Nakaya
Nakaya Portable Cigar Sumiko Cherry Blossoms
Nakaya Portable Cigar Sumiko Cherry Blossoms
Sumiko is a technique which involves mixing charcoal powder with Urushi lacquer. It can be used to create a matte finish which is extremely smooth to the touch. It can also be used to create motifs in raised relief, or with a textured surface. Once cured, the Sumiko finish is stable and does not stain.
The Sumi finish on this pen, created via a traditional technique involving the application of multiple layers of carbon ink, captures the essence of a traditional Japanese motif, celebrating the fleeting bloom in a permanent material.
A combination of symmetry seen on the ends of the barrel and cap and asymmetry revealed in the drift of the blossoms reveals the maturity of the maki-e artist. This pen could have been titled Cherry Tree with Blossoms as the twisting roots, trunk and branches are depicted in this deep relief. Our photos do not fully reveal the mystery and charm of this pen.
This sumi technique is one of the most understated and subtle of the ornamental arts. The low relief matte texture of the sumi surface is so inviting to the touch that the lightest grip will guide this pen easily across paper. This pen is a pinnacle of art, intended to be used on a functional object. Time only improves the surface of this writing implement.
The Nakaya nib, imprinted Nakata, the family name of the manufacturer, is made of solid 14K gold.
Each of these nibs is suitable for our customization to extra flexible. The medium and broad tips can be customized by us into cursive italic, stub, or oblique points.
The heavy decorative rice paper, simple solid softwood shipping box, and fabric pen pouch make a lovely presentation for these Nakaya Urushi pens. Sensible and elegant packaging has long been a hallmark of the Nakaya brand.
Couldn't load pickup availability
Customization Guide
Stub
 
|
Above is the same size nib after a regrind to Stub. A regrind to Stub is often a good place to start for your first customization. Â A Stub nib provides broad down-strokes and narrow cross-strokes while writing, and is less position-sensitive on the paper than the crisper and slightly more demanding cursive italic.
|
Cursive Italic
 
|
More demanding, but also providing crisper edges and more line-width variation, is the very popular customization to Cursive Italic. This also provides broad down-strokes and narrow cross-strokes, but is also more position-sensitive in terms of how the pen is held and requires more skill on the part of the user. This is a common customization for artists and calligraphers, but is still smooth enough to make for a good everyday writer.
|
Formal Italic
 |
Formal Italic is an even crisper and more demanding customization than either cursive italic or left oblique, and is usually utilized for calligraphy and by the most experienced users. This provides broad down-strokes and narrow cross-strokes, with even crisper corners and edges than a cursive italic - this is an extremely position-sensitive customization.
|
Left Oblique
 |
 Commonly used for signatures and correspondence, the Left Oblique customization provides broad diagonal strokes and narrow cross-strokes, and like a cursive italic, is more position-sensitive and demanding than a stub. The whole pen must be rotated to the left in order to write smoothly, without skipping. The "Left" in Left Oblique refers to the cut of the nib itself, and does not refer to the handedness of the writer. |
Architect's Point (Also for Arabic and Hebraic writing)
 |
A more exotic regrind is that to Architect’s Point. Named after the style of writing used by Frank Lloyd Wright, this regrind is the opposite of cursive italic, and provides for broad cross-strokes and narrow down-strokes. This also tends to be a particularly useful customization for those practicing Arabic or Hebraic calligraphy. |
Spencerian
 |
Perhaps our most popular customization, but also one of the most advanced, the Mottishaw Spencerian Customization has gained special attention from being featured in a customer's YouTube video which has now received over twelve million views! The Spencerian starts from a semi-soft 14k nib and adds additional flex and a regrind to needlepoint to create a specialized writing point used for copperplate calligraphy. For more details, visit our special Spencerian page.. |