Japanese Silver - Willows Over Irises

 

Often it is difficult to appreciate a design on a pen with a two dimensional view. We cannot do 3D, at least not yet. Maybe video in the future. For now we will provide roll-out elevations of pens (and pencils) that illustrate the complete design. Presentations will be in the format below.

Willows Over Irises

Made by PUSH, c.1955
Sterling Silver. 131mm long
 
The clip style is indicative of production by PUSH. FPOJ notes that a craftsman named Gasson engraved many of their designs and may be the artist for this model.

In Japanese art, willow (fuji) symbolizes grace, resilience, and often represents spring or sorrow when combined with other elements.

On the lower portion of the pen, the distinct, more upright floral patterns with prominent petals are strongly suggestive of irises (hanashobu), which are highly revered and symbolize beauty, hope, and purity.

Wilrite?

 Or, should the question be, 'Will It Write?'

Myself, and others, are collectors of Wilrite fountain pens and pencils. Why? I am not sure. My collection began in about 2000 when they were cheap, dirt cheap. Most still are. An associate started collecting out of curiosity. Maybe that's how we all get into something. 

Many years ago I drafted a brief history of Wilrite that was posted on a pen board. It's still around and some treat it as gospel. It is incorrect and out of date - the internet has allowed many new research opportunities.

Wilrite is the story of two brothers. It is a 'Coming To America' story where two Jewish boys from Russia kinda sorta did well. Below is some of the history of them and the company. It is not all. There is more to come that will be told in a forthcoming article in a pen magazine. Scroll further down for some images and advertisements.

William(Aron Wolf) A.(Abram/Aaron), b. 1884 Kovno arr. America: Jine 29, 1893 1915: February 25. Geyer’s Stationers. February 16. Rappeport-Luxenberg incorporated. Rappeport at 611 Willoughby, Bklyn. “Silversmiths and dealers in fountain pens.” 1916: With Rappeport-Luxenberg, silversmiths. New York City Directory. 1917: 1525 East 5th Street, Bklyn, NY. Draft Reg.  Manager at 178 Centre Street. 1920: Census. 748 East 10th Street, Bklyn, NY. Proprietor - Fountain Pen Factory. 1922: Mentioned in Jobbers Handbook, selling “mountings for fountain pens.” Address is 312 Lafayette. 1930: Census.1429 Carroll Street, Bklyn, NY. Merchant – Fountain Pens 1942: Naturalization Petition. 1761 East 16th Street, Bklyn, NY. Interior Decorator and Metal Worker. 1950: Census. 67 East 15th Street, Bklyn, NY. Selling from home.

Gustave(Guttman), b. 9-22-91 Kovno arr. America: Jine 29, 1893 1910: Census. Occupation – Fountain Pens. 19y.o. 1911: 505 New Jersey Avenue, Bklyn, NY 1917: NY Draft Registration, 2130 64th Street, Bklyn, NY. Worked at Kaunograph Co., dry trademark transfers. 1919: 1770 55th Street, Bklyn., NY 1919: Naturalization. 346 Sherman Avenue, New Haven, CT 1920: Census. 346 Sherman Avenue, New Haven, CT. Thermometer manufacturer. 1930: Census. Listed as “Chasing Engineer”.

1922 – Wilrite advertisement in Trow’s as “Manufacturers and Distributors” of fountain pens. Address 1493 Broadway.

Patent for Self Filler Lever Device For Fountain Pens filed December 30, 1922 by William Rappeport and Charles Hardie. Attorney L. XXXXX Hardie. Granted July 26, 1927.

1923 - Mention of Wilrite pencils in advertisement. This early! Am wondering if these were the all-metal or the start of plastic models.

Retained Charles L. Otto as sales representative for the mid west.

1924 – W logo trademarked. Wilrite incorporated in August.

Israel Krutt files for patent of Fountain Pen Clip. Granted March 16, 1926. Assignor to William Rappeport. Attorney L. Sanford (?) Hardy. The clip is not the type used on Wilrite pens.

Israel Krutt is noted in publications as a machinist and tool maker.

July 11, 1924. Charles Hardy files for patent of Fountain Pen Clip. Assignor to AMSCO Products, Inc. Attorney L. Sanford (?) Hardy. Granted November 17, 1925. This is the typical Wilrite clip found on Wilrite pens. AMSCO is the American Metal Stamping Company, at 416 Broome Street, New York.

