Wancher Sekai Saihi Urushi Kuro-age Fountain Pen
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Flourished in Huizhou (徽州), China since the Song Dynasty, Saihi Urushi was considered a royal art – a tribute only to the imperial that only a few common citizens can even lay hands upon. For many generations, the artisans of Huizhou guarded this technique so secretly that there were even times when rarely anyone practiced it during the 20th century. Yet, fortunately, with the help of our passionate artisans in Fuzhou, we have now managed to witness and bring this art to you in the shape of the Sekai fountain pens.
The key of Saihi-nuri not only lies in the treacherous and painstaking process but even more, in the distinctive material – Raw Natural Urushi. Saihi Urushi can only be made by Raw Natural Urushi, which is known for its rich color, bold texture, and semi-matt finish. With its distinct nature, Raw Urushi can enhance the durability of the natural wooden base, and create an extraordinary feel for the pen as well. As time goes by, the finish will grow even brighter and glossier with consistent use, resulting in a beautiful aging process that you can appreciate for many years to come.
The traditional Saihi-nuri technique on lacquerware is a sophisticated process. On fountain pens, even though adjusted, crucial steps and standards need to be followed:
– First, the sap is collected, filtered, and prepared for the lacquering process.- After the base layer is applied, the ridges are formed. Since this step will define the frame of the final finish, each ridge is applied carefully one by one, creating a unique flow and pattern on each piece.
– Gold Leaf 金箔 is followed to add a shimmering effect for the gold pattern later on.
– Next, multiple layers of colored Urushi are applied until all ridges are covered fully, which can take up to 30 ~ 40 layers. Since each layer can only be added after the previous is completely dried, the process can take from 3~4 months of attentive work.
– Now, the pen is ready for the last and most crucial step – Sanding and Polishing. The final result lies in the artisan’s skill, whether or not they might overwork it and lose the gold pattern in this step.
The hand-making process makes every single pen a unique one, there is no pen exactly resembling one another.
Material & art: Material & art: Wood, Saihi Urushi
Writing Filling mechanism: Cartridge Converter
Nib: Wancher 18k Gold
Feed: Plastic
Traditional Japanese Wooden Box + Cartridge & Converter + Instructional Materials
Handcrafted in Japan, Wancher creates writing instruments that honor the art of writing. Founded in 1990 by owner Taizo Okagaki.
