Affordable Urishi Maki-E Pens?

[Hanoi]

are there any pens on the market with Japanese painted maki-e works available at an affordable price, used or new? Like under 400 EUR/USD/CAD?

[AltecGreen]

are there any pens on the market with Japanese painted maki-e works available at an affordable price, used or new? Like under 400 EUR/USD/CAD?

 

 

See this post I made yesterday.

 

 

 

If you like the art style but don't need true hand done Maki-e, you can find silk screened Maki-e within your price range.

[PenandDesign]

Maki-e pens are cool, but what I really pine for is a cheap urushi pen. There aren't any sub-$200 tamenuris, are there? :roflmho:

[ethernautrix]

Maki-e pens are cool, but what I really pine for is a cheap urushi pen. There aren't any sub-$200 tamenuris, are there? :roflmho:

 

Please let me know if you find this market. :-)

[stan]

Let's see. Are you looking for an older or new pen.

 

If older, one can occasionally find hiramakie, or simpler makie, or even painted models from the 1950s. they could range from under $100 to a bit over $300.

 

I assume you seek a more modern pen and, if so, one can find a number of fairly inexpensive kagamakie models for under $200. You won't get a gold nib and most of the work may be screened. There will be some handwork and gold will be used in the decoration. They are not Pilot, Sailor, or Platinum quality but, they do exist. There is one on ebay now.

[Hanoi]

hi Stan,

 

how do you distinguish between maki-e and silk screen based on pictures, provided that both were used by Japanese makers with similar artistic themes? What exactly is "silk screen" as a technique that makes it cheaper than maki-e?

[iamchum]

I've been seriously looking into maki-e pens as well, and, for fully hand crafted ones I've accepted the fact that you are looking in the thousands, or at least a thousand.

 

There is a pinned topic on here about maki-e techniques: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/52397-techniques-of-maki-e/

 

you can find most of the technical stuff about them there.

 

In regards to silk-screen it refers to machine based reproduction. So silk-screened maki-e are not hand made, bar some of the accents, and are reproductions of an artists original work.

 

Although, you have to ask yourself, are you buying it for the fact that it was hand made? or are you buying it for the artwork, because if you like the artwork, it doesn't really matter if it is silk screened or not.

 

Altec gave some great advice you should read his post.

 

@altecgreen I think im going to save for either a maki-e wood from sailor, they are GORGEOUS!

[AltecGreen]

It's actually easier to show why true hand done Maki-e is so expensive.

 

 

 

Here is a report I wrote on the Maki-e demonstration at the 2010 LA Pen Show.

 

 

 

Kosetsu (Mr. Tatsuya Todo) was the artist that did the Danitrio Fellowship pens as well as my Custom Shindo pens.

 

 

 

@iamchum-Since you are in love with Kaga Maki-e check out this video. The pen in the video was part of Sailor's OVI series and cost $197k (comes with a Maki-e box and a Maki-e tray).

[iamchum]

woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow :blink:

 

the video almost made me burn dinner in the oven. It's amazing the practice, tradition and skill that goes into creating one of these works of art.

those tiny lines!!!!!! and the gold dust bleeeergh

 

Now i understand why they can cost up to a 200,000 a pop >_<

 

ironic the title of the OP was affordable maki=e pens haha, still amazing though, how these are made

Edited November 11, 2012 by iamchum

[Siv]

Affordable Urushi Maki-E Pens can be found on the same shelf as the affordable diamonds and Ferrari.

 

However, keep your eyes peeled on the classified section of the forum and you may get lucky...

[JLS1]

Affordable Urushi Maki-E Pens can be found on the same shelf as the affordable diamonds and Ferrari.

 

However, keep your eyes peeled on the classified section of the forum and you may get lucky...

 

That's good advice. You could also post a WTB (Wanted to Buy) in the Classifieds with your desired pen's characteristics and see if anyone contacts you.

[mongrelnomad]

I tried my hand once at maki-e a few years ago whilst in Japan. It gave me a new appreciation for the artists: it is painstaking, laborious, delicate and excruciatingly precise work.

[Hanoi]

So at question is whether the price is for a pen or a piece of art? I am a pen user, and when I graduate to pen collector, I think I may consider a 2000 USD low end maki-e model.

[mineiro]

So at question is whether the price is for a pen or a piece of art? I am a pen user, and when I graduate to pen collector, I think I may consider a 2000 USD low end maki-e model.

 

That is exactly what I did. I convinced myself that I am old enough to invest in art now and bought my first Danitrio Maki-e, the Mae West with Kois.

Last year I already got the nice Danitrio and Namiki maki-e books , but instead of being a cheap surrogate for a real pen, it only convinced me completely that I had to have one myself (why only one?).

 

Last week, I was also able to visit a shop in Paris where I could try out several Nakayas. For me this is a completely different league than the Urushi Herald I got from Edison last year. I am in love with Maki-e and Urushi pens now. I also bought a beautiful Japanese pen wrap that I will have to fill now. Don't dare to tell my wife. :embarrassed_smile: