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.