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Dear community, I need your advice. I almost bought the Pilot VP Raden but then I saw the Aurora Optima 2024 and now I can’t stop thinking about this most beautiful pen in the world. The only thing that stops me is information from everywhere that Auroras break easily without a serious reason. I know that I can buy Raden and most likely, if I take care of it, the pen will last me a lifetime. But what about Aurora? What is the probability that the Optima will fall apart? Which pen would you choose? This is a lot of money per pen for me and I can't buy both.

I bought it in 2009, when Majohn was still called Moonman. It was maybe the first try run of Majohn to reach a, relatively speaking, higher market. This pen was 20 dollars or higher. For some reason, this pen did not sell well (maybe a USD20 Moonman was too much for the market), and was discontinued shortly. The making of the body work is complicated, I paste it here: a glossy black acrylic barrel inlaid with flecks of purple imitation raden (abalone shell). It shines better than diamond. 100/10 Nib, a quality passec steel nib, rigid and smooth. 10/10 Filling, cartridge, boring but reliable, 10/10 Ergonomy, 18g with ink, approx 11mm in grip, as comfortable as the MB146. 10/10 Overall, this is a raden pen for USD20, which put other raden pen with price tag more than USD2000 into awkward situation of explaining their efficient costing structure and advanced pricing strategy.

Hi everyone! I received a lot of old Japanese fountain pens that appear to be old plunger fillers, all of which appear to need new seals as they do not vacuum in any ink (the pen pictured leaked from the blind cap end when I syringed some water into the body). The blind cap unscrews, but the plunger has no resistance when pulled up and can be shifted around to various angles. I can see inside the pen with the section removed that there is a small bulb attached to the end of the rod with a small rubber washer not too far behind it. I did some looking around but had trouble finding a lot of information regarding how to fix these types of pens. Any help would be greatly appreciated! P.S. If anyone knows anything about what this pen is, I'd appreciate any help identifying it. The label reads "shiruba" or Silver

Here is the Pelikan M1000 Raden Sunrise LE from 2016. Difficult pen to photograph but a beauty to behold. Untitled-1-stacked-working-file-brightness-bosted by Ja Ja, on Flickr

Here are two limited edition Taccia pens from the Hyakko-Hisho lineup. The Hyakko-Hisho is a compendium of craft techniques from the Edo period including lacquer styles. Taccia has been pulling from that for the past two or three years. Pictured first is the Hakumei or twilight from last year, which is primarily green. Second, is this year's Hakumei or starlight/star shine, which is primarily blue. Both make nice use of blended urushi colors and raden. I thought they made a nice pair. Untitled-1 with logo by Ja Ja, on Flickr Untitled-1 yes logo by Ja Ja, on Flickr together with logo by Ja Ja, on Flickr caps together with logo by Ja Ja, on Flickr tails together with logo by Ja Ja, on Flickr

Here I present my newest pen, the Platinum Izumo Galaxy in full macro glory. The surface is smooth with dense raden. The raden particles are not of a uniform size and are densely packed with uniform distribution. While not the most challenging maki-e ever this pen was made by a skilled artist. _SON4648 by Ja Ja, on Flickr _SON4649 by Ja Ja, on Flickr _SON4650 by Ja Ja, on Flickr

I've not posted here for a while on what I've done so far. But here is my latest one. I'm not sure how many times I have thoughts about abandoning this project but was finally able to get there! The pen that took around 6 months to completion due to long wait required for curing between each pieces of raden and the complex curves on the pen body which shaped like zeppelin. Pen is Oldwin classic oversize in ebonite completely covered with cracked raden technique where raden is broken on the pen body. Link to detailed pictures: (files are too big to be attached) https://www.instagram.com/p/CDHssMaD7Wl/?igshid=a6m5zh15t6zp

