• The pen in its wooden box seen from above, the lid laid alongside at the right, bearing the characters for Hidehira-nuri.
  • The pen lying flat in the open wooden box, gold-toned lining beneath it, tip pointing left, red pine on the black barrel.
  • The pen alone, horizontal, tip to the left, a red pine painted on the right half of the black barrel, gold-toned clip below.
  • A closer view of the barrel, red and green pine clusters above a red trunk on black lacquer, gold-toned clip at the right.
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Matsu Ballpoint Pen — a pine tree painted in lacquer on a black urushi barrel

Matsu Ballpoint Pen — a pine tree painted in lacquer on a black urushi barrel

£291.00 GBP
£291.00 GBP
Aanbieding Uitverkocht
Gratis verzending — alle belastingen en invoerrechten inbegrepen (DDP). Gratis wereldwijde verzending inbegrepen.

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Why this pen

This pen brings Hidehira-nuri lacquer painting to something you carry and use every day. A pine tree in red lacquer climbs the black barrel, so the decoration is there each time you pick it up to write. There is no gold leaf on this pen. The whole design is painted by hand, which gives it a quieter presence than the workshop's gold-leaf pieces and makes it easy to live with as a daily writing tool, or to give to someone who still writes by hand.

The pattern

Matsu means pine. Marusan Shikki paints it here in urushi-e, the lacquer-painting technique of Hidehira-nuri, a tradition from near Hiraizumi in Iwate. A red trunk runs up from near the tip and branches out below the clip, where the needle clusters sit in red and green, picked out with fine gold-coloured lines, with small red dots scattered between them. Because the barrel is round, the tree reads a little differently each time the pen turns in the hand.

The workshop

Marusan Shikki has worked in Hidehira-nuri since 1904, from a workshop in Ichinoseki now in its fifth generation.

What to know before you buy

As with any urushi lacquerware, this piece is not tableware and needs only dry care. Wipe the surface with a soft, dry cloth, and avoid water and damp cloths, since moisture can work into the wood and loosen the lacquer. Avoid solvents and alcohol-based cleaners too, since they can dissolve the lacquer. Handle it gently, as a hard knock or drop can chip the painted decoration or crack the lacquer underneath. Store away from direct sunlight.

Details

The pen measures 126 mm in length and weighs about 35 g. The clip, the push button and the tip are gold-toned metal. Made to order and shipped from Japan via DHL, with a lead time of approximately two months. Keep it away from very dry heat, such as near a vent or radiator.

If this pen suits your own desk, or someone else's, you can place an order below. Have a question about the finish or the lead time? Write to us; we answer every message ourselves.

Specificaties

  • Category: Stationery
  • Type: Pen
  • Material: Wood, urushi lacquer, gold-toned metal fittings
  • Technique: Hidehira-nuri (urushi-e lacquer painting)
  • Size: 126mm (length)
  • Weight: 35g

Heritage & Credentials

Hidehira-nuri carries a documented history and an official craft designation.

  • In 1985, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry designated Hidehira-nuri itself — not any one workshop or product — a Traditional Craft (伝統的工芸品).
  • Tradition links its origins to the late Heian period, with accounts describing lacquer artisans from Kyoto working in the Hiraizumi area.
  • Rooted in the Hiraizumi area of Iwate, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • The traditional specification for Hidehira-nuri begins with hon-kataji, a lacquer ground built up in layers with cloth reinforcement before colour is applied.

Verzorging & aandachtspunten

This is handmade Hidehira-nuri lacquerware, not tableware. It only needs dry care.

  • Wipe the surface with a soft, dry cloth. Avoid water and damp cloths, since moisture can work into the wood and loosen the lacquer.
  • Avoid solvents and alcohol-based cleaners, which can dissolve the lacquer.
  • Handle it gently. A hard knock or drop can chip the painted decoration or crack the lacquer underneath.
  • Keep it out of direct sunlight, which fades lacquer over time.
  • Store in a stable spot away from vents and radiators, to avoid overly dry air.

Over verzending

Every piece ships from Japan.

  • We ship to the UK and the EU, via DHL, with tracking included.
  • This sale is made under DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) terms. If import duty applies, it's billed directly to Toramonten, not to you.
  • Customs authorities may contact the recipient directly, and we can't say in advance which orders this might affect.
  • This piece is made to order, and ships in approximately two months.

Over de werkplaats

Explore the Hidehira-nuri collection

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