Incorporators: G. Rappeport, H.Klosner, and J. Hanks. A NY Times article mentions a J. Habas instead of Hanks.

H. Klosner might be M. (Morris) Klosner, manufacturer of Klosner Rheostats. Was it coincidental that AMSCO also marketed rheostats? Rheostats of the era required metal work of the type performed by Hardy. H. may be for his original name, Hirsch, or misprint of M. Records are not clear.

1925 – Patent granted for the AMSCO clip. The Z-clip models were early production.

Filed for Wilrite logo in script trademark. Claimed in use since 1922. Gustave Rappeport mentioned as Secretary and Treasurer.

Offices and factory moved to 312 Lafayette Street

1926 – A L. Hawtof is mentioned as a sales representative for New York.

1928 – Court judgement vs. Improved Seamless Wire Company of Providence, RI. They made laminated metals of the type used for pens.

1929 – A Wilrite pen depicted in a photography publication.

1930 – Census. Gustave termed himself a ‘chasing engineer’ and “owner” as occupation. 

Patent #1883741 issued to Israel Krutt for Pencil, Assignees William A. Rappeport 5%, James J. Deegan 7.5%, and Jean U. Koree 47.5%. This was for a magazine pencil. Jean U. Koree was an important prolific inventor.

1941 – Last mention of Wilrite in advertisements.

Giveaway for supporting Hoover Dam?

 

Top Two Photographs courtesy Pete Sacopulos

1925, Note plastic models and Z-clip. No writing on clip or lever. Probably a generic image.

1926. Appears to be plastic or ebonite pen. A ring top model.  Wilrite on lever.

The above is from a 1930 catalogue.

Second from the top and the bottom pencil are Wilrite pencils. The second from top notes four color combinations. The turn up at online auctions regularly and there may be more than four. They used to be more available in half-decent condition but, like many older pens and pencils, have become collectables.

Some time ago someone noted how similar the celluloid used for Wilrite pens and pencils was to that used by Wearever. Were they sourced from the same company? Did Wilrite source the barrels and caps from Wearever? 

Japanese Silver - Dragon In the Clouds

We begin delving into Japanese silver and plated pens. Where possible, makers and artists will be identified. Why is it some artists do not identify themselves? When were the pens made and how were they were sold. There are three epochs in silver pen making in Japan - the 1920s, 1930s, and 1950s, with pens from each period unique in character. Our posts  hope to bring clarity to this niche of the Japanese pen collecting niche. 

Let's start with a pen obtained at the recent San Francisco pen show. By all means it is a nice pen. It is plated with what appears to be minor plating loss. It's not too bad - looks okay. It might have languished in the sellers storage box a few months as it is easier to sell a newish looking seventy-year old silver pen. 

This pen is featured on page 181 of Fountain Pens of Japan by Lambrou and Sunami. Probably not the same pen since they craftsmen used a template, or pounce (silk screening term) but, we've seen chinkin masters repeatedly execute complex designs without any template. 

The maker is the company PUSH. FPOJ indicates the pen as made of silver and dates the pen earlier than the 1950s. Although models in silver may have been produced, it is possible the book is in error. The date made is the mid-1950s. There are a number of minor errors in the book, so be careful. FPOJ identifies the craftsman who inscribed the pen as Gasson that, undoubtedly, is a pseudonym.

The design is a dragon flying through the clouds. You can see its head on the upper part of the roll-out image above and tail wrapping around down the barrel. In Japanese mythology, dragons (ryu) symbolize good fortune, strength, wisdom, and power, often serving as divine benevolent beings rather than malevolent monsters. Whether having a dragon on ones pen can impart those benefits depends solely on the writer. It is a nice looking pen any writer would enjoy using. When the pen was made in the early to mid-1950s, American military personnel were stationed in Japan (still are), and tourism was picking up so there is a possibility the pen was made for foreigners as souvenirs of their visit to Japan.

                                      

Some of the plating loss. It appears selective. Most of the loss is on the dragon.

