Namiki 100 years

[a student]

2025 marks Namimki's 100 years of existence as a fountain pen company. Those in the know may like to share with the FPN community if a special issue of a fountain pen is likely to commemorate the occasion

[JungleJim]

Wasn't the 7 Gods of Good Fortune Pen Collection released for the 100th Anniversary collection?

 

Link:   https://www.gouletpens.com/products/namiki-seven-gods-set-of-7

 

(Note the 100 on the nibs.)

 

There was also a 100th Anniversary Emperor Fountain Pen  of Mt. Fuji

 

Link:  https://chatterleyluxuries.com/product/namiki-by-pilot-emperor-100th-anniversary-limited-edition-emperor-fuji-fountain-pen/

 

 

[a student]

6 hours ago, JungleJim said:

Wasn't the 7 Gods of Good Fortune Pen Collection released for the 100th Anniversary collection?

 

Link:   https://www.gouletpens.com/products/namiki-seven-gods-set-of-7

 

(Note the 100 on the nibs.)

 

There was also a 100th Anniversary Emperor Fountain Pen  of Mt. Fuji

 

Link:  https://chatterleyluxuries.com/product/namiki-by-pilot-emperor-100th-anniversary-limited-edition-emperor-fuji-fountain-pen/

 

 

Thank you. I had not thought of that. Would that be the Pilot 100 anniversary though?

Edit: Namiki came into existence a little later I think

Edited January 19 by a student

[Mew]

Namiki was the name when the company formed in 1918. It was renamed to Pilot later on. 

[mke]

@a student Not correct.

 

Ryosuke Namiki, professor at the Tokyo Nautical College, left his job to start the company "Namiki Manufacturing Co., Ltd." in 1918.

In 1938, it was renamed into "Pilot Pen Co., Ltd." and later again it was renamed, this time into "Pilot Corporation" in 1989.

 

More about Pilot's history: https://www.pilot.co.jp/100th/en/history/

 

I wonder if “pilot” is not a mockery of the slow-moving “sailor”.

[a student]

@Mew, @mke

 

Thank you both. I was misled by the wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namiki

 

Product type	Fountain pens, inks
Owner	Pilot Corporation
Country	Japan
Introduced	1925; 100 years ago by Ryosuke Namiki [1]
Website	pilot-namiki.com

 

So not to expect anything of the anniversary pen variety from Namiki this year

Edited January 19 by a student
typos

[mke]

In 1925 the first maki-e pens were created. It seems they arbitrarily/retroactively set this as start of the brand of Namiki. https://www.pilot-namiki.com/en/about/history.html

Ask Pilot US, they might answer if there will be LEs.

 

In 2018, many people were disappointed that Pilot served only the rich customers with their 100th anniversary LEs. If there really will be LEs from Namiki this year, start robbing banks. You will need a lot of money. 😂

Namiki LEs are around $10k. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[a student]

7 minutes ago, mke said:

In 1925 the first maki-e pens were created. It seems they arbitrarily/retroactively set this as start of the brand of Namiki. https://www.pilot-namiki.com/en/about/history.html

Ask Pilot US, they might answer if there will be LEs.

 

In 2018, many people were disappointed that Pilot served only the rich customers with their 100th anniversary LEs. If there really will be LEs from Namiki this year, start robbing banks. You will need a lot of money. 😂

Namiki LEs are around $10k. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Namiki LEs are around $10k? If I heard you correctly, then count me out. And if I try bank robbery, lacking solid experience I'll probably get caught and land up in jail, albeit for a short while I suspect!

[mke]

Price range
Namiki Emperor Fountain Pen - Maki-e Chinkin Dragon (Limited Edition): Around $8,500 
Namiki Emperor Rakucho Birds and Weeping Cherry Blossom Fountain Pen: Around $10,000 
Namiki Emperor Fountain Pen - Kylin: Around $12,000 
Namiki Emperor Gold Fish Collection Maki-e Fountain Pen: Around $9,150 
Namiki Maki-e Emperor Shark Masato Sato Limited Edition: Around $29,000 

 

This is an AI list, grain of salt, probably prices are from sales on Ebay and shops with "in stock".

I don't have a list of the Japanese prices.

 

But the real problem will be to get one even if you have the money. Resellers/shops have the connections and can claim one easily. They add a good amount of money to the original Japanese price.

 

Even to know about the release of a new model is connection-only.

 

 

[a student]

1 hour ago, mke said:

Even to know about the release of a new model is connection-only.

 

 

Thank you for the information

What can I say except that Japanese pen makers cannot be accused of anything other than being very very discreet!

Edited January 20 by a student
typo

[mke]

1 hour ago, a student said:

very very discreet!

 

It is a different approach to PR. You will get the information if you are in business with Namiki or one of the shops selling these pens.

If they don't know you (no business = no pens bought), you don't exist and they don't care about your wish to know about their new pens.

 

 

 

 

[a student]

1 hour ago, mke said:

 

It is a different approach to PR. You will get the information if you are in business with Namiki or one of the shops selling these pens.

If they don't know you (no business = no pens bought), you don't exist and they don't care about your wish to know about their new pens.

 

 

 

 

 

Seems sensible

[mke]

Anyway, make yourself a list of shops which sell Namiki and regularly check them.

 

e.g.

Pensinasia: https://pensinasia.com/new/brand/namiki_1

Sakura Fountainpen Gallery: https://www.sakurafountainpengallery.com/en/boutique/namiki-japanse-pennen

and many others

 

Some of them have newsletters, subscribe to get relatively quick information.

 

For windowshopping:

https://www.sakurafountainpengallery.com/en/gallery/the-art-of-maki-e

Pensinasia has a lot of detailed photos of many pens.

 

Finally: recently some Chinese sellers on Aliexpress started selling makie pens: example: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007463037872.html

search for makie pens: https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-makie-fountain-pens.html

Ask on the China forum here, if they are good or not.

 

If you are in California, check seY on the California penshow. seY is from Japan.

 

[a student]

1 hour ago, mke said:

Anyway, make yourself a list of shops which sell Namiki and regularly check them.

 

e.g.

Pensinasia: https://pensinasia.com/new/brand/namiki_1

Sakura Fountainpen Gallery: https://www.sakurafountainpengallery.com/en/boutique/namiki-japanse-pennen

and many others

 

Some of them have newsletters, subscribe to get relatively quick information.

 

For windowshopping:

https://www.sakurafountainpengallery.com/en/gallery/the-art-of-maki-e

Pensinasia has a lot of detailed photos of many pens.

 

Finally: recently some Chinese sellers on Aliexpress started selling makie pens: example: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007463037872.html

search for makie pens: https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-makie-fountain-pens.html

Ask on the China forum here, if they are good or not.

 

If you are in California, check seY on the California penshow. seY is from Japan.

 

Many thanks for identifying the sites. This is most helpful

[mke]

As I said, shops are a good source for info on new Namiki models: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFBNuF5sLTh/