Here are pics of my latest pen, the Sailor King of Pen with Sakura Nagare maki-e. Lots of raden and gold dust. My 6 year old daughter really likes it. I really like it. Has a broad nib. Writes okay if I give it some pressure at a lower angle than what is natural for me. Need to work it myself or perhaps seek out a nib meister although usually do my own nib work for the past decade or so. While the writing performance is not ideal for me the pen is still a stunner and after adjustment should make for an excellent pen because the KOP is an excellent pen. Packaging is premium and everything about the pen is just luxurious. One cool thing is that the raden is raised up and also wet looking. This is all very poetic what with the images of freshly fallen cherry blossoms floating downstream. I've never seen that but I'm sure it's beautiful. This pen is bit louder than my other KOP pens, ha ha, but feels right at home with my Pelikan M1000 Raden Green Ray. IMG_5162 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5163 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5164 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5165 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5166 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5167 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5168 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5169 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5170 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5171 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5172 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5173 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5174 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5177 by Ja Ja, on Flickr

Hi, A story is quite typical for me. I get interested in something, the idea "cooks" for some time, and then blow and burns. And get another PhD in something, be it building a car, making DYI cosmetics, grinding nibs, and most recently - URUSHI. Instead of writing to much, I'll show some pictures. Below I'll try to explain what is it all about. My journey is being documented on my Instagram account : https://www.instagram.com/tamenuri_boru/ http://gakko.pl/piora/1.jpeg http://gakko.pl/piora/2.jpeg http://gakko.pl/piora/10.jpeghttp://gakko.pl/piora/11.jpeghttp://gakko.pl/piora/12.jpeg http://gakko.pl/piora/15.jpeghttp://gakko.pl/piora/24.jpeghttp://gakko.pl/piora/25.jpeghttp://gakko.pl/piora/8.jpeghttp://gakko.pl/piora/8.jpeghttp://gakko.pl/piora/7.jpeghttp://gakko.pl/piora/6.jpeghttp://gakko.pl/piora/3.jpeg

Here is my new Pelikan M1000 Raden Green Ray. This pen was announced to some fanfare. Certainly, the pen deserves some fanfare. As an M1000 it makes a statement as a flagship writing instrument and as a maki-e M1000 it becomes art. What is missing, however, is a story. There is no backstory, no narrative of the conceptualization. The artist remains obscure. The techniques a mystery. Much of that is not unusual for maki-e work, but this is 2020 and brands need to tell stories. Made in only 400 copies due to the nature of material and technique each is really a piece unique. My is 333 making it only half evil. IMG_4994 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4972 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4984 by Ja Ja, on Flickr What I believe is that Pelikan decided to make the definitive raden statement piece. A heavyweight knockout punch in Australian abalone shell. The tableau of the M1000 is large enough but Pelikan decided to inlay enormous, unbroken, mega wide (>2 mm) stripes of perfectly sharply cut shell the likes of which I've never seen. Pelikan and the aritst are screaming look what we've done! This pen lays down the raden law. IMG_4975 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4974 by Ja Ja, on Flickr Remarkably, the pen retains a feeling of smoothness despite the huge, wide raden inlay. The urushi is thick. You can see it rise up from the level of the ink window. This version of the M1000 has a diameter over 1 mm greater than a standard M1000, a difference that is seen and felt. It's a muscular M1000. Otherwise, it handles and writes like any other M1000. Mine has a Fine nib and writes the expected smooth, wet line. There is no babies bottom as is sometimes found on Pelikan nibs. IMG_4982 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4996 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4977 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4978 by Ja Ja, on Flickr Packaging is simple but nicely done. The Paulownia wood box is typical of Japanese craft art and is labeled with the name of pen in the center but the rest of the script could not be translated by my Google phone app. IMG_4989 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4991 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4993 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4995 by Ja Ja, on Flickr My other raden pens pale in comparison to this Green Ray. The Platinum Izumo Aurora also features super wide (~2 mm) raden inlay but the Green Ray stripes are wider and more perfectly cut. The Izumo is a superb pen, it just lacks the perfection of the M1000. My Bokumondoh custom M600 raden Aurora is lovely and eye catching but there is no comparison with the excellence of the M1000. With these pens as comparison pieces the artistry of the Green Ray shines brightly and the price, in comparison is justified. IMG_4997 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4998 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_4999 by Ja Ja, on Flickr IMG_5001 by Ja Ja, on Flickr

