I Think I Got An Urushi Aurora

[jjlax10]

I was lucky enough to be the buyer of this handsome gentleman:

 

http://gregminuskin.com/?attachment_id=7487

 

I am looking for info as I am not an Aurora collector. I found this review here with some info:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/71439-tsugaru-nuri-talentum/

 

But I am looking to find out more if anyone has any further information (there is a short note on Aurora's website).

 

Thanks,

 

Josh

[Koyote]

I know nothing about that pen other than that you got a steal!

[sumgaikid]

You definitely got a sumgai! As the poster of that article,I paid a

little more than 4 times what you paid. At the time I wrote the ar-

ticle,they were going for almost $500. There were only 150 of them

made total,and the number for each was on the outer box. Any chance

that you also received the box and case with the pen?

 

I need to add that there may be only a few coats of urushi lacquer--

mot as many as one thinks.

 

John

Edited January 2, 2013 by sumgaikid

[RMN]

Strange converter there on the pics by greg minushkin. Looks like a Nakaya converter. Do these fit in Aurora and Parker??

 

 

D.ick

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

The Platinum/Nakaya converter has a much larger connector than the connector on Parker and Aurora pens (except the Aurora Duocart which can use Platinum and Nakaya cartridges and converters and NOT Aurora cartridges and converters).

 

Dillon

[RMN]

I never saw this type of converter (the whole looks) until yesterday on the website of my favourite pen-purveyor on the list of new Nakaya products. He has Nakaya in his stable since Jan 1st.

 

So I thought these were made by Nakaya themselves. Apparently there is someone out there making these pretty things for Parker-type as well. Interesting.

 

 

D.ick

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

It does appear to be a Platinum converter. Very odd. I think the pen should be looked at when it is received.

 

Dillon

[mchenart]

I just came across this thread this morning, and decided to post picture of my red Aurora Tsugaru-nuri for comparison. I bought this pen at the Itoya store in Tokyo where I saw a black and a red one, in 2009. They told me that these were their last stock, so I chose the red one as it seemed very cheerful.

 

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae33/mchenart/Aurorared_zps13e4f747.jpg

 

I have always thought that the red and the black were the only colours these pens came in, but since 2009, I have seen a green Aurora urushi put on sale at Euro Box, and a blue one at Japan's Yahoo. Nobody seems to know how many of these pens were ever made, but in any case, they all seem very rare.

 

It may be of interest to point out that Aurora launched another series of five Tsugaru-nuri pens some two years ago in slightly different (textured) surface treatments. Here is the Aurora Japan web page describing the new pens. They are now listed at 100,000 Japanese yen each.

[sumgaikid]

I just came across this thread this morning, and decided to post picture of my red Aurora Tsugaru-nuri for comparison. I bought this pen at the Itoya store in Tokyo where I saw a black and a red one, in 2009. They told me that these were their last stock, so I chose the red one as it seemed very cheerful.

 

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae33/mchenart/Aurorared_zps13e4f747.jpg

 

I have always thought that the red and the black were the only colours these pens came in, but since 2009, I have seen a green Aurora urushi put on sale at Euro Box, and a blue one at Japan's Yahoo. Nobody seems to know how many of these pens were ever made, but in any case, they all seem very rare.

 

It may be of interest to point out that Aurora launched another series of five Tsugaru-nuri pens some two years ago in slightly different (textured) surface treatments. Here is the Aurora Japan web page describing the new pens. They are now listed at 100,000 Japanese yen each.

 

 

 

Great...............now I've got to spend another life tracking down these..............

 

 

 

John

[jjlax10]

I got mine and it is awesome. I wonder if it is was made by platinum.

[sumgaikid]

I got mine and it is awesome. I wonder if it is was made by platinum.

 

Look back at the title of this post...........the model(s) in question

were made by Aurora,an Italian penmaker.

 

 

John

[freakman]

There're five models in total. Each limited to 500 pieces. Original retail is 45000 to 55000 Japanese Yen. The Talentum pen body are manufactured by AURORA and then sent to Tugarunuri(田中屋)in Japan to finish the lacquer work.

 

The method they use are Monsya(紋紗塗).

 

They add carbonized wheat shell to the urushi and then polish to get the effect you see on the pen. This type of lacquer is very durable.

[mchenart]

Thank you freakman for posting the clear pictures of the Aurora Tsugaru-nuri. However, if I may correct you, the photos and description you gave belong to the new (aka 2009) series priced at 100,000 Japanese yen each. The older series were less expensive at 45,000 to 50,000 yen each. I have not seen the new series in the flesh, but judging from the photos, they looked textured and not as shiny, similar to the 'ishime-' stone-like treatment. I believe the new pens can still be bought from Yahoo Japan.

