Dunhill Namiki is one of the most prestigious names in the internationally of luxury pens. Only a handful are considered really belonging to the ranks of the elite, and Dunhill Namiki remains incomparable when it comes to craftsmanship. Its rich history merely adds to its charm. Namiki is from Ryosuke Namiki, the co-founder of the globally renowned pen maker, Pilot. The company was known as Namiki Manufacturing Company from 1918 until 1938 when it became Pilot Pen Co., Ltd. Alfred Dunhill, a British-based company, started selling Pilot's maki-e fountain pens, the Dunhill Namiki, in its local store in the early 20th century before eventually distributing the pens worldwide.
What sets Dunhill Namiki pens apart from other luxury fountain pens is probably the superb artwork on their body. The technique used in creating those artworks is called maki-e, a centuries-old Japanese lacquer that uses the sprinkling of metallic powders. Only highly skilled maki-e artists are capable of creating such art even up to today, making maki-e pens from Dunhill Namiki much more appealing to collectors.
As there are only a limited number made for some of these pens, they're not as easy to search for. But their rareness only adds to their worth. But like any valuable items, there are fake versions of these highly popular pens being offered on the web, aiming to attract unsuspecting pen enthusiasts. The problem with buying Dunhill Namiki pens online is that there are only the words of the seller and few pictures of the item to depend on. And a lot of times, the pens in the pictures look so authentic that even the most discerning of serious pen collectors can be fooled. It's far too late to realise that the product is fake by the time it reaches the purchaser.
Vintage Dunhill Namiki pens have flat feeds that were standard in the 1930s, while fakes often have ribbed feeds that are distinctly modern in style. Also, the craftsmanship of Dunhill Namiki pens is hard to reproduce. Instead of exquisitely handcrafted images, fake pens seem to have theirs printed. Original Dunhill Namiki pens normally use the sculpted lacquer technique, or the taka maki-e, which gives pens visible highlights and raised surfaces.
A dunhill namiki pen is really a work of art. For determined pen enthusiasts, it's like owning a genuine work of art with rich history. Unlike disposable pens, these maki-e pens can be passed on from one generation to another. They can add to one's collection of fine pens or be given as luxury corporate gifts. Depending on the pen, it can cost from several hundreds of dollars to even as high as over $50,000 for vintage pieces.
What sets Dunhill Namiki pens apart from other luxury fountain pens is probably the superb artwork on their body. The technique used in creating those artworks is called maki-e, a centuries-old Japanese lacquer that uses the sprinkling of metallic powders. Only highly skilled maki-e artists are capable of creating such art even up to today, making maki-e pens from Dunhill Namiki much more appealing to collectors.
As there are only a limited number made for some of these pens, they're not as easy to search for. But their rareness only adds to their worth. But like any valuable items, there are fake versions of these highly popular pens being offered on the web, aiming to attract unsuspecting pen enthusiasts. The problem with buying Dunhill Namiki pens online is that there are only the words of the seller and few pictures of the item to depend on. And a lot of times, the pens in the pictures look so authentic that even the most discerning of serious pen collectors can be fooled. It's far too late to realise that the product is fake by the time it reaches the purchaser.
Vintage Dunhill Namiki pens have flat feeds that were standard in the 1930s, while fakes often have ribbed feeds that are distinctly modern in style. Also, the craftsmanship of Dunhill Namiki pens is hard to reproduce. Instead of exquisitely handcrafted images, fake pens seem to have theirs printed. Original Dunhill Namiki pens normally use the sculpted lacquer technique, or the taka maki-e, which gives pens visible highlights and raised surfaces.
A dunhill namiki pen is really a work of art. For determined pen enthusiasts, it's like owning a genuine work of art with rich history. Unlike disposable pens, these maki-e pens can be passed on from one generation to another. They can add to one's collection of fine pens or be given as luxury corporate gifts. Depending on the pen, it can cost from several hundreds of dollars to even as high as over $50,000 for vintage pieces.
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