While I am looking for a platinum FP ....I found this one on ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/Japan-Platinum-Special-Edition-Raden-with-Gold-Trim-Fountain-Pen-PBA-1600/132844031325?var=432146709412 I haven't heard about it before and I haven't found any information about it in the internet is it fake ?

Manu Propria is the atelier of Martin Pauli of Berne, Switzerland. Martin is a serious student of Japanese urushi styles and techniques and a highly skilled artisan. His pens are all handmade by him alone, thus his brand name which translates to "my own hand." I received my first of Martin's pens just today, and I am delighted with the aesthetics, the quality of workmanship and the ergonomics of this gorgeous pen. I want to share a few photos, just because I think the pen is so exceptionally beautiful. I am aware that I am posting this in the Japan-Asia forum, and that Switzerland in in Europe. But the pen is more in the Japanese tradition, so ... If the moderators would dispute my judgement, they can move this posting as they feel appropriate. Nuff said. Here are some photos: Enjoy! David P.S. Typo in topic title noted. "Neoro" should obviously be "Negoro."

This is my new Platinum Izumo Aurora raden maki-e with broad nib. This pen was released in 2016 officially named the Hon-urushi Raden Maki-e Aurora with magnificence of natural phenomenon drawn on the body in traditional maki-e style. Link to the press release. The raden work on this pen is amazing and dazzling in equal measure. The large size of the inlay and the large size of the pen ensure this blazes from across the room. There are several shell colors including yellow that for some reason I find really appealing probably because it seems less common. As we know the pen is large and does not post but there is no need to post. The grip section is smartly designed for writing comfort and the weight is moderated by the ebonite construction. The President nib is a very good and consistent writer. There is no line variation, no flex, and the ink flow is steadily sufficient. This pen just writes a nice line the first time every time; how boring :-). Some people evidently think the nib is undersized for the pen. Well, perhaps, unless you really consider the grip section and writing comfort. I didn't realize before that fountain pen peeps were such size queens. _DSC3219 by Ja Ja, on Flickr _DSC3220 by Ja Ja, on Flickr _DSC3222 by Ja Ja, on Flickr _DSC3226 by Ja Ja, on Flickr _DSC3227 by Ja Ja, on Flickr I found a pen with a similar Aizu urushi raden maki-e in the book Fountain Pens of Japan so it seems this design is either common, traditional, or an homage. The pen is signed but Platinum does not make it easy to know just who the artist was, but I would like to know. There is a nice wooden box, a pen sleeve, some ink cartridges, and a bottle of ink in the package. It's a nice presentation for what is an expensive pen. IMG_1687 by Ja Ja, on Flickr _DSC3223 by Ja Ja, on Flickr _DSC3225 by Ja Ja, on Flickr My other Izumo is the Kurikara-ken Maki-e. Both are spectacular works of art. Both are comfortable to hold and use. Both have broad nibs that always work without fuss or flourish. Compared to other urushi pens the Izumo prices range from good value for the money (eg the tamenuri pens) to questionable (my Raden model). Generally, however, compared to other urushi works the Izumo is less expensive but just as good. In terms of writing quality these are Platinum, which means the just write. No flex, nothing fancy, they just work, which is as undervalued as it is reassuring. In my opinion not all the Izumo maki-e models are worthwhile but most are and the tamenuri models are a very good value. _DSC3228 by Ja Ja, on Flickr _DSC3229 by Ja Ja, on Flickr writing sample by Ja Ja, on Flickr

