There are only a handful of brand names of luxury pens that are really considered belonging to the class of the elite, and Dunhill Namiki is one of them. Its craftsmanship is incomparable, with the rich history involved in each pen merely adds to its allure. The name Namiki is from Ryosuke Namiki, the co-founder of the globally distinguished pen maker Pilot. The company was called Namiki Manufacturing Company from its formation in 1918 until 1938 when it was renamed Pilot Pen Co., Ltd. In the early 20th century, British company Alfred Dunhill sold the Pilot-produced maki-e fountain pens, Dunhill Namiki, in its main store and ultimately distributed the pens globally.
Perhaps what sets Dunhill Namiki pens apart from other fine fountain pens is their excellent maki-e lacquer painting on their body. Maki-e is a Japanese lacquer technique that uses sprinkling of metallic powders. The technique was developed hundreds of years ago, and only highly skilled maki-e artists are able to do an artwork with excellent aesthetic quality. This art form can be seen on Dunhill Namiki fountain pens, which make them much more irresistible to collectors.
Some of these pens were produced for only a limited number, and their rarity adds to their worth. But to entice unsuspecting pen enthusiasts, there are also fake versions of these highly popular pens being offered on the web. And with only the words of the seller and some photos of the item to rely on, even the most discerning of serious pen collectors can be fooled seeing that the pens in the pictures look so genuine. By the time it reaches the purchaser, it's far too late to realise that the product is fake.
As were typical in the 1930s, vintage Dunhill Namiki pens have flat feeds. Fake pens, on the other hand, usually have ribbed feeds that are decidedly modern in style. Dunhill Namki pens also have hard to replicate exquisitely handcrafted graphics, while fake pens appear to have their printed. The originals generally use taka maki-e, or the sculpted lacquer practice, which gives pens raised surfaces and noticeable highlights.
A dunhill namiki pen is truly a work of art. For determined pen enthusiasts, it's like owning a true work of art with rich history. Unlike disposable pens, these maki-e pens can be passed on from one generation to the next. They can add to one's collection of specialty pens or be given as luxury corporate gifts. Subject to the pen, it can cost from a few hundreds of dollars to even as high as over $50,000 for vintage pieces.
Perhaps what sets Dunhill Namiki pens apart from other fine fountain pens is their excellent maki-e lacquer painting on their body. Maki-e is a Japanese lacquer technique that uses sprinkling of metallic powders. The technique was developed hundreds of years ago, and only highly skilled maki-e artists are able to do an artwork with excellent aesthetic quality. This art form can be seen on Dunhill Namiki fountain pens, which make them much more irresistible to collectors.
Some of these pens were produced for only a limited number, and their rarity adds to their worth. But to entice unsuspecting pen enthusiasts, there are also fake versions of these highly popular pens being offered on the web. And with only the words of the seller and some photos of the item to rely on, even the most discerning of serious pen collectors can be fooled seeing that the pens in the pictures look so genuine. By the time it reaches the purchaser, it's far too late to realise that the product is fake.
As were typical in the 1930s, vintage Dunhill Namiki pens have flat feeds. Fake pens, on the other hand, usually have ribbed feeds that are decidedly modern in style. Dunhill Namki pens also have hard to replicate exquisitely handcrafted graphics, while fake pens appear to have their printed. The originals generally use taka maki-e, or the sculpted lacquer practice, which gives pens raised surfaces and noticeable highlights.
A dunhill namiki pen is truly a work of art. For determined pen enthusiasts, it's like owning a true work of art with rich history. Unlike disposable pens, these maki-e pens can be passed on from one generation to the next. They can add to one's collection of specialty pens or be given as luxury corporate gifts. Subject to the pen, it can cost from a few hundreds of dollars to even as high as over $50,000 for vintage pieces.
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