Publications for Sale

Stephen Overbury Julia Hutt

In 1925 the relatively new Japanese firm, Namiki Manufacturing Co. Ltd. launched a bold new art form - lacquered pens. By applying the centuries-old lacquer technique, makie (sprinkled picture using metal or colored powder) to their pen line, the Tokyo-based manufacturer caused a stir within the writing instrument industry. With offices abroad, including London, and an ongoing advertising campaign, the pens were soon retailing in some of the world's leading stores, including Alfred Dunhill Ltd. which eventually became its worldwide distributor.

Today, the pens under the brand name of "Dunhill-Namiki" set record breaking prices at auction houses everywhere. This is the first time that a book has addressed the subject.

The authors provide a fascinating look on the tools and techniques used to make lacquer pens, the artists who made them and the manner in which they were sold.

The text is as much about the inherent greatness of Japanese art as it is about one of Europe's most brilliant retailers. Set in the 1920s and 1930s it provides a rare glimpse of retailing during one of the most interesting periods in history.

Here are page after page of rare photographs of these limited edition writing instruments hand selected from the Alfred Dunhill Archives, the Pilot Pen Corporations' Museum and from some of world's leading private collections. For the collector, the authors have provided an invaluable glossary of Japanese terms and a section devoted to signatures.

Only 2,000 hand numbered copied of Namiki: The Art of Japanese Lacquer Pens have been printed and only a few copies remain. To secure your immediate copy contact wonderfulpens@hotmail.com

REVIEW OF NAMIKI: THE ART OF JAPANENSE LACQUER PENS

By David Nishimura

A newly-published monograph, Namiki: The Art of Japanese Lacquer Pens, should remedy this situation. The fruit of over two years' research and many more years' worth of experience, the book was written by Julia Hutt, assistant curator at the Victoria & Albert Museum and a respected expert in Japanese lacquerwork, along with Stephen Overbury, one of but a handful of international dealers specializing in high-end Namiki pens. Such a collaboration was essential, for decorated lacquer pens cannot be appraised in the same way as ordinary mass-produced writing instruments. Although some decorative schemes do recur, variations in interpretation and execution mandate that these pens be approached as one might a painting: connoisseurship is vital, as is a certain level of essential technical knowledge.

As one would expect, the volume is heavily illustrated, with nearly 250 top-notch color photographs, including many finely rendered detail shots. Spectacular though they are - the "Masterpieces" section is truly stunning - they are also carefully chosen to educate the eye. Particularly useful is the clarification of the grading systems used by Dunhill and Namiki, a picture further filled out by the sections devoted to the Namiki workshop system. The range of pieces depicted is impressive, with many items from pen company archives and private collections published here for the first time.

The artists and their techniques are also discussed in unprecedented depth. Many pen collectors will be surprised at the amount of time and labor lacquer decoration requires, not to mention the years of training - typically 30 years to achieve the mastery needed to execute a grade "A" piece. Biographical profiles of artists add another dimension to our appreciation of their work. The book is itself dedicated to one of the greatest of modern lacquer masters, Genroku Matsuda (1896-1986) - one of Japan's "Living National Treasures" - whose impact at Namiki as head artist and workshop master was second to none.

The treatment of the companies and their founders is equally thorough. The authors were given full access to the records of Dunhill in London and Pilot/Namiki in Japan. All original contracts were examined, along with catalogues, advertising material, and internal company records. Among other things, this primary research has revealed that production of top-grade Namikis was limited indeed, with no more than 1500 such pieces made between 1925 and 1937. The assistance of the Pilot/Namiki firm was also vital for one of the most difficult and time-consuming areas of investigation: decipherment and identification of the lacquer artists' signatures. The resulting chapter will be the standard reference for the forseeable future, and for many collectors will be reason enough in itself to buy the book.

Only 2000 copies have been printed. Although I understand why the publishers chose such a small run - a fine hardback produced to art book standards is an expensive production - I suspect that they may have underestimated the number of potential buyers. While the volume is not cheap at $175, serious collectors have always appreciated how quickly good reference books pay for themselves. Given the price level of fine vintage Namikis - upwards of $100,000 for the very best examples - the information that this book contains is an unqualified bargain. There is also bound to be significant interest from the many collectors of modern limited edition lacquer Namikis; not surprisingly, Alfred Dunhill has reserved a good part of the press run for its own clients, and much of the rest has already been spoken for by individual collectors, all without any extensive efforts at promotion to date.

David Nishimura is an internationally-known figure in the world of pen collecting. An art historian by training, he is a former director of the PCA and a regular contributor to its journal, The PENnant. His website, www.vintagepens.com, has been a leading online reference for pen collectors since 1997.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

"The recently published work is concise, well researched, professionally edited and beautifully photographed...educational, a pleasure to read, and downright eye-opening...(an) important book."- Glen Bowen, Pen World

"The artists and their techniques are discussed in an unprecedented depth...The chapter on decipherment and identification of the lacquer artists' signatures...will be reason enough in itself to buy the book." - David Nishimura, pen critic

"There is no book which collects so many and important Namiki maki-e pens and I don't think any book will be able to surpass this book...a great job." - Kyusai Yoshida, Senior Urushi and Maki-e artist, Pilot Corporation

"...an extremely fine publication. The illustrations are exquisite. An invaluable reference tool." - Mark Hill, Publisher Price Guides

"I am often asked why lacquer pens have been breaking world records at auction. This book answers that question thoroughly. The book is in a league of its own...A must for anyone who appreciates fine pens or Japanese art." - Alexander Crum Ewing

"The information this book contains is an unqualified bargain." - Pen Collectors of America, Pennant

"...excellent...especially useful..." L. Michael Fultz, Editorial Director of Penbid, Co-organisor of Chicago Pen Show, Pen Maker & Collector.