Exquisite interpretations of traditional Japanese designs consisting of Cherry blossoms, hummingbirds, goldfish, butterflies, bamboo plants, cranes and other intricate scenes from nature, handcrafted by some of the world's finest craftsmen, adorn these Namiki fountain pens by the Pilot Pen Company, Ltd. The first fountain pen arrived in Japan around 1880 and the pens were put on the market around 1909.
Ryosuki Namiki, a former professor from Japan discovers a small factory near Tokyo to produce gold pen nibs in 1915. He expanded his product line and became a full-fledged manufacturer of writing instruments in 1916. Masao Wada joined Namiki in business, forming the Namiki Manufacturing Company in 1918. The name "Pilot" was selected as the trade name. Fountain pens in those days were made of ebonite, which had a shortcoming of fading quickly from black to a yellowish brown after exposure to sunlight for a period of time. Pilot made a concerted effort to overcome this disadvantage by patenting a method in 1925 called Pilot's Lacquer Naito.
Pilot's top of the line Namiki fountain pens are adorned through a process called Maki-e (pronounced mah-KEE-ay). Maki-e is a technique in which patterns are first drawn on a surface with urushi (sap from a Japanese lacquer tree). Powdered gold, silver and colored pigments may then be applied to the drawing while the urushi is still moist. The Maki-e technique is usually divided into the following three forms.
1. Hira-maki-e (flat Maki-e) is a method dating back to the end of the 12th century in which very fine powder is applied to patterns while they are still moist.
2. Togidashi-maki-e (burnished Maki-e) is a method already in use in the Nara period (646-794), in which gilded patterns are dried, recoated with urushi and finally burnished using charcoal.
3. Taka-maki-e (raised Maki-e) has been in practice since the Kamakura period (1185-1333). Maki-e is applied on patterns in raised relief.
The traditional techniques of Maki-e has always been cherished as a major asset, esteemed equally as highly as any of the company's most technologically advanced product lines. The different styles in which the background is sprinkled with gold are known collectively as Jimaki. The barrels of the fountain pens are embellished with intricate lacquered designs adorned with gold, silver and jewel tones.
Pilot Pen is the third largest writing instrument company in the United States. Pilot Pen Corporation's premium line of writing instruments is sold under the Namiki brand. The task of transforming an outline drawing into a multifaceted decoration of sprinkled powders is complex, lengthy and requires years of study and practice. Established in the U.S. in 1970, Pilot is the fastest-growing writing instrument company in the country. The parent company, Pilot Corporation in Tokyo, was founded in 1918. It is the oldest and largest writing instrument manufacturer in Japan.
Japanese masterpieces of art displaying a high level of sophisticated artisanship is known abroad. The elegance, grace, distinctive style and engineering of these remarkable works of art take the Namiki Collection soaring to new writing heights. Skilled Japanese artisans use the finest materials to create a line of writing instruments that look beautiful and perform flawlessly. Namiki offers a wide diversity of styles to suit the discriminating tastes of not only collectors and connoisseurs, but also enthusiasts who may be experiencing the joy of fine writing for the first time. These writing instruments are designed for daily use. Uncompromising quality, elegance and innovative design are benchmarks of all of the Namiki Collections. Namiki: The Fine Art of Expression defines respectable quality in premium writing instruments.
