What I like most about the fountain pen market is its community. In no other collectibles field will you find such a warm and friendly group of enthusiasts. My theory has always been that there is something noble about a pen, and the people drawn to them are the greatest people you will ever meet. I still believe this to be true, but after entering into the Maki-e arena, I have found a whole new world, a new level of competition, such as I have never seen before.
Current Articles
Following The Master
An article about Gonroku Matsuda, the Mozart of maki-e
The Maki-e Kao or Red Seal
An article about the signatures found on maki-e fountain pens.
Japanese Art and artists
1888 Scribner's Magazine article about Japanese Art and maki-e
Fountain
Pen Use
An essay describing the fountain pen culture in Japan
The Beginnings of Maki-e pens
An article about Pilot and how they started maki-e work on fountain pens.
Maki-e viewed at the International Exposition of Vienna, 1873
Here in Japan, there are few fountain pen collectors, but maki-e collectors are everywhere. You see, to most westerners, maki-e is nearly synonymous with pens. However, long before lacquer art was applied to pens, the art form was already several centuries old. There is a great difference between the Western maki-e collectors and the Japanese collectors. We'll talk about the differences here.
The vintage maki-e fountain pens are generally rare, highly sought after and the market is a cut-throat place. I'll give some tips here on what to look for and how to avoid getting burned.
Also, this area will relate some of my adventures as a maki-e pen trader. Indiana Jones himself would feel right at home.
If you have a maki-e pen story to share or some news that we should know, please pass it along to:
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