Thursday, June 2, 2011

Sailor 100th Anniversary - The Shima Kuwa Mulberry

Sailor Japan Co. is 100 year old this year, and to mark this special day, they have choosen a special material, Mulberry wood (Shima Kuwa) from Mikura-jima in the Izu group of Japanese Islands. The Shima Kuwa is also known as the Golden Kuwa because of its natural golden color.

The wood is a very special material as compare to other materials because of it grain. The Shima Kuwa  beautiful grain has been very much appreciated for many generations.

In the Edo era, Shima Kuwa was a special and very precious wood material, which could only be work on by the highest level of artisans, whom are called 'Kuwamono-si' out of great respect.

The beauty of this fountain pen is further enhanced by extreme gloss finish using the highest qualtiy urushi from Iwate prefecture. This top quality of urushi, known as Joubou-ji urushi, is make famous because they are choosen material use for repair and maintenance of the Golden Hall of Chuuson-ji in Iwate, Rge the Toshogu of Nikko in Tochigi and the Golden Temple in Kyoto, and many Japan national treasure.

Sailor Japan Co. seeked the help of top maki-e artisan Kosen Oshita to carefully applies coating and burnishing technique to their 100th Anniversary fountain pen.

The design of the pen is antique in form as it is modeled from some of Sailor Japan Co. historical fountain pens in their earlier stages of the Company.
The top of the clip is designed to look like the Sailor Co. Japan symbol and motif; An Anchor mark.
The pen cap is maki-e decorated in gold by artisan Kosen Oshita. The word 100 years' and and elegant 'wave' design symbolic of the 100-year history of Sailor Japan Co. are decorated around the cap ust below the clip.
Each Shima Kuwa Mulberry is individually number. It is limited to 1000 pieces worldwide. The individual number is stamped on the barrel end.
The pen comes with a decorated large size solid 21K gold nib plated with 24k gold. The Sailor Japan Co. symbol mark, the Anchor and the chain are stamped on the nib. This fountain pen only comes in M nib.
It also comes with a bottle of standard Sailor ink label as Sailor 100th Anniversay, a pen warp, cleaning cloth, and a box of cartridge ink (5 pieces).
It is presented in a special Aizu-urushi gift box.

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