NAMIKI EMPEROR MANDARIN DUCK MAKIE FOUNTAIN PEN Start Price USD 6,499.00 Current Price USD 6,499.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price USD 6,500.00 Reserve Price - Start Time Friday, August 22, 2008 End Time Friday, August 29, 2008 Location Kuala Lumpur See more about 'NAMIKI EMPEROR MANDARIN DUCK MAKIE FOUNTAIN PEN' Description      SquareTrade © AP6.0                        NAMIKI EMPEROR COLLECTION MANDARIN DUCK MAKI-E FOUNTAIN PEN  Namiki Maki-e pens are considering the work of art by skilled Japanese artisans. Using the finest materials to create a line of writing instruments that look beautiful and perform flawlessly. The Maki-e lacquering, a centuries-old technique in which multi-layered patterns are drawn on the barrel and cap with urushi - sap from Japanese lacquer. The Namiki collection features 18 karat gold, sterling silver, lacquer or celluloid finishes, executed in styles ranging from the enduring beauty of the Emperor Collection to the intricate designs of the Yukari Collection.   The Emperor Mandarin Duck, celebrates love and fidelity, which is reflected by the pair of lavishly-colored Mandarin Ducks represented on each pen. The ducks are lovingly applied onto the pens using the Maki-e technique. Each pen, as a result, takes a few months to create. As a cultural note, the Mandarin Duck is an auspicious symbol in Japanese literature and poetry, endowing the new Namiki pen with an aura of good luck. This fountain pen is designed with an 18 karat gold and rhodium accented medium nib and presented in a traditional wood gift box from the Orient. The Emperor Collection exceeds the demands of even the most discerning collector and connoisseur. Maki-e is Japanese lacquer sprinkled with gold or silver powder as a decoration using a makizutsu or a kebo brush. The technique was developed mainly in the Heian Period (794 -1185) and blossomed in the Edo Period (1603-1868). Maki-e objects were initially designed as household items for court nobles, they soon gained more popularity and were adopted by royal families and military leaders as an indication of power. To create different colors and textures, maki-e artists use a variety of metal powders including gold, silver, copper, brass, lead, aluminum, platinum, pewter, as well as their alloys. Bamboo tubes and soft brushes of various sizes are used for laying powders and drawing fine lines. As it requires highly-skilled craftsmanship to produce a maki-e painting, young artists usually go through many years of training to develop the skills and to ultimately become maki-e masters. Togidashi technique, a style where the design is painted in lacquer, and gold or silver powder is sprinkled over it; when the lacquer is dry, another coat is applied to the design to fix the powder. Ro-iro-urushi (black lacquer without oil) is then applied over the entire surface, and, after it has dried, it is burnished briefly with charcoal. The final polishing is done with cotton wool soaked with Ki-Urushi (crude Urushi). Dimension: Length with cap posted - 21.7cm , with cap closed - 17.5cm Central circumference - 5.2cm System: The oversize fountain pen uses eye dropper system Nib type: Come with an 18K MEDIUM nib. Conditions : New in box with international warranty and original packaging.   PenGallery's Selling Policies Payment Fees Shipping Delivery Refunds & Returns Visa, MasterCard and American Express via our secured online order form. All data is encrypted via SSL secure server with 128 bit encryption before being transmitted. For all international orders, customers are responsible for all tariffs, taxes and duties of the destination countries. For more information, please contact your local customs office. Buyer pays a flat USD15 for worldwide delivery even for combine shipment via FedEx or DHL courier service. Please  note that a higher shipping fee applies to Israel, please contact us for more details. We only ship to physical address and no. P.O.Box or mailbox addresses. Please visit our STORE POLICIES for more information.  We currently ship to all locations, kindly refer to our STORE POLICIES for more information. Kindly refer to our STORE POLICIES for details about the refunds and returns for the purchases.  At PenGallery, we are always open to question and suggestions. Please feel free to contact at ebay@pengallery.com. Thank you once again for visiting PenGallery's Listing at Ebay Powered by eBay Turbo Lister The free listing tool. List your items fast and easy and manage your active items. pensgallery Store Place a Bid!