The Church of Maki-e
PEN WORLD|August 2022
With lower price points for its newest series of writing instruments, AP Limited Editions continues its mission of spreading the joy of maki-e.
NICKY PESSAROFF
The Church of Maki-e

In order to understand the most recent maki-e masterpieces from AP Limited Editions, dually headquartered in California and Singapore, one must understand what maki-e is. “Maki-e" is not a style of design, it is a style of artistic application. A "maki-e" pen that is silkscreened and then touched up by hand is an art pen in the maki-e style, but it is not maki-e.

"Maki-e" is a lacquer art technique mainly developed during Japan's Heian period between the 9th and 12th centuries. Literally translated as "sprinkled picture," it involves sprinkling or spraying wet lacquer with metallic powder using a dusting tube, sprinkler canister, or a hair-tipped paintbrush.

"Urushi" is the natural lacquer used since 4,000 BCE in China. It is a tough, resilient lacquer that adds sheen and color to the lacquer ware. A lot of products are called "urushi," but if the lacquer isn't sourced from its traditional areas in Asia, it is not urushi. Likewise, "maki-e" pens that do not use the traditional application techniques are not truly maki-e.

Enter AP Limited Editions. For 15 years, Anuj and Smita Poddar have worked with Japanese maki-e artisans to produce fine writing instruments that keep these ancient artisanal techniques alive.

Anuj explains, "Our pens are real maki-e authored by masters of the art form in Japan, and each pen is signed by the artist with a traditional red seal, which testifies to the fact that they are entirely handmade. Our maki-e pens are all treated with a final layer of urushi over the maki-e work."

Bu hikaye PEN WORLD dergisinin August 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye PEN WORLD dergisinin August 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

PEN WORLD DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
Show Your Summer Style
PEN WORLD

Show Your Summer Style

The newest Visconti Homo Sapiens, Iris Garden, is a tribute to the beautiful irises that bloom each spring in Florence, Italy's Iris Garden.

time-read
10+ dak  |
June 2024
Good Made Better Keeps Getting Better
PEN WORLD

Good Made Better Keeps Getting Better

SUZANNE C. LEE tests Dan Keller's wood and metal reading and writing accessories and finds her childhood dream desk come to fruition.

time-read
6 dak  |
June 2024
Layers of Talent: River City Pen Company
PEN WORLD

Layers of Talent: River City Pen Company

With his skills in design and eye for details, Rich Paul crafts pens that are as beautiful as they are functional.

time-read
6 dak  |
June 2024
Fathoming the Unfathomable
PEN WORLD

Fathoming the Unfathomable

The new Kanilea Pen Co. Blue Moana fountain pen and Mau Loa cap band are inspired by the ocean's depths and universal interconnectivity.

time-read
8 dak  |
June 2024
Truphae: Flexibility Is Key
PEN WORLD

Truphae: Flexibility Is Key

This young pen shop is writing a new chapter in retail pen sales by finding unique ways to foster community.

time-read
6 dak  |
June 2024
"Winter Counts:" Transforming Non-fiction into Fiction
PEN WORLD

"Winter Counts:" Transforming Non-fiction into Fiction

Creative writing typically blends what we know and experience with what we invent and imagine.

time-read
2 dak  |
June 2024
Swivodex, Sailors, and the Plastic Revolution: An Overview of Dip-less Desk Sets, Part V
PEN WORLD

Swivodex, Sailors, and the Plastic Revolution: An Overview of Dip-less Desk Sets, Part V

The end of World War II ushered in a new era, with plastics technology opening the way to better and less costly products of all sorts.

time-read
6 dak  |
June 2024
The Mystery of the Purloined Parkers
PEN WORLD

The Mystery of the Purloined Parkers

What do G-men, mobsters, and tampons have in common? The two most epic fountain pen heists in history.

time-read
5 dak  |
June 2024
The Other Articles of Impeachment
PEN WORLD

The Other Articles of Impeachment

\"Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye! All persons are commanded to keep silent, on pain of imprisonment...\"

time-read
5 dak  |
June 2024
The Road to Recovery
PEN WORLD

The Road to Recovery

A recent trip to Wajima, Japan, by TACCIA's Shu-Jen Lin shows tragedy in the present but hope for the future.

time-read
3 dak  |
June 2024