Here is my most recent bird purchase, a Pelikan Souveran M605 custom urushi raden maki-e. Actually, it's been a spell since I purchased a Pelikan. I've been deep into Japanese urushi pens for a long time now. I've many Pelikan pens and I've undervalued them personally for some time. Most sit unused but this pen reminded me that first and foremost Pelikan pens are just good pens overall. So, anyway, Michael at Dromgoole's in Houston had sent a flock of Pelikan pens over to Japan for some custom urushi work. I reckon I've seen most of the resultant pens and to be honest the results were mixed. The urushi work was universally nice but the effect on the pen was not always as desired. This pen, however, is barely different in dimensions from when it left the factory but the finish has been upgraded substantially! _DSC3231 by Ja Ja, on Flickr _DSC3232 by Ja Ja, on Flickr The raden maki-e is spectacular in every sense of the word. It looks great and catches light like you wouldn't believe, it really sparkles. Note, even the piston knob is covered in raden. With raden the Japanese don't waste. I like how the broken bits are sprinkled onto the pen on the land between the inlay stripes. The stripes line up when the cap is closed. I choose a broad nib and it writes as expected. _DSC3233 by Ja Ja, on Flickr _DSC3234 by Ja Ja, on Flickr Michael may or may not send more pens for this treatment. Evidently, the artist is nominally a scabbard (saya) lacquer specialist and pens are a diversion for her. I'd like to know who the artist is, I always like to know who the urushi artist is (this is unsigned), but I also have interest in Japanese swords so there is another connection. _DSC3235 by Ja Ja, on Flickr

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line-height:150% !important; }} @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ .footerContainer .mcnTextContent,.footerContainer .mcnTextContent p{ font-size:14px !important; line-height:150% !important; }} Now accepting pre-orders Pelikan Limited Edition Raden M800 For inquiries or to place an order email us at orders@airlineintl.com Or call us at (915) 778-1234 Details Raden is a traditional Japanese decorative craft mainly used for lacquer ware and woodwork. By working with small stripes of precious shell material, the artist of the Raden pen creates a beautiful, impressive piece of art. Each piece is truly unique. The first step to create the fountain pen Raden M800 Royal Gold is to give the surface a deep black impression by using the special Japanese Urushi lacquer. Then the typical stripes are made with particles from the precious white mother of pearl shell. A 24 carat gold foil is carefully affixed to the backside of these stripes. The stripes are fixed to the cap and barrel by a coating of lacquer. Finally, the artist individually signs and numbers each fountain pen with the Maki-e technique, which used to be reserved exclusively for Japanese Royals as an indication of their power. With the limited edition Raden series, Pelikan applies this wonderful Japanese decorative craft to fountain pen models of its famous Souveraen series. The Raden M800 Royal Gold fountain pens are masterpieces with finely-chased 18 carat gold nib in the size M, accentuated with a rhodium decor. Each fountain pen is encased in a traditional Japanese gift box which is made of Paulownia wood. The Raden M800 Royal Gold will be available mid-June 2017 in a limited edition of 388 pieces worldwide. MSRP:$3,000.00 Copyright © *2017* *Airline International Luggage*, All rights reserved. @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ table#canspamBar td{font-size:14px !important;} table#canspamBar td a{display:block !important; margin-top:10px !important;} }

Dear friends! At Iguana Sell we are ready to share with you the latest news of Pelikan! Here we are, presenting you the new product that will be released by the brand this summer of 2016: THE fountain pen Pelikan Souverän M1000 Raden Sunrise Red The Raden Collection is a traditional Japanese decorative craft used for lacquer and woodwork. The fountain pen Raden Sunrise Red is coloured using the special Japanese lacquer called urushi. Moreover, in order to make it's raden stripes Pelikan applies the following technique: First, an abalone shell is placed on the ground, flattened with a hard stone into very thin sheets and then cut into narrow strips. Finally it is affixed to the lacquer coating. Crafted with the Maki technique traditionally addressed to the Japanese Royalty as a symbol of power and wealth, this unique writing instrument,made of refined Urushi lacquer combined with vivid raden stripes, emulates the burst of color that occurs in the sky as day breaks. This masterpiece is available with a M nib. Of course, Pelikan will keep its quality with its finely-chased 18 carat gold nibs. Also the pen is presented in a traditional Japanese gift box made by Paulownia wood. Watch out! Just 333 pieces will be produced worldwide and each of them will include its number. If you need any further information about price or availability, do not hesitate to contact us. We'll be delighted to help you! Please contact us to info@iguanasell.com or at +34 91 441 50 41. Have a great day! Kind regards, Alessia Iguana Sell

