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  1. Sharing my new Danitrio Sho-Hakkaku Hummingbirds maki-e pen with stub nib. Danitrio made some major changes in 2020. That is, they pulled pens from most retailers in the USA and started selling exclusively (?) through urushipens.com. As a Danitrio collector with a favored brick and mortar AD this move was not welcome. It did, however, give me the opportunity to purchase many other urushi and maki-e pens from other companies such as Namiki, Taccia, and more. While I’ve enjoyed expanding my horizons I was hankering for another Danitrio. I previously had dialogue with Jason at urushipens.com, and had more or less resolved to one day purchase from them, but when I saw this pen on instagram I had to have it. For one thing it was made by one my most favorite Danitrio artists, Yusai, but I had narrowly missed out on a Hyotan model with similar artwork by the same artist and was always thinking about it. A message to Jason via instagram and I was able to snag this pen before it even hit the website. It’s worth mentioning that there are no hummingbirds in Japan, they are endemic only to the Americas. Nevertheless, they are depicted in the most animated and attractive fashion on an absolutely perfect black gloss background. The flowers are no less a feature than the hummingbirds but really, the birds steal the show. There are hummingbirds where I live and we love seeing them twice a year as they migrate. The mix of technique and and artistic rendering rises to the level of the sublime. If one were so inclined this could be an exit pen. Sometimes I wish I were so inclined. The nib is a stub, which is my wont on Danitrio pens and it characteristically writes a juicy line. While I do enjoy writing with this pen for me it is a work of art. I have more than enough pens that write well. I shall never stop adding art to my life. Danitrio now has a new website and more pens are being added to urushipens.com all the time. Personally, I do not prefer to buy these types of pens online sight unseen and nib untested. In my opinion it is a poor business choice and is damaging to relationships with collectors. Urushipens.com seems like good people so I will probably continue to support them but my Danitrio collecting will dramatically slow. There are other pens I can see and touch before buying from an AD I have a long-standing relationship with. The Danitrio pens, as always, satisfy.
  2. From the album: Japanese pens

    Platinum's current line-up of Vicoh fountain pen models as of Christmas 2020.

    © Platinum Pen


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  3. Dear all, I have 2 Nakaya's, clipless versions Cigar Aka Tamenuri and Piccolo long in Kuro Tamenuri. Both comes from the dealers and now I thinking to personalize them- put my signature in Kanji. This option in Nakaya company available for new orders, but I afraid that it will be too difficult and pricy to send them old Nakaya with inquiry only for maki-e sighature.. May be there are other independent artists who can make (draw) signature in this technique on my Nakayas? Thank you in advance for suggestions! Giedrius
  4. From the album: Japanese pens

    The prices of the models designated with a PTL prefix have been raised significantly by the manufacturer this year, with the Kanazawa gold leaf models going to ¥20,000+tax (up from ¥15,000+tax in Platinum's 2019–2020 catalogue) and Modern Maki-e models going to ¥18,000+tax (up from ¥12,000). The previously top-of-the-line ‘Kaga’ Hira Maki-e models (PTL-20000 with no suffix), and undecorated models (PTL-10000 and PTL-5000A) on the other end of the product line, have been discontinued. The Vicoh Sheep (PS-10000N) range was also discontinued.