The clip and cap band are stamped R14K, meaning rolled gold plated. Rolled gold is thicker than gold filled. Japanese pen makers used rolled gold extensively since the early 1930s and this mark is commonly found on pens, usually better pens. That is judgmental. There have been a few real cheapo pens that had R14K caps and clips to further their sale as a higher quality pen than they were. On my quality level for metal pens of 1 to 10, I'll give this pen a 6. It was a good buy for a classic 1950s silver pen.

Future posts will explore individual pens, hallmarks, silversmiths, and makers.

Japanese Pen Catalogues - Part 1

 Over the years many catalogues and brochures on vintage Japanese pens have come our way. Most are one or two images. We'll post some today and more in the near future. Please download. Please enjoy.

The first two are pages three and four from a maker named Emburu. Very 1930ish pens.

Next image is for Kinki fountain pens. Snagged this online.

The last two are from the Lance fountain pen company

One can find 1930s pens in online auctions and sales. Decent size pens in excellent condition come up for sale almost daily. Compared to modern pens nibs are usually larger winged 14K types. It would be super-rare to find an 18K nib but, they do exist. Trim is marked R14K - rolled gold that is slightly thicker than plated and definitely more durable than gold filled. About 85% of the pens are eyedroppers with a shut-off mechanism. You can find lever fillers. They do exist. And, don't seem to come at a premium. As the pens are about ninety years old the seals on the eyedroppers are failing and they require replacement. It is not difficult. There are videos online that show how to repair the eyedroppers.

Howard & Norman Do New York

Two recent arrivals - A Norman and a Howard. They both are from New York and both mystery pens.

What can we discover.

                                       

The Howard is clearly noted on the clip and lever. The nib is generic and marked Silver Palladium Alloy - a poor mans substitute for gold supposedly with the rust resistance of stainless steel. The cap band offers a clue - marked 14K GOLD FILLED - WATERSON. Could Howard be related to Waterson?

                                

On the Leadheads pencil blog Jon Veley provides an outstanding discussion of Watertson. Go here for the details: https://leadheadpencils.blogspot.com/search/label/Waterson. You'll need to scroll down some. 

Could the Howard be another promotional pen by James Kelley when he wasn't being chased about Waterman?. The obviously sold a few Howard pens. The Duluth newspaper (Duluth? Yeah, I know. But it was all that my search engine could find in a hurry.) It's advertised in Red Rubber as the Reddipen. Same HOWARD script written vertically on the clip and on the lever. Very similar if not the same.

               

The Billboard, September 1, 1928

Our second pen is the Norman that seems only identifiable by the name and location on the barrel.

Looking closely at the pen and construction the gold fill on the clip looked a bit rough as if more fill was applied to cover something. Looking at the fill every which way to discern what the impressions were I saw there was writing on the underside. Who would think that? I've never ever seen that before and it made me look at the clips of almost every pen in the collection. 

It reads EMPIRE.

What's an Empire Pen? Did whoever made this pen recycle clips made for Empire? Never heard of that before. Maybe there was a mistake in the sheet metal stamping process and Empire was stamped on the wrong side before the sheet metal was formed to a clip. Why would they even think of putting it on another brand of pen? No clues yet.

This is an above average quality pen for its type and era. Black ends are well done - nicely shaped and not flat pieces glued to the cap and barrel. The lever is longer than other similar pens in the collection suggesting an increase expense. The clip is strong and tight - often clips are displaced. The nib is a 14K FINE that is slightly scratchy due to misalignment. This was not a giveaway pen. 

The Empire Pen Company in New York did exist. A great resource is the Manhattan Pen Makers Project on Richard Binder's website that notes the company was run by Louis Parkovitz, Henry Weinstein, Abel Helbrecht at the 65 East 9th Street Address.

The Pathfinder, January 31, 1925

Both nibs and sections together.

Let me know if you have more information on these and any associated makers.

 

"Solomon"

"Solomon" is parentheses. That's what is stamped on the pen. Maybe, somehow, an amazing transcendental experience will occur and the user will impart the wisdom of Solomon in their writing. So, what is the pen and why is it in the collection?

Those into Japanese pens will readily identify it as a kamakura-bori, a term generally applied to pens with any sort of carved decoration. It is somewhat a misnomer as kamakura-bori refers to the lacquered carved wood craft works historically produced in the Kamakura area. We've been there and came home with a few nicely decorated plates. There are wonderful shops that cater to tourists and serious collectors. A sample below.

