un héritage ancestral
Les premières pages de Namiki s’écrivent autour de Ryosuke Namiki et Masao Wada, initialement ingénieurs dans la marine marchande. En 1918, leur première plume en or fabriquée au Japon est montée sur un corps en ébonite, une matière sensible à la chaleur et l’humidité. Dès 1925, inspirés par la laque utilisée pour protéger les objets précieux, ils s’entourent d’artisans laqueurs, rassemblés au sein du Groupe Kokkokai. La modernité de leurs stylos se pare alors d’un savoir-faire artisanal : le maki-e, une technique de laque que se transmettent des générations d’artisans virtuoses. Les stylos à plume de Namiki sont le summum de la beauté, des techniques et de l’esprit hérités de leurs ancêtres, ainsi que les racines du groupe PILOT.
Art and material
The Kokkokai group still brings together artists of excellence who have followed long years of apprenticeship, ten years and sometimes more for certain techniques. The production of each Namiki pen requires the successive application of thin layers of lacquer: Urushi, the most beautiful natural lacquer in the world. With each new passage of his brush, the artist ennobles the material and the depth of the color intensifies. He knows how to sublimate all the raw materials offered by nature, gold, silver or mother-of-pearl, to meticulously compose decorations of great poetry, with striking effects.
An infinite inspiration
Nakimi draws its inspiration from the roots of the Shinto religion, an animist cult where deities and venerated spirits are present in every element of nature, plants, animals, the Milky Way, the sun, the moon... but also in the Japanese way of life.
The Chinkin models presented, made from Urushi and gold inlay, are a perfect reflection of this. You will discover pens of incredible refinement that showcase pines, silvery grasses or even cranes. An 18-carat gold nib, bearing the effigy of Mount Fuji, adds the final touch to these prestigious writing instruments.
NAMIKI, nourrit l’imaginaire depuis 1918
Namiki White Rabbit Limited Edition
To celebrate the 105th anniversary of our group, Pilot Namiki is launching this White Rabbit Emperor, made in Shishiai-Togidashi maki-e, the most complex technique of this ancestral art. Since Antiquity, rabbits have been interpreted as auspicious creatures and the artisan decided to stage the legend of the white rabbit of Inaba and the deity Okuninushi, on a background of lacquer and platinum powder.
Famous for his bravery and courage, this white rabbit’s animal shell actually hid the form of a God : a God of longevity thanks to his incredible survivability in the face of life’s obstacles. We believe that this limited edition will bring love and success to the lives of the people, and our loyal collectors.
Signed by Masahiro Yamada
Shishiai-Togidashi maki-e & platinum powder
100 copies worldwide
Available from 10/01/2023
Medium nib n°50