    © Platinum Pen


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  5. jandrese

    Two New Danitrio Maki-E Pens

    Recently picked up these two super cool Danitrio maki-e fountain pens. Where I shop, Dromgooles in Houston, I have a very large selection of urushi fountain pens. I considered the new and very well made Sailor tamenuri midore-dame King of Pen but rejected it for a variety of reasons. IMG_4295 by Ja Ja, on Flickr Among those reasons was the there were other pens I was more interested in. These pens I purchased were certainly among them! IMG_4296 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4297 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4298 by Ja Ja, on Flickr The first is a sho-hakkaku (short/small octogon) based maki-e piece by Hironobu, who is the son of Okazaki. Some of my favorite Danitrio pens are by Okazaki including my sublime shu tamenuri flat top Mikado so I was happy to collect the son's work too. The theme is Aka Fuji (red Mt. Fuji). It is really very beautiful and features many different finishes. The cap base is shu tamenuri whereas the body is kuro-roiro. There are at least 5 different metal powders and no less than 3 different colors of urushi in the maki-work. Then there is the rankaku or egg shells for the snowy peak. The nib is a medium flame decoration 18k piece with plastic feed. Ink is held in a CC. It is a smooth and consistent writer. IMG_4307 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4306 by Ja Ja, on Flickr The second pen is really something special in my collection. Sure, the maki-e work is very nice, but the colors are really very unusual. The base of the Hyotan (gourd) shaped pen is all of rose pink urushi. Not manly perhaps but I love it for its uniqueness and because my daughter really digs it. The colorful maki-e features a stylized mythical Asian phoenix. There is yellow, red, orange, black, and green colored urushi in the flamboyant bird. There appears to be only one type of gold powder used in the design. Wish there was some information on the design, there never is, but I'm interested and my searches thus far have not turned up any answers. Probably a very specific reference to a tale involving a particular phoenix. The artist is another new one to me and one I am very happy to collect, that is, Yuhaku. The nib is a broad 18k with plastic feed and CC filler. The flame design nib is spectacular, it's an amazing writer. IMG_4305 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4304 by Ja Ja, on Flickr Super happy to have these cool new Danitrio pens.
  6. Sakura FP Gallery

