The War Of 1911 Or Look What I Won Mommy?

February 14, 2016

Earlier I posted a very short review of my full size Sailor 1911 Ohshidori Mandarin Ducks fountain pen.

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The Japanese fable about the Mandarin Ducks is a somewhat gruesome tale of lifelong attachment and faithfulness. In the story a hunter sees two Mandarin ducks, the male and his mate. He shoots the male and the female says "Why did you shoot only my husband? I cannot live without him. You will rue this day." The hunter goes off but one day when he passes the pond the female Mandarin duck swims out of the rushes and pecks open her own breast dying. The man is so taken by her self sacrifice that he goes off and hangs himself in remorse.

YUCK! But they are beautiful and really do mate for life.

The artist that designed that pen back in 2005 was Mr. Kosen Oshita but it was not a limited edition and so the signature is that of the Sailor Maki-e Studio.

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Every year come summertime there was a carnival held on the big empty field and one night mom and dad would take all of us kids. The ground was covered in saw dust and cedar shavings and the whole world smelled of cedar and french fries and cotton candy. It was loud and the bell at the stand where you could try your strength would clang and the shout of "A winner! Give the little lady a Teddy Bear!" rang out over the music coming from the Ferris Wheel. There was a booth where you could shoot little yellow ducks as they swam across the back and if you hit one it flopped back and you won a prize, the greatest prize imaginable; a bright colored fish with flowing fins in its very own fish bowl. They were blue and red and orange and white and some all one color and some lots of colors and I was a pretty good shot and would win a fish for each of the little kids. Each of my brothers and sisters would point to "THEIR" fish and the man would get it down, pour the water and fish into a plastic bag and give the bag and bowl to the winner. I figure each of the fish cost me a months allowance but boy was it ever worth it. Off they would run to find mom and dad to show off their new pet.

This review is about the smaller version of the Sailor 1911, the mid-size and it is decorated with two of those Siamese Fighting fish, each in full display, each circling the other, one on the cap, one on the body, just as those Siamese Fighting fish from so long ago circled in their little fish bowls just challenging the others to come over and settle things.

Like the larger brother it sports the fabulous Sailor 14K nib but in a medium, not a fine.

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This version is hand painted by second generation maki-e shi Katsunobu Nishihara who tends towards more modern styles and often more vibrant colors than traditional maki-e. He also did the cats from Martini for example. This pen is number one of ten.

And so, without further ado; here are some Boring Pictures.

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Watch the fish's eye change color as the pen rotates and the raden insert catches the light.

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The detail is amazing.

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So here we are, a battle of two 1911s, each a joy to use as well as a work of art. Look what I won mommy.

Edited February 14, 2016 by jar

February 14, 2016

Beautiful pen.

While I dare not -- could I even afford one -- get a maki-e pen (I'd be too worried about having an allergic reaction to the urushiol oil) I can admire them for the works of art they are.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

February 15, 2016

Such a beautiful pen! Use it in good health!

February 15, 2016

Beautiful pen .Thanks for sharing.Enjoy in health and happiness.

February 15, 2016

where did you get one?

February 15, 2016

where did you get one?

PM sent.

February 15, 2016

Beautiful pen and attractive layout, thanks for sharing!

February 17, 2016

Stunningly beautiful ! Excellent anecdote that blends with the masterfully executed pictures. Thank you. Hopefully, Someday, i'll be able to enjoy one of em with my old grubby hands ! Would there be a special link / M&M store to source these from ?

February 18, 2016

Beautiful pen.
While I dare not -- could I even afford one -- get a maki-e pen (I'd be too worried about having an allergic reaction to the urushiol oil) I can admire them for the works of art they are.

I'm *very* sensitive to urushiol (poison oak/ivy/sumac, fortunately cashew trees don't grow around here), but have no issue whatsoever with maki-e. Unless the lacquer is being abraded, leaving fresh dust on your skin, it shouldn't be a problem.

I would not like to have anything to do with making maki-e objects, mind, since that would require working with the liquid.

February 19, 2016

I'm *very* sensitive to urushiol (poison oak/ivy/sumac, fortunately cashew trees don't grow around here), but have no issue whatsoever with maki-e. Unless the lacquer is being abraded, leaving fresh dust on your skin, it shouldn't be a problem.

I would not like to have anything to do with making maki-e objects, mind, since that would require working with the liquid.

Well, sadly, I'm more than just "very sensitive". If I get poison ivy it goes systemic. Really really quickly. And the last serious bout I had started out as what I thought at first was a spider bite (I'm allergic to those, too ); and so I put some benedryl cream on it. That was about 9:15 AM that morning. After meeting some people at something in Saugus, MA, and then going with them traipsing around the woods north of Boston for an hour or so, we all went to lunch (this would be sometime after 2 PM, same day). By which time I had it all over both arms, my face, stomach, and the tops of both legs. And I had been wearing jeans and, IIRC, a long sleeved shirt....

Took me something like six weeks, a run of Prednisolone (given to me at the ER we stopped at on the way home), then a run of Prednisone (prescribed by my regular doctor -- the Prednisolone being *completely* useless), and a trip to an allergist who prescribed *another* round of Prednisone (starting with 5 pills a day this time) to knock it out of my system. And after seeing a post from someone a couple of years ago, who kept getting this rash on his/her chin from scratching it with the back end of a maki-e pen when pausing to consider the next word or phrase... well, let's just say I'll stick to the old saying: "Discretion is the better part of valor." And admire the beauty and artistry of maki-e pens from afar....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth