Namiki Maki-e pens are consider the work of art by skilled Japanese artisans. Using the finest materials to create a line of writing instruments that look beautiful and perform flawlessly.The Maki-e lacquering, a centuries-old technique in which multi-layered patterns are drawn on the barrel and cap with urushi - sap from Japanese lacquer. The Namiki collection features 18 karat gold, sterling silver, lacquer or celluloid finishes, executed in styles ranging from the enduring beauty of the Emperor Collection to the intricate designs of the Yukari Collection. The Namiki Emperor Carp on Waterfallb Makie fountain pen is executed in the charcoal burnished Togidashi-maki-e technique, the Emperor Collection represents the pen maker's art at its finest. Exquisite interpretations of traditional Japanese designs,it is hand painted in gold, lacquer and vibrant color pigments by the world's finest craftsmen. This fountain pen is designed with an 18 karat gold and rhodium accented medium nib and presented in a traditional wood gift box from the Orient. The Emperor Collection exceeds the demands of even the most discerning collector and connoisseur.

Maki-e is Japanese lacquer sprinkled with gold or silver powder as a decoration using a makizutsu or a kebo brush. The technique was developed mainly in the Heian Period (794 -1185) and blossomed in the Edo Period (1603-1868). Maki-e objects were initially designed as household items for court nobles, they soon gained more popularity and were adopted by royal families and military leaders as an indication of power. To create different colors and textures, maki-e artists use a variety of metal powders including gold, silver, copper, brass, lead, aluminum, platinum, pewter, as well as their alloys. Bamboo tubes and soft brushes of various sizes are used for laying powders and drawing fine lines. As it requires highly-skilled craftsmanship to produce a maki-e painting, young artists usually go through many years of training to develop the skills and to ultimately become maki-e masters.

Togidashi technique, a style where the design is painted in lacquer, and gold or silver powder is sprinkled over it; when the lacquer is dry, another coat is applied to the design to fix the powder. Ro-iro-urushi (black lacquer without oil) is then applied over the entire surface, and, after it has dried, it is burnished briefly with charcoal. The final polishing is done with cotton wool soaked with Ki-Urushi (crude Urushi).

System: Fountain pen uses eye dropper mechanism