    Sailor Taki-To-Hotaru Limited Edition

    Lampyridae is a family of small beetles in the Coleoptera order with over 2000 different species. They are soft-bodied, nocturnal, winged insects commonly called fireflies or lightning bugs because of their very conspicuous use of bioluminescence during twilight to attract mates or prey. The firefly is a very well known symbol of Summer in Japan. The Sailor Taki-to-Hotaru is an unexpected fifth pen in the Taki-to-Shizen series featuring a summer evening with a crescent moon in mother of pearl shining over the waterfall. Several fireflies are enlightened in the reed, creating a magical path for prey and mates. Limited edition of 38 pcs worldwide! Reserve yours now; we'll have a few in stock! https://www.sakurafountainpengallery.com/en/boutique/detail/new-sailor-taki-to-hotaru-waterfall-and-firefly-sailor-limited-edition
  7. This is the Danitrio Hyotan special edition maki-e F-49 Blue Dragon LE. Hyotan refers to the water gourd and the pen clearly mimics the Calabash shape. Due to its curvaceous nature the Hyotan has been dubbed the “Mae West”. One might think the pen awkward to grip but that is not so, it settles nicely in the hand and is a good writer. Lots of pens write well though. The standout feature of this pen is clearly the large, detailed maki-e dragon and it’s a beauty. Normally, this dragon is featured on larger pens like the Mikado and Genkai along with a more involved maki-e design. This pen brings the central figure down to a more accessible price point. Relatively accessible that is. Dragons are common features of traditional Japanese (and Chinese etc.) artwork. Sometimes it is said that the number of toes or the horns has some meaning, and this may be so here, but for the most part one cannot distinguish Japanese and Chinese dragons by these features. Japanese dragons are often water dragons but can exist in the clouds. Unlike Chinese dragons, Japanese dragons can be good or bad. Chinese dragons are basically benevolent. I really wish I knew the back story on this dragon; there is definitely a story here, something cultured and cultural. Regardless, the multifold maki-e techniques are a joy to study and the sophisticated artistic sensibility is moving. It really is an impressive piece of work. For Danitrio this is a medium sized pen but fully qualifies as large. Since the base is ebonite it’s not heavy. I reckon one could force the pen to post but that would be foolish. Posting would eventually disfigure the maki-e finish and that would be a tragedy. The 18k #6 nib is supplied by a plastic feed and a cartridge converter. These Buddhist flame style nibs are a bit soft sometimes bordering on springy. This one is a little bit soft and while it writes a nice consistent line it tends to make some noise, kind of like a squeaky sound. Odd but not off putting. The artist is Yuji Ohkado and this is the only pen I have from him. I’d say it’s a pretty good start ha ha!
  8. Here are pics of my latest pen, the Sailor King of Pen with Sakura Nagare maki-e. Lots of raden and gold dust. My 6 year old daughter really likes it. I really like it. Has a broad nib. Writes okay if I give it some pressure at a lower angle than what is natural for me. Need to work it myself or perhaps seek out a nib meister although usually do my own nib work for the past decade or so. While the writing performance is not ideal for me the pen is still a stunner and after adjustment should make for an excellent pen because the KOP is an excellent pen. Packaging is premium and everything about the pen is just luxurious. One cool thing is that the raden is raised up and also wet looking. This is all very poetic what with the images of freshly fallen cherry blossoms floating downstream. I've never seen that but I'm sure it's beautiful. This pen is bit louder than my other KOP pens, ha ha, but feels right at home with my Pelikan M1000 Raden Green Ray. IMG_5162 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5163 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5164 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5165 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5166 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5167 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5168 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5169 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5170 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5171 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5172 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5173 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5174 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5177 by Ja Ja, on Flickr
  9. Here is my new Pelikan M1000 Raden Green Ray. This pen was announced to some fanfare. Certainly, the pen deserves some fanfare. As an M1000 it makes a statement as a flagship writing instrument and as a maki-e M1000 it becomes art. What is missing, however, is a story. There is no backstory, no narrative of the conceptualization. The artist remains obscure. The techniques a mystery. Much of that is not unusual for maki-e work, but this is 2020 and brands need to tell stories. Made in only 400 copies due to the nature of material and technique each is really a piece unique. My is 333 making it only half evil. IMG_4994 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4972 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4984 by Ja Ja, on Flickr What I believe is that Pelikan decided to make the definitive raden statement piece. A heavyweight knockout punch in Australian abalone shell. The tableau of the M1000 is large enough but Pelikan decided to inlay enormous, unbroken, mega wide (>2 mm) stripes of perfectly sharply cut shell the likes of which I've never seen. Pelikan and the aritst are screaming look what we've done! This pen lays down the raden law. IMG_4975 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4974 by Ja Ja, on Flickr Remarkably, the pen retains a feeling of smoothness despite the huge, wide raden inlay. The urushi is thick. You can see it rise up from the level of the ink window. This version of the M1000 has a diameter over 1 mm greater than a standard M1000, a difference that is seen and felt. It's a muscular M1000. Otherwise, it handles and writes like any other M1000. Mine has a Fine nib and writes the expected smooth, wet line. There is no babies bottom as is sometimes found on Pelikan nibs. IMG_4982 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4996 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4977 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4978 by Ja Ja, on Flickr Packaging is simple but nicely done. The Paulownia wood box is typical of Japanese craft art and is labeled with the name of pen in the center but the rest of the script could not be translated by my Google phone app. IMG_4989 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4991 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4993 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4995 by Ja Ja, on Flickr My other raden pens pale in comparison to this Green Ray. The Platinum Izumo Aurora also features super wide (~2 mm) raden inlay but the Green Ray stripes are wider and more perfectly cut. The Izumo is a superb pen, it just lacks the perfection of the M1000. My Bokumondoh custom M600 raden Aurora is lovely and eye catching but there is no comparison with the excellence of the M1000. With these pens as comparison pieces the artistry of the Green Ray shines brightly and the price, in comparison is justified. IMG_4997 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4998 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4999 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5001 by Ja Ja, on Flickr
  10. em_the_pen

    Platinum Id

    I saw this pen on eBay a year or so back and just barely lost the auction. I am particularly drawn to this maki-e design. I've been looking since but have never seen another. It probably doesn't help that I was never able to learn the official name of the pen as it was not included in the listing. If anyone knows anything more, I'd really appreciate any information. Thanks!
  11. The press release was announced: see here Seems to be 7 unique colored inks and pens for the 7 gods of fortune and a Emperor Mt. Fuji Pen. http://www.pilot.co.jp/press_release/%E4%B8%83%E7%A6%8F%E7%A5%9E%28511%29.jpg http://www.pilot.co.jp/press_release/PILOT_MARUKAN_0509%28511%29.jpg http://www.pilot.co.jp/press_release/%E5%AF%8C%E5%A3%AB%2C%E5%AF%8C%E5%A3%AB%E3%81%A8%E6%98%8E%E6%B2%BB%E4%B8%B8_%E5%B0%8F.jpg
  12. jandrese

