Danitrio Kaguya-Hime Of Taketori Monogatari

[shuuemura]

Danitrio Kaguya-hime of Taketori Monogatari

 

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3763/9603415961_7470681eea_b.jpg

Kaguya-hime is depicted with her back facing us. She is wearing a "hagoromo", or "feather robe", through which her long tresses flow as she ascends to the moon, depicted here in raden surrounded by gold dust.

Introduction

The subject of today's review: one of my maki-e pens, the Danitrio Kaguya-hime of Taketori Monogatari, or Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. Back in 2009 I was fortunate to score the last unsold piece (#20 out of 30 pieces made in this size). Kevin Cheng (winedoc) was instrumental in helping me order this pen direct from the manufacturer. Thanks, Kevin!

 

Two versions of this maki-e pen exist, a testament to the enduring popularity of this maki-e design and the story behind it: the one shown here, in the Takumi (I believe) size - similar in size to the Montblanc 149; and the Yokozuna size, a huge monster of a pen equipped with a 24-karat gold nib. Both versions are made by the artist Koichiro Okazaki (signature: Kogaku), one of the more prolific artists within the Danitrio stable.

 

The Kaguya-hime story from the Danitrio website:

It is considered the oldest tale in Japan written in the Heian period (794-1185). One day, an old bamboo cutter went into a bamboo clump to collect bamboo, and found a glittering bamboo and cut it. There was a beautiful girl from the bamboo and the old man gave the girl a name "Kaguya-hime" and brought her up in his home. The girl was so beautiful that five young nobles wanted her to marry them, but she refused all of them by giving them knotty questions impossible to answer. She even did not accept the emperor's invitation and finally flew to the harvest moon in the eve on August 15th (August 15th in lunar calendar is Mid-autumn Day in Asia).

 

More details about this story can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tale_of_the_Bamboo_Cutter.

 

Writing Experience and pen construction

My pen came originally equipped with a flexible stub nib. For the longest time I couldn't get this flexible stub nib to work for me. It was hard-starting, and would "click" as I write. I sent it back to Kevin to have the nib exchanged to a firm stub nib. This stub nib was much better, but only after I sent it to John Mottishaw (twice!) would the pen write satisfactorily. Even now, this nib will baulk before putting ink to paper if I don't use it everyday. I have heard that the other Danitrio nib sizes are much less temperamental, so one of these days I might just ask Kevin to help me exchange the nib for a fine size. Apart from the nib, the overall quality of pen construction is beyond reproach. The most traditional of fountain pen materials - ebonite - is used for the entire pen body and cap, and the lathe work is excellent. Everything fits together perfectly, and the barrel threads are cut so that the maki-e design lines up every time the cap is screwed on.

 

Maki-e design

I must confess that I bought this pen after being sorely tempted by the luscious photographs that Kevin posted of the same pen on this forum. He's quite the greatest enabler...! Anyway, onto the photos I took of this pen. Maki-e is notoriously difficult to photograph, but hopefully my photographs help to bring out some of the beauty of this pen. Just like Kevin, I hope that one day Princess Kaguya will turn around to show us her beauty, but at the same time I believe it's better to leave some things to the imagination. What do you think?

 

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3726/9603416019_7b55e94c06_b.jpg

Note the generous maki-e application on this pen. Even the section and pen clip are sprinkled with gold dust. My pen is equipped with a Danitrio firm stub nib in the "flaming" pattern.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7438/9606650940_c87cf3e248_b.jpg

It's amazing how such a vast maki-e design can be achieved on the small surface area of a pen.

 

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5530/9603424015_61a771b2d8_b.jpg

And a close-up of the back of Princess Kaguya. I love the exquisite maki-e details of her robes!

Edited September 6, 2013 by shuuemura

[switchitt]

Such a beauty! I agree, a pen this graceful should be used everyday. Thanks for showing it to us.

[Soot]

Beautiful pen! Thanks for the great view! Danitrio! Danitrio! Danitrio!

