Namiki Fountain Pens

Namiki

Namiki is a Japanese brand of writing implements, most specifically, fountain pens, owned by the Pilot Corporation. Namiki is mostly famous for its handmade maki-e (a Japanese lacquerware craft with a wide range of fine and decorative arts) designs on urushi-based lacquers.
"Namiki" is the surname of Ryosuke Namiki, the founder of the Pilot Corporation, named "Namiki Manufacturing Company" until 1938 when it became "Pilot Pen Co., Ltd.". The brand name Namiki came to fame in the early 20th century when Dunhill retailed in the west the Maki-e pens produced by Pilot under the brand "Dunhill-Namiki".
This partnership has continued to the present day (occasionally Namiki makes a Limited Edition for Dunhill) although Namiki has always been owned by Pilot.

History from Namiki website:
A “challenge to the world” was the driving force which lead to the birth of Maki-e fountain pens.
Since our inception in 1925, as the top brand of Maki-e fountain pens conveying Japanese traditional culture, Namiki have followed a path earning praise from around the world up until today.

1924: Around 90 years ago, it was normal practice to use a material called “ebonite”, a combination of sulphur and rubber, for the body of fountain pens.
However, although ebonite showed tolerance toward ink, it had the shortcoming of changing colour and losing its shine over time. It was where Namiki Co., Ltd. (now PILOT Corporation) formed a specialist development team to overcome this problem.
It was “lacquer” that caught their eyes. Using lacquer, a superior coating which Japan boasts to the world, they devised a method called “lacquered ebonite” which creates an attractive body which was tolerant to deterioration. With the original goal being achieved with this, there were further calls saying, “If we are going to use lacquer, why don’t we try painting designs using the lacquer work technique Maki-e on the fountain pens?”
For luxury fountain pens in Western countries at the time, decorating the metal bodies with elaborate metal-carving techniques and designs was normal.
By combining strength and beauty, it was thought that by making fountain pens with Maki-e, a culture associated with Japan, they could compete on even-footing throughout the world.

1925: The birth of Maki-e fountain pens
Maki-e is a traditional craft where the delicate process of lacquering is repeated over and over. It goes without saying that it cannot be imitated in a short time.
There, from an introduction by a pioneer in the lacquerwork world, Shisui Rokkaku, pupil and later to become living national treasure, Maki-e artist Gonroku Matsuda, was invited, and under instruction from the pair, the Maki-e fountain pen was completed.
Founders Ryosuke Namiki and Masao Wada took a few dozen of their just-completed Maki-e fountain pens, and embarked on a voyage to Western countries to develop their market.
The same year, in 1925, they immediately received an order from a major firm in London, and in 1926, “the PILOT Office” was opened on Bishopsgate Street in London. In 1930, a contract was signed with Alfred Dunhill.
The pens were sold large-scale in major cities such as London, Paris and New York as “Dunhill-Namiki Fountain Pen”, and Namiki Co., Ltd. had gained a foothold in playing a major role in the world.

1931: Centered around Gonroku Matsuda, the artisan group “Kokkokai” was formed in order to research, develop and improve the quality of Maki-e fountain pens.
The name “Kokkokai” was derived from a quote by Namiki founder Ryosuke Namiki, “In the way Sumo is Japan’s national sport, Maki-e is the nation’s light.”
The following is the declarative statement by one of the founders, Ryosuke Namiki, to the members of “Kokkokai” on its inauguration in August 1931.
In the bright and cheerful statement he explains the origins of the name “Kokkokai”, showed “passion and pride” to high quality in his words of encouragement to the members, and reflects on being a leader for other companies in “sales strategies in overseas markets”, an extremely rare thing for those days.

A century after its birth, Namiki is today one of the most loved and sought-after brands in the world!
Namiki Maki-e pens are considered by many collectors to be the most beautiful pens in the world.
 

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