Dream Pen Hirota Urushi - Otome-iro

Note: Since these fountain pens are unplanned artworks of our Artisans, there are only one or very few pieces made at a time, and they will be most likely not coming back. Yet if they do, you may have to wait for a long time to see them again.

Artisan Pens Collection

Carrying on our mission to support and preserve traditional craftsmanship, this time, we proudly introduce a remarkable collection of limited fountain pens - the Artisan Pens.

Traditional craftsmen do not prefer making the same works; there are times when they randomly create one and only unique pieces. We saved those pieces for the Artisan Pens collection - precious storage to gather all the spontaneous artworks, treasure traditional and authentic values.

Unique color 乙女色 (Otome-iro) and the concept behind

Mikaeri Bijin (見返り美人) is a famous traditional Japanese painting by artist Hishikawa Moronobu. The painting portrays a maiden in her red kimono, slightly turning her head and revealing her elegant facial features. It has become an iconic representation of grace and beauty in Japanese culture. Greatly inspired by this image, Master Hirota has found herself creating a brand-new artwork - the Hirota Urushi - Otome-iro.

Otome-iro (乙女色) is a color of pale red with a hint of yellow. The name is derived from the name of the Otome Tsubaki - Japanese Camellia flowers, which are usually in full bloom in early spring. Otome Tsubaki flower also carries the image of innocent beauty and pure love. Therefore, the color is said to match perfectly the image of Mikaeri Bijin and represent a soft and gentle look.

An artwork of dedication and passion

Raw natural Urushi is not naturally glossy. It must be polished multiple times for a long period to achieve the commonly known mirror-like finish. In a few techniques, oil or other chemicals are added to accelerate the progress. 

Yet, Master Hirota does not focus on speed. Rather, she appreciates the time and effort to transform this natural material into a beautiful glossy finish without additives. Therefore, each piece is hand-polished for almost a year and is embraced with the great dedication and highest level of craftsmanship from Master Hirota. 

At the same time, the final color of Urushi depends heavily on the environmental factors at the making time. Different humidity levels can change the color slightly. This is a unique characteristic of the natural and 100% authentic Urushi material. Therefore, there is no certainty that the artisan can achieve this exact color again in the future, and the Otome-iro pen you receive might be the one and only one in the world.

The finish color of Otome-iro will remain beautiful and unchanged even after years - an eternal beauty in your fountain pen collection.

Specifications

Material: Ebonite, Urushi

Art: Hirota Urushi

Filling mechanism: Converter or Cartridge (European International Standard)

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

Feed: Plastic, ebonite black, ebonite red

Compact air-tight cap: Preven dried-out ink problem

Size & Shape

Length: 154.5 mm (with cap), 135.5 mm (without cap)

Diameter: 15.5 mm (max)

Weight: 26 g (with cap), 16 g (without cap)

Packaging