Fuzhou Urushi - Ao-tamenuri

Important Note: Traces of the use of lacquered cloth over a many-month making process can be seen on the surface of the pen. It becomes a part of the art and considered an artistic charm of this technique. Please do not mistake this part of the craftsmanship with defects. *Please do not mistake this with defects.*

Sekai Fountain Pen

The Sekai fountain pen is born from the aspiration to be connected and peaceful like the World Tree in many mythologies. This collection embraces the idea of connecting the world with the arts.

The base materials of the Sekai fountain pen have been carefully selected from natural precious woods from all over the world such as Ebony and Sandalwood. It is then crafted with traditional arts such as Urushi, Maki-e or decorated with high-quality Japanese Sterling Silver clip.

The Origin of Fuzhou Urushi

Fuzhou Urushi collection marks another milestone in our journey of discovering hidden arts around the world. This time, we are bringing to you the very first Urushi fountain pens handmade with the Dry Lacquer technique from Fuzhou, a city in southeastern China.

Known as one of the three most famous handicrafts in the country, along with porcelain from Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, and cloisonne from Beijing, dry lacquer from Fuzhou is a treasure of Chinese traditional arts. The technique is said to be invented by artist Shin Shoan (沈紹安) during the Qianlong era (1736-1795). This is then passed down to several generations and became the pinnacle of Chinese Urushi lacquer these days.

About Fuzhou Urushi

Sekai Fuzhou Urushi fountain pen is handcrafted with dry lacquer technique by skillful artisans from Fuzhou and it owns all the characteristics that dry lacquer is well-known for: durable, light in weight, and rich in color. Different from the glossy finish usually seen with other Urushi techniques, dry lacquer creates a unique finish that has a rich and strong texture resembling a semi-matt surface. This is the result of a very distinctive making process of dry lacquer.

Originally, dry lacquer is a technique of using lacquered hemp cloth to create sculptures. The making process is adjusted when applying on a fountain pen but there are main steps that can't be missed.

- After the sap is collected from the tree, it is refined and well-prepared for the lacquering process.
- A layer of hemp cloth is soaked into a fine base coating lacquer and then applied over the surface of the pen.
- After the first coat layer is dry, many layers of middle and top lacquers are applied also using lacquered hemp cloth. Coat after coat of lacquer is crafted and polished until the surface is perfectly smooth and rich.
- Each coat must dry completely and evenly polished before the next coat. This is why the whole process is intensively laborious and requires not only a lot of time but also a great set of skills and attention.

The dry lacquer leaves the pen with a marvelous decoration and also works as a strong protective layer that helps your fountain pen last for a lifetime. When time passes by, the Urushi finish will become brighter and glossier. You will be enjoying the beautiful aging process of this artwork for many more years to come.

Serial Number

As the first special edition of the Urushi fountain pens ever made with Dry Lacquer from Fuzhou, only for this time, each piece will come with a serial number handwritten by the craftsman who made the pen.

Specifications

Material & art: Wood, Urushi

Filling mechanism: Converter or Cartridge (European International Standard)

Nib: #6 Jowo stainless steel, Wancher 18K gold

Feed: Plastic, ebonite black, ebonite red

Size & Shape

Packaging