Identify a Namiki fountain pen

[Turkana]

[Christopher Godfrey]

Sijui, lakini jambo, karibu!

[Turkana]

Habari gani?

[stan]

There are several possibilities. Does the pen have a signature? Can you post an image of the clip?

[Turkana]

Many thanks - 

So far as I know, there was never a clip. There are five tiny holes in thecap but no clip

Thanks - Barrie Harbott

[stan]

The tiny holes might be where a clip was attached. Are they in a pattern?

 

I checked Steven Overbury's Makie book. He has a number of signatures in the back. Also reviewed the historical signatures shown on the Namiki website and no match.

 

Overbury and the Namiki site do not list all of the craftsman who created makie pens for Pilot. In addition to in-house artisans contract people were also active.

 

Good luck with your quest.

 

The characters on the right attribute the pen to the Pilot Kokkokai. I hesitate to translate the signature that is the upper two characters on the left.

[Turkana]

Huge thanks for all of your efforts.

I am tempted just to put it on ebay, as it is, and not spend any more time burrowing u=into the unknown.

Had it been a very valuable pen, then it's provenance should have been more easily available. 

Very best wishes

Barrie Harbott

[PithyProlix]

I didn't see it among the 90+ Namiki artist signatures here but you might want to look yourself to see if I missed something: https://web.archive.org/web/20241112062607/http://www.smokingsamurai.com/DUNHILL_NAMIKI.html

 

Could be quite valuable but I'm not sure. May I post some of your photos elsewhere where there are vintage maki-e pen collectors to see if they can provide more info?

[Turkana]

By all means go ahead and post elsewhere - thanks for your help

Barrie Harbott

[PithyProlix]

22 hours ago, Turkana said:

By all means go ahead and post elsewhere - thanks for your help

 

It's my pleasure.

 

A vintage Namiki collector indicates that the artist is  恒月 (Kôgetsu). I believe he identified the signature in a Japanese book by Koichi Furuyama, who writes about fountain pens. Note that the artist's signature name can be different from the artist's real name. I also know of one example of a Namiki artist who changed his signature name. 

 

I couldn't find any information on him (I assume it is a male because I believe that all Namiki's artisans at that time were men) other than a Dunhill watch he did that was auctioned by Christie's: https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-4272148 . I will report back if I discover anything else.

 

While I wish I could collect pens like this, I don't simply because they are way above my pay grade. I mention this because I don't know how collector's value would be determined. Since this artist's works seem to be obscure that might have an impact on value but I really don't know.

 

I suggest contacting Pilot's customer service in Japan to see if they can provide information on your pen such as some details on Kôgetsu, approximate production date of the pen, the art/pattern on the pen, etc. I understand there is a reasonable chance they will provide more information. https://www.pilot.co.jp/contact/Inquiries_about_products.html

[PithyProlix]

On 1/5/2026 at 11:32 PM, stan said:

In addition to in-house artisans contract people were also active.

 

Did Pilot/Namiki continue to subcontract artisans after the Kokkokai group was formally established?

[stan]

20 minutes ago, PithyProlix said:

 

Did Pilot/Namiki continue to subcontract artisans after the Kokkokai group was formally established?

This would depend on time frame, availability, type of makie work required, and surface to which the makie was applied. Ninety artisans is a lot of people for the limited quantity of pens produced. Some may have been contract with minimal support to Pilot.

[Turkana]

Friends - this is all way above my expectations, and is a great reflection on the helpfulness of members.

I am insufficiently aware to make sense of the Pilot japan website/s, to submit a detailed query so, initially, I have approached their UK site with as much information as I can fit onto their contact form, plus an image of the signature.

I shall keep you informed of any progress which I make.

very many thanks, and best wishes, 

Barrie Harbott (a.k.a. TURKANA)