Taka Maki-e - Mejiro Birds and Vine

**Note for the second release: The Taka Maki-e pens are handcrafted products that use natural materials such as Urushi. Therefore, some minor dots might appear on the surface of the pen. Our lives are made meaningful by such beautiful artwork, even if small flaws coexist with the aesthetic.

Design Inspiration

The design is called "Tsuruumemodoki Mejiro", designed by famous Maki-e artists during the Edo period, Hoichi Sakai and Hara Youyusai. This design is beautifully revived with advanced technique of Taka Maki-e of the present artisan. Two lovely Mejiro birds are hanging by the red-fruited vines, indicating a sense of the season as if you could hear a song. Even if it's the same gold, you can look at it as greenish-gold with white eyes, a reddish-brown gold with vines, and a three-dimensional shadow unique to Takamaki-e.

Origins of Taka Maki-e

The birth of maki-e technology in Japan is traced back to the Shosoin treasure of the Nara period (A.C. 710-794). It stands as a hallmark technique of lacquer art that developed uniquely in Japan.

The maki-e technique flourished during the Kamakura period and underwent refinement during the competitive atmosphere of the Muromachi period. Among the various styles of maki-e, Takamaki-e demands the most intricate skills. In this instance, Wancher has crafted a piece with profound affection, employing the "Takamaki-e" technique to present the epitome of beauty inherent in this rare Japanese craftsmanship.

Technique

True to the original words, "Taka" which means "Raised high". There are several other techniques for making Taka Maki-e such as "Urushi-age", "Sumiko-age" by using charcoal, and "Sabi-age" which uses gold powder generously while also very laborious. As a result, these Taka Maki-e fountain pens are made to be with three-dimensional with many delicate details. Only when you touch it with your hand, you can feel the true beauty, a wonderful masterpiece.

18K Nib

All Taka Maki-e pens come with an 18K gold nib to enhance your writing experience and the astonishing appearance of the traditional Maki-e art on this pen.

Natural Raw Urushi

Our Takamaki-e fountain pens are applied using natural Urushi which by characteristic has slightly less shine. Every early summer, raw Urushi is gathered from the deciduous tree known as "Urushinoki". This valuable plant yields only about 100-300 grams of raw Urushi liquid per year from each tree.

Specifications

Material: Ebonite

Art: Taka Maki-e

Filling mechanism: Converter or Cartridge (European International Standard)

Nib: #6 Wancher 18K gold & Rhodium-plated

Feed: Plastic only

Packaging

Traditional Japanese Wooden Box + Pen Kimono + Instructional Materials + Converter + Cartridge