on saleNamiki Emperor Maki-e Fountain Pen - Kylin

Product Code PN15814

In Stock

out of stock

on saleNamiki Emperor Maki-e Fountain Pen - Kylin

Product Code PN15814

In Stock

out of stock

$11,000.00
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This Namiki Emperor maki-e fountain pen was created in 2012 by maki-e artisan Masaru in Japan. It features the Togidashi-Taka Maki-e technique (burnished-raised maki-e), depicting a mythical created called a Kylin.

This fountain pen has a 18k gold nib in the massive #50 size. The large capacity barrel fills with ink via eyedropper, and the pen comes packaged in a wooden box with a bottle of ink. Each pen takes months to create.

The Kylin is thought to have a compound appearance with a dragon’s head, antlers, horse hoofs, an oxtail, wolf’s forehead and a colorful chest. It is lively, intelligent and most of all gentle but valorous to ward off devils. To see a Kylin is a good omen that brings rui, roughly translated as "serenity" or "prosperity" and it is the custom in some regions, to believe that the Kylin will give them a son.

Although it looks fearsome, the Kylin only punishes the wicked. It can walk on grass yet not trample the blades, and it can also walk on water. As it is a peaceful creature, its diet does not include flesh. It takes great care when it walks never to harm or tread on any living thing, and it is said to appear only in areas ruled by a wise and benevolent leader (some say even if this area is only a house). It is normally gentle but can become fierce if a pure person is threatened by a sinner, spouting flames from its mouth and exercising other fearsome powers that vary from story to story.

Legends tell that the Kylin has appeared in the garden of the legendary Huangdi and in the capital of Emperor Yao. Both events bore testimony to the benevolent nature of the rulers. It's been told in legends that the birth of the great sage Confucius was foretold by the arrival of a Kylin.

As these pens are truly one-of-a-kind pieces of art, they are warrantied for life by Namiki.

Please allow us up to several extra days for shipping of this pen. Please also note we are unable to accept a return of this pen for any reason once it has been used with ink. Please thoroughly inspect and dry test the pen before use.

Condition
New
Brand
Namiki
Type
Fountain Pens
Color
Black
Demonstrator

Whether or not the barrel of the pen is translucent, allowing you to see the ink and filling mechanism inside.

No
Body Material
Ebonite, Urushi lacquer
Cap Type

How the cap is opened/closed from the barrel of the pen. Some common options include Snap-Cap, Screw-Cap, Magnetic Cap, or Capless (no cap).

Screw-cap
Compatible inks & refills

Which ink this pen will accept. Choices include bottled ink and various styles of pre-filled ink cartridges.

Bottled ink
Filling Mechanism

How the pen fills with ink. Click here to watch our video tutorial on common filling mechanisms.

Eyedropper
Grip Material
Ebonite
Nib Size
Fine Medium, Medium, Broad
Nib Color
Two-Tone
Nib Material
18k Gold
Postable

Whether or not the cap fits securely onto the back of the barrel when open.

Yes
Retractable

Whether or not the nib/tip can retract into the body of the pen (usually for click or twist-open style pens).

No
Diameter - Body
17.2mm (0.7in)
Diameter - Cap (without clip)
20mm (0.8in)
Diameter - Cap (with clip)
24.6mm (1in)
Diameter - Grip (mm)

Measured from the place most people choose to rest their fingers, which varies with each pen.

13.2mm
Length - Body

The measurement from the back end of the barrel to the tip of the nib.

157.2mm (6.2in)
Length - Cap
87.4mm (3.4in)
Length - Nib

The measured length of the visible portion of the nib when it is installed in the pen, from grip to tip.

31.7mm (1.2in)
Length - Overall (Closed)
174.1mm (6.9in)
Weight - Body

If a converter is included with the pen, this weight is reflected in the total.

31g (1.1oz)
Weight - Cap
16.7g (0.6oz)
Weight - Overall (g)
47.7g

Customer Reviews

Based on 2 reviews
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B
Brian B.
Fascinating, inspiring, perfect

I reviewed the Namiki Murasaki-Shikibu at greater length and had much to say there about the Emperor series of pens in general. Suffice it to say here, they are on another plane beyond ordinary existence, like food in New Orleans, sculpture in Florence, theater in New York. There is no close second, and if you go there, you might not be able to come back. The one reservation I have is that they are really, really big, and if you're not accustomed to having your fingers way back from the paper, you might not like writing with them. You should try Emperors out before buying, unless, of course, you just want to admire them, and it is completely understandable to buy a pen like this and never ink it up, it's that good.However, I use my Kylin, and I'm slowly getting accustomed to carrying around a pen that costs this much. The performance is flawless, confidence-inspiring. The appearance is fascinating, almost distracting, and yields pleasant surprises. For example, I noticed under bright light that there are a few flecks of raden in Kylin's breastplate. This tiny, unanticipated detail made my day.No aspect of this pen is less than perfect.

W
Will
Astonishing Pen

I purchased this pen directly from Pilot a year or two ago, and figure that now is the perfect time to write this review. The presentation is absolutely stunning, and the nib is the largest I have ever seen. I've written with it only once, and the nib was so incredibly buttery and smooth I needed to make sure I was actually writing something. :) The body is wonderfully detailed, with layers upon layers of the most beautiful artwork. Overall, a wonderful pen.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I fill a fountain pen with ink? 8EDA1617-F73A-4DAF-8245-6D2BF4ABEB7B

It depends on the pen's filling mechanism, which you can find in the Technical Specs section above. 

Here's a quick definition of the most common filling mechanisms:

  • Cartridge - A small, disposable, sealed plastic reservoir that holds fountain pen ink. These come pre-filled with ink, and typically you just push to insert them into place and you'll be ready to write! Check out our quick guide here.
  • Converter - A detachable and refillable ink reservoir that allows you to use bottled ink in a cartridge-accepting pen. Typically you will install the converter into the grip section, dip the nib/feed into the ink, and twist or pull the converter knob to draw ink into the converter. Here's a video for how to fill a cartridge/converter pen using a LAMY pen as an example.
  • Eyedropper - A pen that utilizes the entire barrel as a reservoir for ink. Ink is directly filled into the barrel, allowing for a high ink capacity. Here's a video on how to do it!
  • Piston - A type of filling system that uses a retracting plunger inside a sealed tube to draw ink into a pen. They are typically either twist or push-operated. These pens cannot accept cartridges or a converter, and only fill from bottled ink.
  • Vacuum - A push-style piston that uses pressure to fill the large pen body with ink. They seal the ink chamber when closed, making it ideal for flying without risk of leaking. Check out our video on how to use a vac filler here.

Check out more info on these filling mechanisms including a video on how to fill each one on our blog.

How do I clean this fountain pen? 8EDA1617-F73A-4DAF-8245-6D2BF4ABEB7B

It mostly comes down to flushing out the pen with water, and sometimes a little bit of pen flush if the ink is really stuck. 

We put together a video demonstrating how to clean your eyedropper pen here:

We recommend a good cleaning every 2 weeks, and any time you change ink colors. Water will usually do the trick, but we recommend you use our Goulet Pen Flush if the ink has been left in the pen for a while and could have dried up, or when you’re switching ink colors.

For even more information about fountain pen cleaning, check out our Fountain Pen 101 video blog post.

What's your return policy? 8EDA1617-F73A-4DAF-8245-6D2BF4ABEB7B

This product may be returned if it is in new, unused condition; or if it was found to be defective.

We accept returns for up to 30 days from purchase. You can read all our Return Policies here.

To initiate a return, please submit a request at the Return Portal. Our Customer Care team might reach out to you for more information.