.

[Ghost Plane]

Beautiful! PLEASE tell me they write as fantastically as they look?

[FrankB]

Lovely pens! These custom crafted designs are addictive, aren't they?!

 

I look forward to your impressions of the pens when they arrive.

[Imzadi]

Stunning!

[Shinchan]

Wow...your pens are simply gorgeous Pray share with us how they write as well

[Jopen]

Congratulations... they are absolutely stunning; a very fine work indeed... hope they arrive fast (he he ... I know this experience... and in person you will need an ICU near you when you open the boxes...)

[playpen]

Gorgeous. Enjoy them in good health!

[fuchsiaprincess]

Thank you so much for sharing your GORGEOUS pens with us!

[encre]

Stunning pen, Love the ladybird detail!

 

 

[MYU]

Ah... this is the way I'd like to spend my money once I reach a comfortable level of disposable income.

 

 

Beautiful choice on those pen designs, Kiavonne. I'm sure they will remain cherished heirlooms for you in the years to come.

[Chris Chalmers]

Beautiful pens - you must be delighted, as I know you are! What I love is the detail of the Ladybirds - the flowers are of course perfect, but those Ladybirds look real - that is skill beyond measure to make them look so 3-D!!!!

Congratulations!

[effrafax]

I do too, Siv. And there is even a ladybug hiding in there, too!

 

Ladybird, my dear, ladybird

 

A much nicer name (which is what I grew up with in England) and also more technically correct: "bug" strictly refers to an insect which sucks blood, which ladybirds do not, being a beetle.

[Phthalo]

Lovely!