    Danitrio Hyotan Dragon Flower

    How does one come up with superlatives to describe something? What I’ve got here almost belies description; it must be experienced. This is a Danitrio Hyotan or calabash/gourd shaped pen with dragon and flower maki-e. I don’t even really know the real name of the pen or the model number. The artist is Kogaku and I’ve two other magnificent pens by him but this one is beyond. Like my new flat top Mikado the base is shu-tamenuri but that is where similarities end save the quality of the work. IMG_2897 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2903 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2906 by Ja Ja, on Flickr On the cap there is a cloud dragon. I assume that because there is a dragon and some clouds. The dragon is a large piece of contoured maki-e work that utilizes a gold powder so fine individual particles cannot be made out with the naked eye with what appears to be a raden eye. The clouds are bordered in gold and filled with finely grained silver powder for extra sparkle and texture. So now we are up to two or three different metal powders and many coats of urushi of different color/composition. IMG_2904 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2900 by Ja Ja, on Flickr The body has a flower motif rendering what I believe is Tsubaki or Camelia, but I could be wrong. One flower appears more “realistic” whereas the other one appears to be symbolic of something perhaps a Buddhist symbol, or not. Anyway, it is a (symbolic?) flower encircled by symbolic waves. The whole of the flower uses at least 5 different sizes of metal powders of gold and what appears to be copper and at least two difference colors/compositions of urushi including green and red. There is also raden on each flower. The amount of work here is astonishing. IMG_2899 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2902 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2901 by Ja Ja, on Flickr Almost forgot this was a pen. It sports a #6 “Buddhist flame” nib and plastic feed that is supplied by a CC filer. I like a CC filler on Danitrio pens. It means that I get to change inks more often. This is a broad nib and an excellent writer with just the barest amount of pressure. Ink glides across the page. IMG_2905 by Ja Ja, on Flickr The packaging is old school Danitrio in that the pen comes in a fabric pouch encased in a large, mirror black lacquered box. It’s not urushi but it looks great and feels substantial, special, and presents this pen as an occasion. The only other Danitrio pen I have that came with this big box is my very first from four years ago, which is just (just!) a tamenuri finished Mikado. All the others have come in simple Paulownia wood boxes, even the maki-e pens. Not sure what dictates the packaging. IMG_2896 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2893 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2894 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2895 by Ja Ja, on Flickr
  13. This is a brief post to share a really pretty urushi pen from Taccia. Done in yakumo nuri or thick cloud lacquer the blue base and golden clouds really sings. This is an attractive and very photogenic pen. As is the case with all these Taccia Reserve LE based pens it is also a great writer with their Sailor nibs. The music stub feeds from a CC and writes a wide, well controlled somewhat wet line. The cap has a slip n seal mechanism so can leave unattended for some time and will still write right away. While not slated for production there are some other colors still available at Chatterly. IMG_2725 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2726 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2727 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2728 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2729 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2733 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2736 by Ja Ja, on Flickr
  14. This review is more of a pictorial representation of a pen that I believe is not represented well on the internet. Some months ago I fell for a maki-e technique called byakudan-nuri. See my other post on a Danitrio with a similar finish. Here is what Platinum has to say about this pen. "Byakudan-nuri is named from its body color changing overtime being similar to Byakudan incense wood (sandalwood) used in Kodo (traditional incense ceremony). The traditional Japanese technique has been passed on through generations.Yakumo, the floating clouds painted on the ceiling of Izumo Shrine, is used as a motif. The arising sea of clouds and the sky are painted on the barrel. It is a fountain pen featured in deep color of makie providing a mystic impression." IMG_2622 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2625 by Ja Ja, on Flickr Anyway, byakudan-nuri is a neat maki-e technique that looks rather unassuming until you get it in the light and then it appears to glow from within. It’s a sophisticated aesthetic. IMG_2626 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2627 by Ja Ja, on Flickr I was drawn to this particular pen but, to be frank, it appeared, based on online photos, that the quality of the maki-e left something to be desired. Consequently, I