The Maki-e technique, a Japanese art form over a thousand years old, lies at the heart of the Namiki brand, a division of the Japanese Pilot Corporation, formerly known as the Namiki Manufacturing Company until 1938, named after its founder, Ryosuke Namiki.
The term Maki-e in Japanese means “sprinkled picture.” This technique involves painting with lacquer on various objects and then sprinkling precious metal powders, such as silver or gold, which adhere to the design. There are different types of Maki-e execution and finishing, all of which are showcased in Namiki pens across the brand’s collections, depending on the artist’s choice of design.
Exploring the various collections is akin to visiting a museum of visual Japanese art, rich with dragons, tigers, owls, all in vibrant colors. Such is the case with the “Goldfish” fountain pen in the Emperor Collection. To create this pen, the artist used the most complex and challenging level of the Maki-e technique. By observing the golden scales of each fish on the pen and other intricate details, one can understand why it takes several months to produce each pen.
Namiki pens are known for their exceptionally large nibs, and in this model, the nib is made of 18-karat gold reinforced with rhodium. The price of the pen is $16,000.
