Namiki Nippon Art Bonsai Tree Fountain Pen

Description

Namiki Nippon Art Bonsai Tree Fountain Pen
Japanese pens exhibit many unique features. One, called Urushi, is pretty much identical to the Chinese lacquering seen in ST Dupont pens. The other, called Maki-e is is the ancient Japanese technique of sprinkling a smooth surface (originally lacquer) with gold or silver powder as a decoration using a specialized and delicate brush. There are a few different styles of Maki-e (Hira, Togidashi, Take). As you can see, what makes this pen so special is that both Urushi and Maki-e were employed on this particular work of art.
The Namiki Nippon Art Bonsai Tree fountain pen utilizes lacquer made from the sap of pinewood (Matsu).  The lacquer is applied using the time honored technique of Urushi.
The pens also exhibit the Hira Maki-e technique from the Kokkokai artisan group.  Note the artist's signature in calligraphic kanji script. The Kokkokai artisan group is a Maki-e collective with roots going back to the 1930s.
This pen was originally introduced in the 80’s as a
hand painted, signed lacquered Maki-e fountain pen depicting Bonsai trees. About 20 years later it was reintroduced in Namiki’s Nippon Art Maki-e Collection series of pens using a new
screening
technique.
The perceptible difference is that the earlier pens had “Pilot” imprinted on the clip and on the nib whereas
the
later ones had Namiki imprinted on the clip and on the nib.
Both versions of the pen were 14cm capped.
The Nippon Art Collection is inspired by the beautifully distinctive culture of Japan. It uses well known Japanese imagery as its subjects, such as Mt. Fuji, Hagoita (battledore), and Origami, and features them on a black lacquered background in Hira Maki-e (Flat Maki-e). The shiny black of the lacquer, along with the overflowing vibrancy from each work makes it a sight to behold. Nippon Art pens contain the large size CON-70 converter, allowing the ink capacity to be that of a piston-filler, about 1 ml.
This beautiful pen features a 14k Namiki nib in the size Fine (F) #5, engraved with the marking A1991.
Finish: Black Lacquered with Hira Maki-e technique
Cap: Urushi Lacquer Pattern & Gold Clip
Trim: Gold Trim
Nib: 14kt Namiki #5 F
N/P 3 / Covid 101