I can not write a pen review with my poor English. I can only share pictures of my pen. The Parker Centennial Duofold with Raden work on it. And... this mystery Duofold doesn't have rings. Ha! See pics below. http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x181/goutzchien/Parker%20Duoford%20Raden/01_zps5qjpmaqs.jpg http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x181/goutzchien/Parker%20Duoford%20Raden/03_zpsolnqp47t.jpg http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x181/goutzchien/Parker%20Duoford%20Raden/02_zpsq4wquwjc.jpg http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x181/goutzchien/Parker%20Duoford%20Raden/05_zpstujidi89.jpghttp://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x181/goutzchien/Parker%20Duoford%20Raden/04_zpspmlisn1a.jpg http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x181/goutzchien/Parker%20Duoford%20Raden/06_zpsrzxub3iz.jpg http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x181/goutzchien/Parker%20Duoford%20Raden/07_zpsp1xfht2h.jpg http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x181/goutzchien/Parker%20Duoford%20Raden/09_zpshdqsnjyl.jpg http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x181/goutzchien/Parker%20Duoford%20Raden/08_zpsbuvta2ab.jpg

So, I've been checking a lot of Raden pens recently, and found that I like the Yukari Nightline series very much due to the raden distribution and the sprinkled gold dust patterns. After much searching the net, the current version being marketed was not much to my taste due the ''black lines'' across the Raden which I felt detracted from the patterns, Picture from nibs.com I've been looking for this particular version, but I can't seem to find a name or model number per se, just that it's an older edition of the pen, which makes looking for it a bit hard. Pictures from http://ela123a.wordpress.com/2010/05/23/namiki-nightline-radean-fountain-pen/#comment-3 And there's even a nicer one here, on the right, which i'm told is from the 70s era ! Photo from Alfonso Mur https://www.facebook.com/amurbohigas?fref=photo So I was wondering if anyone knows a good resource to look up this particular line from Namiki-Pilot ? Help a fpn-er find a grail pen ! The 70s one really caught my eye...

Hi! I don't have any Japanese pens yet, and I'd like to change that! I like shiny, blingy things, and the Pilot/Namiki Vanishing Point in the various Raden designs http://www.gouletpens.com/PN60590_p/pn60590.htm as well as the Platinum Galaxy Maki-e have all caught my eye http://nibs.com/PlatinumMakieGalaxy.html. The third pen I'm eying up is the Platinum Izumo Urushi (in Akatame red) http://nibs.com/Platinum-President-Izumo-Dark-Red.html (While not 'blingy', there is something about this pen that really grabs my attention. A subtle intensity I guess. I would love some input from those with experience with these models (or similar) who can tell me what they like/didn't like about these particular pens, what they would change etc etc. Some extra info: - I have never tried a Vanishing Point, so I don't know if I would like the feel of it, and I'm not sure if I'd like that clip right in the middle there. Does it impede your writing at all? I'm going to be honest, I'm totally going on looks here - I tend to favour big, wet writing Italian pens and I love a smoothy smooth (or at least mostly smooth LOL) with some nice spring in the nib. - I'm going to contact john Mottishaw and seeing what my customization options are for the Galaxy and the Izumo - I'd love to do a Spencerian mod on the Galaxy if that was possible. - I read somewhere that the Urushi coating changes after you have used it for a long time. Can anyone clarify/add to that? Many thanks for all of your help !