Sailor Fountain Pen

[Sweramic]

Hello everyone,

Just wanted to share some photos of my latest pen. This one was given to me as a Christmas gift from my grandfather. He was a member of the Swedish Olympic committee for several years and got to travel around the world. He told me that this pen was presented to him by the Japanese committee waaaay back when he was in Japan. Both he and I know nothing about it, so if you can tell me anything about it, please do . It is very different from the pens I have used so far (mainly Montblancs). The box is made of super-light wood and the pen itself is very light. I think it is very pretty though .

So sorry for the crappy iPhone pictures. My sister wouldn't lend me the Canon 500D I usually shoot with.

Edit: Photos begin on post # 10-


I will get some better pictures tomorrow!

Any other Sailor pens on the forum?

[Widows Son]

Wow!!!!She's a beauty. You may be surprised at how much a similar pen today would run. I have a Sailor Sapporo which was a gift from my Lodge. It's a really nice pen and writes great.

[Sweramic]

Originally Posted by Widows Son

Wow!!!!She's a beauty. You may be surprised at how much a similar pen today would run. I have a Sailor Sapporo which was a gift from my Lodge. It's a really nice pen and writes great.

Thank you sir . It looks much better in real life. I will definitely take some better shots tomorrow in decent light.

Sorry for my ignorance, but what does "how much a similar pen today would run"? Is it valuble, you say?

[Lol-x]

Yes, it is a very expensive pen.

I think 'how much it would run' is slang for it would cost a lot if you went to buy it today.

The Sailors are for sale on nibs.com

[sunburst]

Carl, that's a stunning looking "Maki-E" FP.
Sailor is very well known pen company in Japan along with Pilot and Platinum.

Here is link to Sailor's HP's FP section for your reference:

http://www.sailor.co.jp/BUNGU/lineup_01.html

The price range of Maki-E pen can vary significantly depending on the craftsman, technique used and complexity. Modern Maki E pen using silk screening process can be had for around 10,000 yen versus traditional Maki-E using Urushi by well known craftsman can go up to OMG.

The box is made of KIRI WOOD" which is very light in weight but known for great strength and often used for chest and jewelry box to house expensive items.

The outside of box is written as "Presented with respect from the township of Yamanouchi".
I believe it's the same township of Yamanouchi located North West of Nagano prefecture - the home of 1998 Winter Olympic.

Regardless of the value take a good care of it.

[Sweramic]

Thank you for the information Joji! I had no idea about the Maki-e art. I will try to find some more information on it. There are two letters on the barrel of the pen and I believe it is the signature of the man/woman who built it.

I am desperately trying to get some better pictures of it, but a downside with living in the north of Sweden is that we get very little sunlight. It is 1.30pm here, and cloudy, thus already quite dark.

[sunburst]

Carl, glad to be able to help.
That two characters are likely the signature of the craftsman.
If you can get a good photo of it (whenever you can) I can find out more for you.
I have artist friend who lives in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture (the home of Kaga style Maki-e).
I can also inquire directly to Sailor in Japan.

[Sweramic]

Originally Posted by sunburst

Carl, glad to be able to help.
That two characters are likely the signature of the craftsman.
If you can get a good photo of it (whenever you can) I can find out more for you.
I have artist friend who lives in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture (the home of Kaga style Maki-e).
I can also inquire directly to Sailor in Japan.

I really appreciate it . I just took some better pictures and will upload them on my computer within the next hour .

[R1@160@alltimes]

Carl, great looking Sailor with lots of history behind it.

[Sweramic]

I finally managed to take some higher-quality photographs which better depict the beauty of this pen. As I stated in the previous thread, my grandfather gave me this pen for Christmas. He, in his turn, got this pen from the Japanese Olympic Committee (he was a general for the Swedish Committee). Neither he, nor I, know anything but the story behind it. I would appreciate any information about it. I myself had barely heard about the brand Sailor before. Now I know it's Japanese!










These are the two characters which I belive are the signature of the maker:


The pen doesn't seem to have been inked or touched at all, absolutely flawless!

[Sweramic]

Realized that it might have been better to continue in the other thread, but I couldn't edit the first post and I hated the iPhone pictures...

[Numismatist]

That is a stunningly beautiful pen. Congrats.

[sunburst]

Carl, nice pics.
I've prepared E-mail of inquiry to my artist friend in Kanazawa as well as
Sailor HQ in Japan.
I may not get answer immediately since the end of the year is very hectic time for
Japanese company.
I will let you know just as soon as I get info from them.

[Sweramic]

Originally Posted by sunburst

Carl, nice pics.
I've prepared E-mail of inquiry to my artist friend in Kanazawa as well as
Sailor HQ in Japan.
I may not get answer immediately since the end of the year is very hectic time for
Japanese company.
I will let you know just as soon as I get info from them.

Perfect Joji! Thank you so much! I will happily wait for the response(s). Are you Japanese by the way?

I just have ask since you are into pens; did you name yourself "Sunburst" after the pen from Pentel? I was into something called pen-spinning before, and those pens were great for modding .

[sunburst]

Yes, I'm a Japanese who has been living in the US for long time.
My avatar name of "Sunburst" is from finish on guitars and has nothing to do
with Pentel however what's interesting is that I've worked for Pentel long
time ago (will not want to work for them ever again ).
I've been into pens for just a few month only and I'm already addicted thanks to TRF/Pen Forum.