[Mesu]

Amazing work of art.. the painting of the Princess is beautiful, precise

 

Thanks for sharing the pics.

[spinon]

Very very elegant indeed! Thanks for sharing.

[Artes]

Beautiful pen, and excellent photos.

[Jadie]

I love your combined quarter views of Kaguya-hime. Truly a beautiful pen. Danitrio is a wonderful company as well. ^__^

 

 

Do you have a favorite ink to use with it? (Tsuki-yo, perhaps?)

[French]

That is an absolutely gorgeous pen. I wish you many years of enjoyment from using it.

[cybaea]

 

I never 'got' maki-e before. Now that I have seen your pictures I am beginning to understand what it is all about. Wow. Nice.

Thank you for sharing.

[ArchiMark]

Absolutely gorgeous pen and super pics....really conveys the artistic qualities of this unique pen.

 

Thanks for sharing it!

[ethernautrix]

Truly gorgeous pen. When answering the question, "What is your favorite pen?" I used to point to this one and say, "But it doesn't belong to me."

 

Happy for you. I hope you get the nib situation straightened out. With Kevin's patience and assistance, I finally got the nib that I like on my Komori (bats) - even so, sometimes I will use it with the Jowo (?) steel nib I bought from the Goulets.

[shuuemura]

Thanks to all for the kind words! To reply to Jadie's question, the inks I've used in this pen include Caran d'Ache's Storm and a few of the newer Sailor purple inks - the ones which have fanciful Japanese flower names that don't translate too well into English. For some reason this pen seems to pair well with purple inks. Tsuki-Yo! That's a great idea. I'll try it soon.

[Earthdawn]

WOW... just wow.

 

Beautiful pen & amazing workmanship in it.

 

Big congrats & enjoy it.

[hari317]

When the pen looks so wonderful in its pictures, just imagine how it would be to hold in the hand. Wonderful work on these pens and a wonderful contribution by the OP. Thanks for sharing this beauty.

[georges zaslavsky]

superb pen and superb craftsmanship thanks for sharing

[GemMayhem]

Wow, absolutely exquisite! I marvel at the detail in her kimono ... Not to mention the amazing photographs. Thank you very much for sharing.

 

I'm happy this pen has such a loving and appreciative home. Enjoy!!!

[enricof]

I wonder if I would be able to write with it or I would keep staring at the Princess.

 

I often look at the pics from Kevin in the Danitrio gallery and I share ethernautrix's feelings.

 

Did not know it exists also in the Yokozuna body, would really like to see pics of it.

 

Fortunately I assume all of them have been sold, so it will be easier for me resisting the tentation of selling a kidney or a daughter...

[shuuemura]

Thanks again for all the kind words!

 

I wonder if I would be able to write with it or I would keep staring at the Princess.

I often look at the pics from Kevin in the Danitrio gallery and I share ethernautrix's feelings.

Did not know it exists also in the Yokozuna body, would really like to see pics of it.

Fortunately I assume all of them have been sold, so it will be easier for me resisting the tentation of selling a kidney or a daughter...

 

Kevin took some photographs of his "girlie" pens a while ago, and the Kaguya-hime in the Yokozuna size is well-depicted in his now-classic post: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/168283-to-all-the-girls-ive-loved-before/

 

Danitrio also has some pictures on their Yokozuna page: http://www.danitrio.com/yokozuna/yokozuna.htm

 

Cheers!

Edited August 28, 2013 by shuuemura

[enricof]

 

Kevin took some photographs of his "girlie" pens a while ago, and the Kaguya-hime in the Yokozuna size is well-depicted in his now-classic post: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/168283-to-all-the-girls-ive-loved-before/

 

Danitrio also has some pictures on their Yokozuna page: http://www.danitrio.com/yokozuna/yokozuna.htm

 

Cheers!

I somehow missed this post.

 

This is killing me...

[enricof]

double post, sorry

 

Edited August 29, 2013 by enricof