Urushi Obsession

[stan]

The recent thread on the cost of a pen with an urushi coating compels me to begin this related topic.

 

What is the obsession with urushi?

I would like to know everyone's thoughts.

Or, am I wrong and am reading this incorrectly.

 

I cannot tell you how many pens from Japan I have seen that have had urushi coatings applied. It was a common practice from the 1930s through the 1950s to use urushi as a protective and, to a lesser degree decorative, coating. I am not talking makie. The fascination so many have today with urushi is intriguing. Part of this, I believe, is salesmanship - the urushi hype. Some years ago I noticed that pens for sale by certain sellers on eBay with urushi noted in the subject and body always seemed to attract sooner and higher bidders. There was nothing exceptional about these pens. Some had steel nibs. They were not always new. I saw the exact same thing when I was doing regular mail sales.

 

I do not have any special like or need for pens with urushi coatings. Several hundred dollars for an exceptional pen is not unreasonable if you truly love fountain pens. You can go to my website to see what I collect. I like uniquely decorative pens and silver. Nakaya makes great pens. Good Japanese quality nibs, great service, and superb quality. One gets what they pay for. Sadly, the Yen is so strong that Nakaya and every other Japanese business that relies on export sales is suffering. I am not a shill for Nakaya. I own one Nakaya Piccolo that I occasionally use.

 

Thanks.

[Hex]

I don't know what it is Stan but to me when I hear the word I think Nakaya, Danitrio, Hakase, etc. Somehow the word implied a top quality and spectacular appearance. But, in my newbiness, I found out that not all urushi is like Nakaya.

I bought an unknown brand for $33.00 so it's not a big investment. I too have seen some others going for a lot more but the one I was following had no bidders.

 

Japanese Real Urushi Lacquer 1950's like Kamakura bori Fountain pen

Urushi

 

It's pretty enough but not like the above. Now if I can only figure out how to fill it.

[Brian C]

Urushi is often hyped as the end all of finishes. The best finish available. Durable, beautiful, traditional, exclusive. We are told it is difficult and time consuming both to harvest and to apply. The tamenuri effects are beautiful. It is exotic, for westerners at least. I know when I purchase urushi pens my imagination kicks in of little old men, in their twilight of life, with their lathes creating works of art from rods of ebonite and using the handed down from generations art of urushi to both beautify and protect the works. I imagine tradition, patience, skill...attributes often lacking in, at least America, today.

[jjlax10]

As I noted in the topic you reference, my curiosity about this type of pen came from a pen dealer's comment about his urushi pen. He compared its unique qualities after the material warms up from the heat of your hand to the unique tactile qualities of certain parts of the human anatomy. Although this comment was somewhat vulgar (and I apologize to those who find this offensive), it nonetheless peaked my interest.

 

I also get the sense that the fact that most pens made these days are either injection molded or turned from acrylic or ebonite makes the hand lacquered varieties more appealing. I also think that because most pens in a similar price point are basically made the same way (Bexley, Edison, and Franklin Christoph have the same basic manufacturing techniques; all the Sailor, Pilot and Platinum pens that are similar in price are manufactured in similar ways with similar materials), urushi is more unique in the $500-$1,000 category in the new pen market.

Edited July 8, 2012 by jjlax10

[basterma]

I generally wouldn't pay that much for a pen, so its a moot point to me, but I do relate to appreciating something not made like everything else. If I were to pay 1000$ for a pen, I would feel better knowing it wasn't just a jacked up version of the same materials and techniques seen in cheaper pens.

[XiaoMG]

Stan, it's easy to get blugeoned with marketing that makes traditional, often inefficient and labour-intensive methods, appear superior. It is especially the case when dealing with markets that exploit East-West dichotomies and try to take advantage of cultural and linguistic ignorance. You hear a word like urushi without knowing a lick of Japanese and one's mind floats to some centuries-old legendary oriental material, rather than just "lacquer". Just tell them that it was used on sword saya, and you get to throw all the goofy romance surrounding the bushi-samurai culture in there.

 

However, to justify the cost, it seems that it's easiest to just discuss how incredibly hard it is to produce, how long the artisans must study, and how much time it takes.

 

I was baffled by the obsession some have over urushi (excluding maki-e), but then I discovered it's something to cling to when trying to justify an entry-level Nakaya or similar purchase. If I knew nothing about urushi, I might have myself gone that way to buy a kuro-tamenuri Piccolo. The nib and body shape does not justify the cost for me, though the desire is strong enough to encourage hunting around for more justification.

[quinden]

I think the tamenuri effects that heraclitus682 mentioned are the most appealing thing about urushi pens, so for me it's mainly about the visual aesthetics of the pens (and this is from a guy who doesn't own a single urushi pen and is going off the very beautiful photos people post, so please take this with a grain of salt. Or two).

 

You could probably substitute 'precious resin' or any other material type and have the same discussion regarding marketing and price points.

[Silvermink]

It has a really nice warm feel to it, and the multi-color urushi finishes are gorgeous (I've got a Nakaya Portable Writer in kuro-tamenuri).