Btw - my wife is from Nagano Pref. and she is the one informed me about
township of "Yamanouchi".

[Sweramic]

Pens are indeed very addictive, just like watches . I have never heard of Sunburst finishing on guitars. I am not really into instruments at all since I, sadly, cannot play any. I guess the guitar in your avatar has the Sunburst finish?

I know I have read somewhere that Nagano is a goal on trips for pen-interested people. Could that be true? By the way; can you or your wife read the signature on the barrel? I want to know the man's name.

Furthermore, I posted a thread on the Fountainpennetwork and asked for some information. On man called AltecGreen wrote this:

"Nevermind. I found the pen on page 381 of Andreas Lambrou's Fountain Pens of the World. The pen is listed as a modern maki-e pen and is listed as a pen in the Profit Maki-e series. Your pen is in the smaller sized Profit (aka 1911m body as it is know in the US). The book dates the pen to c.1990. The specific pen is called Take (bamboo bush).

The other pens in the series for the smaller pen size is Akikusa (autumn blossoms), Sakura (cherry blossoms), Kosumosu (cosmos), Rose, and Peony. There are other designs for the larger sized Profit pens.


The pen series is still sold but the pattern you have has long been discontinued. The current versions runs anywhere from ¥73500 to ¥36750."

Knowing that someone "out there", in Japan, made this pen by hand makes the pen sooo much more.

[R1@160@alltimes]

beautiful pics of a beautiful instrument

[sunburst]

Originally Posted by Dreambaby

Pens are indeed very addictive, just like watches . I have never heard of Sunburst finishing on guitars. I am not really into instruments at all since I, sadly, cannot play any. I guess the guitar in your avatar has the Sunburst finish?

I know I have read somewhere that Nagano is a goal on trips for pen-interested people. Could that be true? By the way; can you or your wife read the signature on the barrel? I want to know the man's name.

Furthermore, I posted a thread on the Fountainpennetwork and asked for some information. On man called AltecGreen wrote this:


Knowing that someone "out there", in Japan, made this pen by hand makes the pen sooo much more.

The finish on my current avatar is Fender "Olympic White".

I'm not aware that Nagano is goal on trips for PIS however Nagano is well known for Japan Alps
with clean air and clean water very suited for a precision industry - One very notable company
located in Nagano is Seiko.

Neither myself nor my wife is able to make out the signature on the barrel.

Your FP could indeed be one of Profit series that design has been discontinued.
The price of the current Profit series is 31,500 yen to 73,500 yen and the name
of the current craftsman for the Profit series is Kousen Oshita II who
specialize in Kaga style of Makie-E.

I'll let you know more just as soon as I get an additional info.

[sunburst]

Carl, received info directly from Sailor HQ

It was indeed from Profit Series

Model# : 11-3006
Year : Introduced in 1993
Nib material : 14K
Maki-E style : Kaga Maki-E
Title : Take (bamboo) - Take design has been discontinued
Craftsman (Maki-E) : Kousen Oshita II
MSRP : 31,500 Yen

[Lol-x]

Great looking pen, thanks for sharing your photos

Hey I've got a Heritage Cherry Sunburst Gibson Les Paul...does that count

[Sweramic]

Originally Posted by Lol-x

Great looking pen, thanks for sharing your photos

Hey I've got a Heritage Cherry Sunburst Gibson Les Paul...does that count

Thank you Steve.

I just sent an email to Sailor UK to ask about the signature. It is apparently written in caligraphy, thus quite hard to read...

[sunburst]

Originally Posted by Dreambaby

Thank you Steve.

I just sent an email to Sailor UK to ask about the signature. It is apparently written in caligraphy, thus quite hard to read...

The singature is "Kousen" - the frst name of the Kaga Maki-E craftsman.

[Sweramic]

Originally Posted by sunburst

The singature is "Kousen" - the frst name of the Kaga Maki-E craftsman.

Joji, you are right! I recieved this email earlier today:

Dear Carl,
We have traced this model to a 1992 catalogue.
Item # 11-3006-420.
This model had the 14K gold nib fitted.
The artist was Kosen Oshita. This model is now discontinued.
We still have other models in the range with different designs and they now have 21K gold nibs fitted.Please see the link below to our Japanese website.
I hope this answers your questions.
Best regards,
Chris Reed
http://www.sailor.co.jp/EXPORT/maki-e_resin/index.html

Kosen Oshita appears to be a fourth generation maki-e artist. Finally found his name! Quite cool, isn't it?

[sunburst]

Originally Posted by Dreambaby

Joji, you are right! I recieved this email earlier today:



Kosen Oshita appears to be a fourth generation maki-e artist. Finally found his name! Quite cool, isn't it?

I think you've missed my ealrier post of info that I've received from Sailor Japan.

[Sweramic]

Originally Posted by sunburst

I think you've missed my ealrier post of info that I've received from Sailor Japan.

Ouch! I completely missed that . Did you just edit an already existin post?

Thank you for all the help Joji. I would notnow this much about it if it was not for you .

[sunburst]

I've also found out from artist friend of my in Kanazawa that he knows Oshita family well.
Oshita has a studio in Kaga named "Kou Koubou" (Kou Studio).
The studio is run by the family members and several of family members are well known Maki-E artist.