 

I found a photo of the blue Aurora Tsugaru-nuri that was listed on Yahoo Japan auction about a year ago: here Needless to say, I was outbid in the fierce auction. The blue colour is very nice, indeed.

 

To whet your appetite even further, I am pasting a photo of a very rare and pretty Tsugaru-nuri in little circles pattern: here

[freakman]

Thank you freakman for posting the clear pictures of the Aurora Tsugaru-nuri. However, if I may correct you, the photos and description you gave belong to the new (aka 2009) series priced at 100,000 Japanese yen each. The older series were less expensive at 45,000 to 50,000 yen each. I have not seen the new series in the flesh, but judging from the photos, they looked textured and not as shiny, similar to the 'ishime-' stone-like treatment. I believe the new pens can still be bought from Yahoo Japan.

 

I found a photo of the blue Aurora Tsugaru-nuri that was listed on Yahoo Japan auction about a year ago: here Needless to say, I was outbid in the fierce auction. The blue colour is very nice, indeed.

 

To whet your appetite even further, I am pasting a photo of a very rare and pretty Tsugaru-nuri in little circles pattern: here

 

Hmmm, seems that there're much more versions than I had expected. Hope Tugarunuri has kept their historical data of how many versions and how many pens were made.

[sumgaikid]

Thank you freakman for posting the clear pictures of the Aurora Tsugaru-nuri. However, if I may correct you, the photos and description you gave belong to the new (aka 2009) series priced at 100,000 Japanese yen each. The older series were less expensive at 45,000 to 50,000 yen each. I have not seen the new series in the flesh, but judging from the photos, they looked textured and not as shiny, similar to the 'ishime-' stone-like treatment. I believe the new pens can still be bought from Yahoo Japan.

 

I found a photo of the blue Aurora Tsugaru-nuri that was listed on Yahoo Japan auction about a year ago: here Needless to say, I was outbid in the fierce auction. The blue colour is very nice, indeed.

 

To whet your appetite even further, I am pasting a photo of a very rare and pretty Tsugaru-nuri in little circles pattern: here

 

Now I can understand why the LE number is on the outside box and not

the pen--it might mar the beauty of the pen. Both pens pictured are very

beautiful. The others in their "leather-like" look are just as beautiful. So

how does one go about buying any of these--bidding auctions only?

 

One in yellow would be nice...............

 

 

 

John

Edited January 11, 2013 by sumgaikid

[jjlax10]

I got mine and it is awesome. I wonder if it is was made by platinum.

 

Look back at the title of this post...........the model(s) in question

were made by Aurora,an Italian penmaker.

 

 

John

 

Thanks John. I authored the original post. Sometimes pen companies use other pen companies to manufacture the pens. For example, Montegrappa made the Sheaffer Valor.

[mchenart]

Now I can understand why the LE number is on the outside box and not

the pen--it might mar the beauty of the pen. Both pens pictured are very

beautiful. The others in their "leather-like" look are just as beautiful. So

how does one go about buying any of these--bidding auctions only?

Sumgaikid, For the new series pens, I'm afraid the only ways to get them would be to buy directly from a pen seller in Japan, or get it through Yahoo Japan here. The vendor is selling the pens at a 'Buy It Now' price. Perhaps there are 'proxy' services in your country that could bid items on your behalf? It would be useful to find out.

 

I got mine and it is awesome. I wonder if it is was made by platinum.

 

jjlax10, Sumgaikid was right in stating that your pen body was made by Aurora, an Italian company, with urushi coatings done by craftsmen in Aomori prefecture in northern Japan. The Platinum converter in your pen has been misplaced.

[mchenart]

Aurora has just issued two new Tsugaru-nuri pens in September, 2013 http://www.aurorapen.jp/goods/pen/tsugaru/index.html

I think both are done in the Nanako-nuri technique, with one of them having small red circles on a black background, while the other is black circles on a green background. These pens could very possibly be available only in Japan, since I could not find any relevant info on Aurora Italy's website.

 

It is interesting to see that this Tsugaru-nuri line has developed into a periodic production of limited edition pens.

[sumgaikid]

Aurora has just issued two new Tsugaru-nuri pens in September, 2013 http://www.aurorapen.jp/goods/pen/tsugaru/index.html

I think both are done in the Nanako-nuri technique, with one of them having small red circles on a black background, while the other is black circles on a green background. These pens could very possibly be available only in Japan, since I could not find any relevant info on Aurora Italy's website.

 

It is interesting to see that this Tsugaru-nuri line has developed into a periodic production of limited edition pens.

 

 

I like that new green one.............

 

 

John