[sjs]

I enjoy a light but durable pen, and lacquer over ebonite is the best material combination I've encountered for it. Much nicer to hold than plastic/acrylic/resin. Also, the lacquer pens that are hand-produced carry a premium that all goods with more manual steps carry. If someone managed to make tamenuri lacquer reliably and well with a machine, I'd bet we'd see price drops.

[hari317]

My experience:

 

The 845 was my first Urushi coated pen. I had paid a huge sum by my standards for the pen and I was underwhelmed when I received it. I would compare it to my injection molded then polished 743 and I could not see the value in the 845. To my eyes, the level of gloss was the same. I was more used to the bare uncoated Ebonite pens, this pen was ebonite but the ebonite was all masked by Urushi, the warmth of ebonite was missing. I quickly sold the pen.

 

Later I acquired a few Dani Trios and a RE Densho. It was the RE Densho that made me appreciate the Urushi. I thoroughly disliked the slight fading and even the overall finish when compared to my Urushi Densho.

 

Subsequently i have purchased a few more Urushi coated pens and entry level maki-e, including the 845.

[raging.dragon]

I like the aesthetics of tamenuri and many of the other complex/decoriative Urushi finishes. However, plain black or coloured Urushi doesn't appeal to me.

[stan]

I greatly appreciate the quick overwhelming reponse to my question.

It seems, so far, that the lure of urushi lies in a finish other than plain old black.

If that is the fascination, it costs, the typical buy-in is a bit more than $300 for a Tsuchida.

 

For those not willing to pony up a couple hundred more, I feel for you, and suggest you either become creative in acquisition or re-evaluate your wishes.

It is possible to find a Nakaya or Dani at pen shows at less than retail. I've seen them at the LA Show.

I also strongly suggest you visit Yahoo Japan. Tsuchidas and other makes occasionally come up for sale.

[ethernautrix]

My obsession with Nakaya in particular (and note that I'm using the word "obsession" in the casual sense, not the clinical) centers on the sheer simple beauty of the urushi and then is reinforced by the perfect balance, the feel of the pen in my hand (both weight and tactility).

 

I also appreciate the craftsmanship of a handmade pen, an attitude that does not preclude or contradict an appreciation for the Industrial Revolution (someone made a remark somewhere, I can't remember which urushi or Nakaya thread); I can appreciate both, and I'm lucky to have a choice for some items.

[sumgaikid]

I'm somewhat of a different bird when it comes to urushi on a pen. I only own an

Aurora Tsgaru-nuri Talentum that has a few coats of urushi on it(10 ?),but I appre-

ciate the beautiful pattern that was created,just like some of the other patterns

in the various urushi styles. OTOH,I'm not a big fan of Maki-E,though I can admire

the effort it takes to create it.

 

 

John

[Siv]

Urushi? Mmmm.... tastes soooo goooood....

 

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2702/4111199178_91349c6d99_b.jpg

[jimhughes]

Siv:

What's the Short flat top next to last on your right as you view the photo? Monsoon started yet? #7 0ut of 8 pens. Beautiful Urushi collection. Jim

Edited July 10, 2012 by jimhughes

[elderberry]

Love your Danis, Siv!

 

IF it were in my power to make a halfway decent picture of glossy shiny pens I'd make one of my small Urushi/maki-e collection too, instead here's one of my Nakayas.

 

 

A tame-nuri Dorsal Fin will arrive over the summer, then they're complete. As you can see, I'm a tame-nuri girl and they're all variations of that theme. I might toy with the idea of getting another finish, but when it comes to deciding what to order, it's always tame-nuri (or in the case of the latest addition, a big Dani with seirei-nuri finish which will arrive soon. )

 

When I see pictures like Siv's I kind of regret my plain-lacquer fixation for a moment though.

[jjlax10]

Urushi? Mmmm.... tastes soooo goooood....

 

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2702/4111199178_91349c6d99_b.jpg

 

 

What are those large flat top pens?

[AltecGreen]

What are those large flat top pens?

 

Danitrio Flashlight.....errr....ummmmm......I mean Genkai.

 

 

Danitrio Genkai. It's a rather large pen.

[Siv]

Siv:

What's the Short flat top next to last on your right as you view the photo? Monsoon started yet? #7 0ut of 8 pens. Beautiful Urushi collection. Jim

That's a short octagon and I can't remember the name of the finish but it's a sparkly blue and silver.

 

What are those large flat top pens?

As mentioned earlier, they are Genkai. I really love the shape and heft of the Genkai as well as the huge nib that they have. The only problem is that the size makes them impractical to transport (for me) so they live as desk pens.

 

I am a Japanese pen fan. And I like the pen to be unusual and a little special. For me, urushi hits all the right buttons. I am particularly a fan of tamenuri and not much of a fan of plain colours. Of the urushi pens that I have, most are Danitrio and the reason why is due to the wonderful finishes which are done by maki-e artists.

 

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4069/4524481877_cf8fc9cfef_z.jpg

 

I do have two plain urushi pens, a red Namiki emperor and a kikyo blue Nakaya long Piccolo where practically dominated over aesthetics but they are still special in my eyes. I would never buy something like a Pilot Custom 845 just because it has urushi nor would I buy a plain black urushi pen unless there was something else that made it special.