never pulled the trigger. Once I got the Danitrio, however, I knew I had to take a chance on this pen. Boy am I glad I did. IMG_2630 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2632 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2633 by Ja Ja, on Flickr This pen is a stunner and references an interesting temple that is periodically rebuilt so it has a cool back story. There is visual and tactile maki-e over a byakudan base so there is a little more going on than with the Danitrio I also posted about. The byakudan-nuri here has a slightly different effect (copper foil versus gold dust basement?) but it still has that magical inner glow. I hope you get a good sense of the beauty of this pen here, I really tried to capture it better than anything else I’ve seen online. IMG_2623 by Ja Ja, on Flickr I ordered the pen with a cosu or course nib, which is really a fat almost double broad. It’s a fun nib and the pen is a perfect writer; I mean freaking magical. There is no real line variation, it just writes a juicy consistent line the first time every time. The nib is very stiff but no pressure is needed at all so it does not matter. I just love the Izumo pens, they are totally amazing and I think under appreciated. There are three Izumo in my collection now and each is its own version of writing perfection. IMG_2628 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2629 by Ja Ja, on Flickr writing samples by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2634 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2635 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2636 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2638 by Ja Ja, on Flickr
  15. This is a Danitrio Takumi pen with byakudan-nuri or sandalwood maki-e with the design of shishi (Chinese) or perhaps komaniu (Japanese version). These are the the so called lion-dogs or lion-like creatures that guard things like shrines and tombs. They are always represented in pairs, yin and yang. In this case I reckon the male is on the cap with his mouth open and the female on the pen body with her mouth closed. IMG_2642 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2646 by Ja Ja, on Flickr Despite having turned into a collector of urushi and maki-e pens, especially Danitrio pens, I was first introduced to byakudan-nuri by a watch, the superb 2018 Seiko Presage limited edition Presage Ururshi Byakudan-nuri SPB085. The subdials on that watch have an inner glow thanks to the byakudan-nuri technique of using semi-transparent urushi over a gold/sliver/copper foil/very fine metal dust base. Sure, I had seen byakudan-nuri pens before, Danitrio in person, Nakaya online, and Platinum online but I guess I was not ready for that finish until now. Supposedly, the byakudan-nuri technique was reserved exclusively for use in places and on objects of high status, including temples, shrines and on the armor of Shogun warlords. Well, if that’s true my tastes, which are that of a commoner, took some time to catch up. IMG_2641 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2640 by Ja Ja, on Flickr It’s easy to forget that the Takumi is a big pen on the order of a Pelikan M1000. Many Danitrio pens and indeed other high end urushi pens are as large or larger but the Takumi has a manageable size and weight. Due to the ebonite construction the weight is not much at all and the #6 gold nib is well suited to long writing sessions. IMG_2639 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2637 by Ja Ja, on Flickr From a distance the smooth glossy finish is a bit brown and unassuming. Up close the features nearly explode seemingly with a light from within. With a little sensitivity this finish is remarkably beautiful and enjoyable. I like the finish so much I turned around immediately and bought a Platinum Izumo with byakudan-nuri that I was on the fence about. I care to know who painted my Danitrio pens but I cannot match the signature to craftsman despite having the Danitrio maki-e book that shows the signature of most of their artists. Nor can I find a reference online. Same person made my other Takumi so if you recognize the signature and know the artist please comment below. IMG_2645 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_2644 by Ja Ja, on Flickr When I bought the pen I had the fine nib swapped for stub. In this case a RS “flame” nib that are/were made by Bock for Danitrio. RS is for regular stub so there is no appreciable flex or even softness. That said, it is not a nail either, there is some give if you press down some. The pen was a bit of a hard starter at first whereby I had to press down harder than I wanted to to get the ink to flow. This behavior is a clear sign of the tines too tight so I gently faired the nib to spread the tines a tiny amount and viola it writes beautifully now. Ink flow is just right, not too little, not too much and the line variation has about a three-fold difference between down and cross-strokes. Very nice. IMG_2647 by Ja Ja, on Flickr writing samples by Ja Ja, on Flickr In short this is a beautiful, functional, and nicely sized pen that should age very gracefully. Highly recommended. Indeed, I hope Danitrio will be with us long term.
  16. WillyVanDerKuijlen

