Five Classic Pens Ls Tsugaru Maki-E Duofolds - These Were Part Of A Set

[PenHero]

Hi, folks!

I had the great pleasure to photograph the complete set of Classic Pens LS Tsugaru Maki-E Duofolds. I posted that group photo here some time ago. This is two individual pen shots from that set.

http://penhero.com/Temp/TsugaruDoufold_1280_03.jpg

The art is termed Tsugaru-nuri, where nuri in Japanese means painting. With Tsugaru, the lacquer mixture of lacquer and paints is made up of multi-layers of different paints with an even surface. As the surface is polished, a “spotted” pattern appears, the individual spots being made up of two or three different colors, positioned around one another, for example dark brown surrounded by yellow then by gold color.

http://penhero.com/Temp/CPLSTsugaruDuofold01_1280.jpg

The painting of several layers, drying in between each painting layer, and hand polishing is labor intensive and takes a very long time to complete. The cost is higher as the number of layers increases but this process gives a rich and quality design. The long polishing process is undertaken by a group of Tsugaru artists, as such Tsugaru Maki-E are not signed by individual artist.

These pens were just incredibly photogenic and the design worked really well on the Duofold.

Thanks!

[PenHero]

Hi Folks,

 

Here are both pens in one shot! A throwback photo from 2006.

 

Two Classic Pens Tsugaru-nuri artist proofs on the Parker Duofold Centennial made in 2005. Tsugaru is the name of the western part of Aomori prefecture, located at the very northern part of Honshu in Japan. Tsugaru-nuri is a nuri, or painting technique where lacquerware was coated with a mixture of lacquer and paints and sanded to an even surface. As the surface is polished, a “spotted” pattern appears, the individual spots being made up of two or three different colors, positioned around one another, for example dark brown surrounded by yellow then by gold color. The painting of several layers, drying in between each painting layer, and hand polishing is labor intensive and takes a very long time to complete. The cost is higher as the number of layers increases but this process gives a rich and quality design. The long polishing process is undertaken by a group of Tsugaru artists, as such Tsugaru maki-e are not signed by individual artist. The highest quality work is called kara-nuri, from karamono or “expensive items,” which uses more colors, creating a mottled pattern and requires more time and hand work. Each pen has 10 layers of lacquer and paint resulting in rich patterns. There were five pens made: a susuki-nuri (grass) in red with black specks where the surface is textured to look like leather, a sei-gai-ha (wave) in green with a black and violet ocean wave pattern, a traditional Japanese pattern produced in various colors, the kara-nuri above in yellow ocher with dark brown, light brown and gold spots, the kara-nuri on the above in rich blue with light blue and gold spots and a kara-nuri in light blue with dark blue, mid blue and gold spots. Light blue Tsugaru colors are the most difficult to produce.

 

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/ClassicPensTsugaru_2048_02.jpg

 

Thanks!

[PenHero]

Hi Folks,

Here is a different view of both pens in one shot! A throwback photo from 2006.

Two Classic Pens Tsugaru-nuri artist proofs on the Parker Duofold Centennial made in 2005. Tsugaru is the name of the western part of Aomori prefecture, located at the very northern part of Honshu in Japan. Tsugaru-nuri is a nuri, or painting technique where lacquerware was coated with a mixture of lacquer and paints and sanded to an even surface. As the surface is polished, a “spotted” pattern appears, the individual spots being made up of two or three different colors, positioned around one another, for example dark brown surrounded by yellow then by gold color. The painting of several layers, drying in between each painting layer, and hand polishing is labor intensive and takes a very long time to complete. The cost is higher as the number of layers increases but this process gives a rich and quality design. The long polishing process is undertaken by a group of Tsugaru artists, as such Tsugaru maki-e are not signed by individual artist. The highest quality work is called kara-nuri, from karamono or “expensive items,” which uses more colors, creating a mottled pattern and requires more time and hand work. Each pen has 10 layers of lacquer and paint resulting in rich patterns. There were five pens made: a susuki-nuri (grass) in red with black specks where the surface is textured to look like leather, a sei-gai-ha (wave) in green with a black and violet ocean wave pattern, a traditional Japanese pattern produced in various colors, the kara-nuri above in yellow ocher with dark brown, light brown and gold spots, the kara-nuri on the above in rich blue with light blue and gold spots and a kara-nuri in light blue with dark blue, mid blue and gold spots. Light blue Tsugaru colors are the most difficult to produce.

