Danitrio Maki-e Ryokokubashi on Mikado Fountain Pen
This pen is based off an art series from the Edo period titled ’36 Views of Mt. Fuji’. In this series the artist captures Mt. Fuji at several locations along the Takaido highway. Tokaido, at around 600 miles long, is still the main highway from Tokyo to Kyoto today. It has been the main stage of historical Samurai stories since several hundred years ago. Ryokokubashi means sunset at Ryokoku Bridge. The cap of the pen depicts one of the most stunning locations to view the sunset at Mt. Fuji & Ryokoku Bridge over the Sumida River. On the barrel is a scene from the historic coastal town of Kanaya, which is no longer in existence today. It was located along one of the most dangerous paths of the Takaido.
Danitrio makes remarkable hand painted pens using the Japanese skill and craftsmanship that has been mastered over the last few thousand of years. Good basic paintings start with base painting, which the craftsmen paint twice or three times with Urushi mixed with finishing powders to make the base hard and durable. Then followed by the interim paintings which is done by one or two layers preparing for finishing paintings.
The base for Urushi paintings must be smooth and strong in order to have a good Urushi painting, which will last thousands of years. When the base is ready for painting, the first painting uses Sabi, Urushi mixed with polishing powders, as its base painting and call it Shita-nuri, the base painting. Then, Naka-nuri, the interim painting with Urushi is preparing for better Uwa-nuri, the finishing part of painting. The color of the interim painting has to be selected according to the color of the finishing part of painting. All these works are usually done by Nu-shi, craftsmen of Urushi paintings, painting 7 times in average and it takes 2-3 weeks before the Nu-shi can send back the pens to our Maki-e sh, who will do more Urushi painting works or Maki-e onto the pens.
Craftsmen call Urushi is a living thing. Its qualities differ even from the same trees, for example quality is different from the trunk or branches. Different qualities from different trees or different areas or countries. Then, crude Urushi must be refined to make more than 10 different qualities of Urushi for different usage. Genuine Urushi is like pure gold only for fine jewelry and pure gold is too expensive for cheap works with cheap materials.
The pen fills via eyedropper with shut off valve and features a size eight 18kt gold nib.
MSRP on this pen is $9,000