    How To Remove Namiki/pilot Maki-E Pen Clip?

    For Namiki/Pilot no.5 size(such as many Nippon Art) fountain pen (you can see a gold metal ring in this pen end) it has the similar body type as pilot 74 or 912, you can directly screw it and it can disassembly easily. But for Namiki/Pilot No.20 size pen its structure is so complex that I cannot find a way to screw. However, I still want to know the way to disassembly Namiki/Pilot No.10 size(such as yukari type) pen cap and clip, is any way can find out or any tool can be recommended?Thanks a lot!
  17. This is my new Platinum Izumo Aurora raden maki-e with broad nib. This pen was released in 2016 officially named the Hon-urushi Raden Maki-e Aurora with magnificence of natural phenomenon drawn on the body in traditional maki-e style. Link to the press release. The raden work on this pen is amazing and dazzling in equal measure. The large size of the inlay and the large size of the pen ensure this blazes from across the room. There are several shell colors including yellow that for some reason I find really appealing probably because it seems less common. As we know the pen is large and does not post but there is no need to post. The grip section is smartly designed for writing comfort and the weight is moderated by the ebonite construction. The President nib is a very good and consistent writer. There is no line variation, no flex, and the ink flow is steadily sufficient. This pen just writes a nice line the first time every time; how boring :-). Some people evidently think the nib is undersized for the pen. Well, perhaps, unless you really consider the grip section and writing comfort. I didn't realize before that fountain pen peeps were such size queens. _DSC3219 by Ja Ja, on Flickr _DSC3220 by Ja Ja, on Flickr _DSC3222 by Ja Ja, on Flickr _DSC3226 by Ja Ja, on Flickr _DSC3227 by Ja Ja, on Flickr I found a pen with a similar Aizu urushi raden maki-e in the book Fountain Pens of Japan so it seems this design is either common, traditional, or an homage. The pen is signed but Platinum does not make it easy to know just who the artist was, but I would like to know. There is a nice wooden box, a pen sleeve, some ink cartridges, and a bottle of ink in the package. It's a nice presentation for what is an expensive pen. IMG_1687 by Ja Ja, on Flickr _DSC3223 by Ja Ja, on Flickr _DSC3225 by Ja Ja, on Flickr My other Izumo is the Kurikara-ken Maki-e. Both are spectacular works of art. Both are comfortable to hold and use. Both have broad nibs that always work without fuss or flourish. Compared to other urushi pens the Izumo prices range from good value for the money (eg the tamenuri pens) to questionable (my Raden model). Generally, however, compared to other urushi works the Izumo is less expensive but just as good. In terms of writing quality these are Platinum, which means the just write. No flex, nothing fancy, they just work, which is as undervalued as it is reassuring. In my opinion not all the Izumo maki-e models are worthwhile but most are and the tamenuri models are a very good value. _DSC3228 by Ja Ja, on Flickr _DSC3229 by Ja Ja, on Flickr writing sample by Ja Ja, on Flickr
  18. NotAWiz4rd