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/ClassicPensTsugaru_2048_04.jpg

Thanks!

[PenHero]

Hi Folks!

 

A previously unpublished throwback photo from 2006.

This is a Classic Pens Tsugaru-nuri artist proof in rich blue with light blue and gold spots on the Parker Duofold Centennial made in 2005. Tsugaru is the name of the western part of Aomori prefecture, located at the very northern part of Honshu in Japan. Tsugaru-nuri is a nuri, or painting technique where lacquerware was coated with a mixture of lacquer and paints and sanded to an even surface. As the surface is polished, a “spotted” pattern appears, the individual spots being made up of two or three different colors, positioned around one another, for example dark brown surrounded by yellow then by gold color. The painting of several layers, drying in between each painting layer, and hand polishing is labor intensive and takes a very long time to complete. The cost is higher as the number of layers increases but this process gives a rich and quality design. The long polishing process is undertaken by a group of Tsugaru artists, as such Tsugaru maki-e are not signed by individual artist. The highest quality work is called kara-nuri, from karamono or “expensive items,” which uses more colors, creating a mottled pattern and requires more time and hand work. Each pen has 10 layers of lacquer and paint resulting in rich patterns.

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/ClassicPensTsugaru_2048_05.jpg

Thanks!

[PenHero]

Hi Folks!

A previously unpublished throwback photo from 2006. This has different lighting than the photo above, with the nib picking up the shadows from the mat.

This is a Classic Pens Tsugaru-nuri artist proof in yellow ocher with dark brown spots on the Parker Duofold Centennial made in 2005. Tsugaru is the name of the western part of Aomori prefecture, located at the very northern part of Honshu in Japan. Tsugaru-nuri is a nuri, or painting technique where lacquerware was coated with a mixture of lacquer and paints and sanded to an even surface. As the surface is polished, a “spotted” pattern appears, the individual spots being made up of two or three different colors, positioned around one another, for example dark brown surrounded by yellow then by gold color. The painting of several layers, drying in between each painting layer, and hand polishing is labor intensive and takes a very long time to complete. The cost is higher as the number of layers increases but this process gives a rich and quality design. The long polishing process is undertaken by a group of Tsugaru artists, as such Tsugaru maki-e are not signed by individual artist. The highest quality work is called kara-nuri, from karamono or “expensive items,” which uses more colors, creating a mottled pattern and requires more time and hand work. Each pen has 10 layers of lacquer and paint resulting in rich patterns.

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/ClassicPensTsugaru_2048_03.jpg

Thanks!

[PenHero]

Hi Folks,

 

Here are all five pens in one shot! A throwback photo from 2008.

 

Five Classic Pens Tsugaru-nuri artist proofs on the Parker Duofold Centennial made in 2005. Each pen has 10 layers of lacquer and paint resulting in rich patterns. There were five pens made: a susuki-nuri (grass) in red with black specks where the surface is textured to look like leather, a sei-gai-ha (wave) in green with a black and violet ocean wave pattern, a traditional Japanese pattern produced in various colors, a kara-nuri in yellow ocher with dark brown, light brown and gold spots, a kara-nuri in rich blue with light blue and gold spots, and a kara-nuri in light blue with dark blue, mid blue and gold spots. Light blue Tsugaru colors are the most difficult to produce. Tsugaru is the name of the western part of Aomori prefecture, located at the very northern part of Honshu in Japan. Tsugaru-nuri is a nuri, or painting technique where lacquerware was coated with a mixture of lacquer and paints and sanded to an even surface. As the surface is polished, a “spotted” pattern appears, the individual spots being made up of two or three different colors, positioned around one another, for example dark brown surrounded by yellow then by gold color. The painting of several layers, drying in between each painting layer, and hand polishing is labor intensive and takes a very long time to complete. The cost is higher as the number of layers increases but this process gives a rich and quality design. The long polishing process is undertaken by a group of Tsugaru artists, as such Tsugaru maki-e are not signed by individual artist. The highest quality work is called kara-nuri, from karamono or “expensive items,” which uses more colors, creating a mottled pattern and requires more time and hand work.

 

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/ClassicPensTsugaru_2048_06.jpg

 

Thanks!