Is the pen really mightier than the sword? Well, at least in terms of aesthetics, this limited-edition Taka ni Shiki-Natsu Chinkin Hawk fountain pen from the Sailor Pen Company certainly is.
Made from a very hard type of rubber called Ebonite, the tube of this fine writing instrument is encased in a durable Urushi lacquer. Its dark brown hue creates a dramatic background for a Japanese hawk that was immaculately carved and inlaid with fine dust or thin leafs of silver and gold by renowned chinkin-bori artist Etsuko Tsurata.
Chinkin-bori is a traditionally Japanese technique of decorating lacquerware. Using very fine mini-chisels, an elaborate pattern is incised into the lacquer surface before a raw one is rubbed into the fresh, delicate grooves and thin lines, which act as an adhesive for the silver and gold dust or gold leaf that is then pressed into them.
But what’s even more impressive than Etsuko’s design is the fact that admirers of the pen can view the hawk’s feathers individually even under x10 magnification. This process requires so much precision that it’s no wonder it takes Etsuko six whole months to finish the intricate design on a single pen – transforming it into a fine piece of art.
On top of this exceptional design, the Taka ni Shiki-Natsu Chinkin Hawk fountain pen also features a 21-carat gold nib – the highest unit of weight that a fountain pen can hold. It also uses a Sailor ink cartridge or converter that allows the Chinkin Hawk fountain pen to carry 0.5 ml of writing ink.
Matching this impeccable craftsmanship is the box that it comes in. Like the fountain pen, the Urushi lacquer box shows off a larger and more impressive gold-inlay depiction of the Japanese hawk that is ready to take off to hunt on a summer morning.
There are only 25 pieces of Taka ni Shiki-Natsu Chinkin Hawk fountain pens made for Sailor Limited-Edition Hawk collection, 20 of which are made available for Oriental collectors while only five will be put on sale for the rest of the world.
Originally priced at RM76,543, Sailor Limited-Edition Taka ni Shiki-Natsu Chinkin Hawk Fountain Pen is exclusively available at the Pen Gallery for RM68,888.