    Platinum 3776 Maki-E

    I'm currently eyeing a Platinum 3776 Century Maki-e Sansui. I wasn't able to find a lot of reviews or info on this pen. Does anyone here have experience with the pen? Is it worth the extra money over the Platinum Kanazawa? How does the artwork hold up over several years of use? Are there any specific reasons (except design) to choose the Platinum over the Sailor/Pilot equivalents (or the other way around)?
  19. Hello, I've been a collector of Namiki pens for awhile, and I I just purchased my first Emperor. This is my first eyedropper pen, and although I understand the mechanism to fill, I am concerned that using silicon grease may hurt the Maki-e. Anyone with experience on using this pen? Thank you, Halee
  20. Hello, I have been lurking for a few years, and have a small collection of German and Italian pens that I use daily-- Im a writer. I have become increasingly convinced that I need a Namiki pen and have looked at both the Emperor and the Yukari Royale line. May I get advice on: 1. Useablity-- which one is a better daily use pen 2. Good places to find a used pen (besides Ebay) at a fair price 3. Best vendors if I chose to purchase a new pen 4. What else I need to know Thank you, Maya
  21. Just picked up this Danitrio Cosmos (Choo) by Kenji Yamamoto. Marugane chirashi, raden, hirame-ji, and kingi maki-e. The section is stamped Grand Trio, which is the name the Hyotan model used to go by I believe. Amazing pen, super hard to photograph. I've been wanting an example of this artists work for some time. Good writer and gorgeous. This is an older model but I picked it up new and the LE number is 1/50. IMG_1527 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_1528 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_1529 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_1530 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_1531 by Ja Ja, on Flickr danitrio Cosmos by Ja Ja, on Flickr
  22. https://www.cultpens.com/i/q/PT24237/platinum-kanazawa-haku-fountain-pen-changing-autumn-leaves I bought one of these recently, but as I waiting for it to arrive, does anyone have any experience with these? I don't own any maki-e pens yet so I thought this would be a good entry-level maki-e before I decide to spend more.
  23. I am tempted to buy Sailor 1911 Maki-e Momiji. I found one online for £400 which I think is a great price if its real maki-e. On the other hand, if its modern maki-e it would be a bit of a ripoff. Does anyone know what type of makie it is?
  24. Here is a look at my Pilot 100th Anniversary Meiji-Maru. This is the Yukari size pen and there were "only" 800 pieces worldwide. Some vitriol has been directed towards Pilot regarding their anniversary offerings. Setting that aside this is a really nice pen. The design is meaningful for Pilot and is straightforward enough for foreigners to understand. There may not be many of these pens available still from ADs. I found one on eBay today at a speculative price of $2600 so it seems I've made a good investment ha ha. Previously, in these pages member Sidd posted his pen and the packaging so please visit his post to see the packaging. For a maki-e pen this represents good value at MSRP. The maki-e on this pen is really well done, almost to the point of looking artificial, but it was handmade. The details and consistency of the artwork is impressive. Of note is the urushi color. This is a darkish blue that is distinctive in my collection. I reckon Pilot worked up this color specifically for this pen. The base color is not "simply" roiro-magaki, there appears to be fine gold (silver?) dust throughout the base color. It does not sparkle per se but it does pop out some. The Yukari size is not a large pen but it's not small either. I find it comfortable to write with. The body is brass and has some heft without being heavy. The blue in this pen really makes the Taccia blue urushi appear bright. Fills via cartridge converter. Ink flow is perfect and ink capacity is plentiful. Note the section and the threads the cap screws onto are plastic. The color is a good match but not perfect. The ship the founders served on, the Meiji-Maru. It's on display in Japan and open for visitors. The artwork has energy. Mt. Fuji Pen is signed Kokkukai, which is guild that does urushi work for Pilot. I don't have a Emperor with maki-e but I suspect Pilot's way is to not have individual artists sign. This is probably the work of several artists anyway each with their own speciality. Urushi Japan, as if we did not know ha ha. This is a medium nib and it writes a perfect line the first time every time. A solid reliable writer. What more could one ask for? Ink is Kobe #51 Kano-cho midnight blue not Bungubox! I was confused. Anway, it's a nice compliment to the pen color. I feel fortunate to have gotten this pen.
  25. Hi all, I am really excited to share pictures of the pilot pen I received in mail this morning! I had reached to multiple vendors across Europe and finally found one piece at Stilograph Corsani. Hope you enjoy it. Let me know your thoughts! Cheers, Sidd





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