Collection: Sekai - Saihi Urushi

Sekai - Saihi Urushi

The long-lost art of traditional Chinese lacquering world.

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12 PM January 25th 2022 (JST)
7 PM January 24th 2022 (PDT)

The long-lost art of traditional Chinese lacquering world

We are proud to finally introduce to you: Saihi-nuri 犀皮塗り - our next discovery in the restless journey for the hidden art around the world.

Flourished in Huizhou (徽州), China since the Song Dynasty, Saihi Urushi was considered a royal art - a tribute only to the imperial that only a few common citizens can even lay hands upon. For many generations, the artisans of Huizhou guarded this technique so secretly that there were even times when rarely anyone practiced it during the 20th century.

Yet, fortunately, with the help of our passionate artisans in Fuzhou, we have now managed to witness and bring this art to you in the shape of the Sekai fountain pens.

Making Process

The key of Saihi-nuri not only lies in the treacherous and painstaking process but even more, in the distinctive material - Raw Natural Urushi.

Saihi Urushi can only be made by Raw Natural Urushi, which is known for its rich color, bold texture, and semi-matt finish. With its distinct nature, Raw Urushi can enhance the durability of the natural wooden base, and create an extraordinary feel for the pen as well. As time goes by, the finish will grow even brighter and glossier with consistent use, resulting in a beautiful aging process that you can appreciate for many years to come.

Making Process

The key of Saihi-nuri not only lies in the treacherous and painstaking process but even more, in the distinctive material - Raw Natural Urushi.

Saihi Urushi can only be made by Raw Natural Urushi, which is known for its rich color, bold texture, and semi-matt finish. With its distinct nature, Raw Urushi can enhance the durability of the natural wooden base, and create an extraordinary feel for the pen as well. As time goes by, the finish will grow even brighter and glossier with consistent use, resulting in a beautiful aging process that you can appreciate for many years to come.

The traditional Saihi-nuri technique on lacquerware is a sophisticated process. On fountain pens, even though adjusted, crucial steps and standards need to be followed:

STEP 1

First, the ridges are formed on the base layer. Since this step will define the frame of the final finish, each ridge is applied carefully one by one, creating a unique flow and pattern on each piece. Gold Leaf 金箔 is then followed to add a shimmering effect later on. 

STEP 2

Next, multiple layers of colored Urushi are applied until all ridges are covered fully, which can take up to 30 ~ 40 layers. Since each layer can only be added after the previous is completely dried, the process can take from 3~4 months of attentive work. 

STEP 3

Now, the pen is ready for the last and most crucial step - Sanding and Polishing. The final result lies in the artisan's skill, whether or not they might overwork it and lose the gold pattern in this step.

A combination of traditional arts

On top of the traditional Saihi-nuri method, the skillful Fuzhou artisans has also been experienting other arts during the crafting process as well. This time, we are astounded by their Saihi-nuri artwork with the decoration of subtle Raden inlays. These two elements complements surprisngly well and unexpectedly creates a mesmerizing finish that we have rarely seen anywhere else

parallax

Designs

There will be four color design for you to choose from: Aka-age, Ao-age, Murasaki-age, and Kuro-age. Each color will come with two editions: Original and Raden