Over the last few years, every once in a while
I will find a maki-e pen with an Ideal nib. Obviously it was
a Japanese pen company that was capitolizing on Waterman's
Trade mark. (Japanese pen companies have never been shy about
"borrowing" names or designs) Since these are maki-e
pens there are no other markings or Imprints. These were all
quality high-grade maki-e fountain pens, so I wondered just
who made them. I searched for records of an "Ideal Pen
Company" But I could not find anything.
Recently though I found a 1930 Swan catalog for their business
pens. Note that this is the Japanese company not the Mabi-e
Todd company. In that catalog it advertises a line of Ideal
maki-e pens. It didn't show any of these maki-e pens, but
asked the reader to order the maki-e catalog. I wish I could
find that catalog, but at least now I know who made these
pens.
This pen uses several interesting maki-e techniques. Hira-maki-e,
Takamaki-e and a very rarely seen technique using silver dust
mixed with clear lacquer.
What is unusal about the pen is the design of the cap. This
pen has two nibs. One nib is the typical nib that has a feed
and filled with the lever. The second nib is hidden inside
the cap. The clip portion of the cap unscrews like a blind
cap to reveal the second nib. I was floored to make this discovery.
The Dealer who sold me this pen was not aware of the second
nib.
The main nib was used the way we normally would expect. The
second nib looked like it was dipped in red ink. Probably
used to add a signature or hanko mark.
$4,500
|
