Platinum - Kamakura Pens General Grant LE

[Leigh R]

The Kamakura Pens General Grant LE is a work of art that begs to be used daily. It's based on the 3776 body, and is lighter than my Koi celluloid. I discovered it thanks to a post on FPN, and I managed to snag one of the few remaining. (Thanks, Dr. Dutcher!)

 

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d138/leighpod/GrantLE/penonbox.jpg

 

The pen came in an outer box of textured card, and an inner box of paulownia, similar to the one Nakaya uses. As usual, I was quite excited about the pen's arrival and took the unboxing pictures way after the actual unboxing! While this pen doesn't come with a kimono, I think its color scheme goes very well with the blue fabric with gold specks that Nakaya uses for its pens.

 

It is light, but not so light as to feel flimsy or fragile in the hand. It's very difficult to photograph this pen - the tiny blue dots have a real-life gloss that shines through translucent plastic. (My binder notebook has a plastic pouch attached. When I leave my office for meetings, the pen travels in the pouch.)

 

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d138/leighpod/GrantLE/peninnotebook.jpg

 

The pen has a plain black section. I think I have become quite used to sections with their own little "secrets" (like continuing the pattern from the body, for example), and if I were forced to nitpick, I would say that it would have been more rewarding to have the blue dots on the section as well. Then again, no one's making me nitpick. The music nib, as I have come to expect from Platinum, writes lushly and smoothly. I had a spare Platinum converter, so I pushed it in and away I wrote.

 

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d138/leighpod/GrantLE/pennib.jpg

 

Here's a close-up of the pattern:

 

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d138/leighpod/GrantLE/penbodycu.jpg

 

And a writing sample, done with PR Daphne Blue:

 

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d138/leighpod/GrantLE/withwriting.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

[BurkStar]

So you're the one thats been bidding against me! Nice score...great looking pen.

[Rincewind]

A very pretty pen, but what exactly does its design have to do with General Grant? Excuse me if I've missed something as I'm not American.

 

- Stuart

[goodguy]

WOW what a beautiful pen.

If it was a piston filler or an ED filler this pen would get on my want list.

[Kiolden]

A very pretty pen, but what exactly does its design have to do with General Grant? Excuse me if I've missed something as I'm not American.

 

- Stuart

 

Someone else can probably answer more completely than I, but I believe the pattern was inspired by a lacquered box that was given to President Grant as a gift when he visited Japan.

[kamakura-pens]

And a writing sample, done with PR Daphne Blue:

 

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d138/leighpod/GrantLE/withwriting.jpg

 

 

Hello Leigh,

 

I am delighted to hear that you are pleased with the pen. And wow! the writing sample with the pen is just amazing.

 

Stay Well

 

Dr. Ron Dutcher

http://www.kamakurapens.com

 

[journeyman42]

A very pretty pen, but what exactly does its design have to do with General Grant? Excuse me if I've missed something as I'm not American.

 

- Stuart

 

I got this off one of their pens on auction at ebay now. I thought it was a good story.

 

How Grant became associated with a maki-e design is quite a story. Ex-president Grant along with his wife, Julia and their son Col. Frederick Grant sailed into Yokohama on July 3rd, 1879. In 1877, While Grant was acting president, he had stressed to congress that Japan was an important market and allay that the US shouldn't ignore. In 1879, Japan was having struggles with Russia and China. Japan desperately sought to become associated with the US, and they saw the former president as an excellent ambassador, so they invited the Grants to visit Japan.

 

The Grants were greeted in Yokohama with huge crowds of cheering welcomers. Japanese and US flags filled the sky. This was the first time that any important US dignitary had visited Japan, and the Japanese pulled no stops in giving the Grants a royal welcome. A band had been arranged months earlier for the occasion and learned how to play western musical instruments. As Grant walked from the ship to the train they played and repeated "Hail Columbia" the only song they had time enough to master.

 

The Grants were taken by train from Yokohama to Tokyo and shown their quarters at the Enryokan. This was a building inside the emperor's palace grounds that had been refurbished for western guests. President Grant was then taken to meet emperor Meiji in person.

 

This meeting was quite tense both for the Japanese and the American Party. Just a few years earlier Emperor Meiji was still wearing the traditional silk kimonos. But now he was wearing an ornate military uniform. The shocking point of the meeting was when Emperor Meiji shook hands with Grant. Never before had a Japanese emperor touched a commoner, let alone a Western person. In the movie, "Last Samurai" with Tom Cruise, there was a scene where Captain Aldren meets Emperor Meiji. This scene was based on Grant's meeting with the Emperor.

 

 

Above is a lithograph of President Grant's first meeting with Emperor Meiji on July 3rd 1879. In the image we see Grant with his wife Julia beside him. Meiji is wearing his Uniform with the Empress at his side.

 

With the success of that meeting, The Grants were waited on hand and foot. At one dinner, Mrs. Grant complimented the lacquerware at the Palace. The next day, messengers delivered a complete duplicate set. Later, in Grant's last meeting with Emperor Meiji, President Grant was presented a maki-e cigar box with a special design, and this is the design we have used to adorn this pen. It is a little hard to see, but look at Meiji's uniform. It is a dark, royal blue with Gold Chrysanthemums and ivy. This design was utilized on Grant's Cigar box. The design was to signify that this was a special gift from the emperor himself. The Cigar box still exists and is presently a part of the Smithsonian collection.

 

[kiavonne]

That is a beautiful pen! Thanks for the review and the writing sample.

[gylyf]

Very striking pen, and a very cool story to go along with it. Thanks for sharing. Best,

David

[DRP]

Great Review. Thanks for the handwriting sample.

 

Also, thanks to Journeyman 42 for locating the story which accompanies the pen.

[freewheelingvagabond]

[hsianloon]

Wow...what wouldn't I give to have that..very nice pen, thanks for the great photos

[akrishna59]

thank you journeyman42 for the background, it completes the picture in a very nice way. seeing the beautiful pen left me hungry for reading the story behind the design and the name. thanks to both of you. it is a wonderful pen.

 

rgds.

 

krishna.

[steersbylitning]

Stunningly beautiful! Wish it was mine, but since it's not, hope you enjoy it to the max.

 

Debbie

[stevlight]

Great pen and great story.