Most bori pens are made by applying urushi lacquer over ebonite caps and barrels and scalloping the urushi and ebonite different patterns. Some patterns, as is this pens, are common. Some bori have multiple layers of urushi lacquer in different shades to provide an enhanced decorative effect. However, rare are bori made of wood and that was what made this an attractive addition to the collection. The mon on the clip increased our interest.

A challenge with almost every Japanese pen made in the 1930s (we initially guessed when it was made) is who made it, what model it is, and when was it made? Outside of Solomon on the barrel the only other identifier is the Star of David on the clip. About twenty years ago there were a few posts on the internet that associated the maker with the state of Israel. How? Why? I have no clue. We've seen the star before and knew the pen was made by Platon.

A Japanese website for pen collectors posted the following datelines for Platon with some illustrations. Note the Star Of David in the upper right corner. They are the only known maker in Japanese pendom that uses a six-pointed star.

From the collection you can see the same six-pointed star on the label for a 1954 celluloid Platon

In Japan families and companies have logos called mon, that identify the heritage or family group of a person. It is highly personal. The six-pointed star on the pen has been used by the Platon Pen Company since the 1920s. They ceased operations in 1954.

A big benefit it that it sports a nice soft 14K nib. Can't beat that!

Maybe we need a post on Platon. We have a good number of images of late model celluloid that are picturesque and provide good examples of their late production.

San Francisco Pen and Show

 The San Francisco Pen Show has devolved in a cute way. My first show in San Francisco was about twenty years ago when it was under different management from today. At that time, it was a real pen show with lots and lots of vintage and new pens. Today there are pens however there is a predominance of paper sellers, paraphernalia venders, and ink peddlers. A good number of tables are taken my sellers of new pens. Vintage? I counted about ten tables with some sellers having more than one.

Is this a good thing? You decide for yourself.

Was it a bust? Hell, no! Got to schmooze with old friends and made a few new ones. Will I return next year? Two days later, unlikely.

Traveling to San Francisco allowed me to visit with a very old client who desired to unload some of his collection. I've had a Yen (more later) for Durabilt and some noname and mininame name brands and he allowed some to come home with me. With the box included, I could not resist.

Most of the lot

The Durabilt case being shared by the old and new models

Note the two combos.

The Yen!

Am back. After a long hiatus am also returning to Japanese pens. Not your ordinary Pilot, Platinum, and Sailor stuff. And, not makie. All will special in a special way. 

There is forthcoming article in PENnant, the magazine of the Pen Collectors of America that in part describes my epiphany. It follows a dinner meeting with the owner of seY pens, a new maker of high quality makie pens. Here goes:

Afterthoughts after dinner after the Portland pen show with Satoru by Stan Klemanowicz

 

Despite two new beautiful pens on his table I kept my money in my pocket, questioning whether four pens were enough. On his table was a similar Mt. Fuji and two similarly designed dragon and peacock motif pens. Somehow my two pens appeared richer and better made – maybe this was my feeling of satisfaction owning some great pens. Satoru mentioned that one of the new attractive pens on his table was by a female artist. The only other female maki-e artists I am aware of have done work for Danitrio.

Our discussion of the distinction between a craftsman and an artist made me regret selling most of my Japanese carved and silver pens. There is a subtle yet profound difference between a craftsman and an artist although there is overlap as both create and share artistic space.

A craftsman makes utilitarian objects that can be enhanced or made unique by decoration. The decoration is where the art exists. Urushi has been used to protect surfaces for almost 4,000 years. It is natural to do more than slosh it on kitchen ware. Customers themselves, wanted more too, and artisans began developing distinctive specialties and styles.

Driving home I was sad that my carved, decorated, and vintage silver pens are not here any longer. Some were with me for fifteen years. I once asked myself if I appreciated them and the answer was maybe. They were not appreciated well enough. I’m keeping the seY pens I have and my few silver ones and started looking for more. I am thinking about the immense time and effort craftsmen put into their creations.

The world is moving away from traditional crafts. The crafts and the skilled craftsman that create them are being lost. There is hope. We see young people in Japan and here in America (not many, though) experimenting and learning crafts that would otherwise be lost.