The butterfly, depicted on our
prized limited edition Maki-e pen, elegantly flapping its wings
toward flowers is known as the Great Purple Emperor. The butterfly
design is regarded as a symbol of regeneration and revival, an
auspicious motif as the b utterfly
transforms itself from caterpillar to pupa to adult over its lifetime.
The Great Purple Emperor's valiant and magnificent appearance,
and its stately beauty, has made it the national butterfly of
Japan. In comparison to other butterfly species, it is relatively
large in size, the adult male being 9 - 10 cm while the female
is 11 - 12 cm, with wings fully extended. The caterpillar eats
nettle leaves in preparation for its pending metamorphosis. The
adult butterfly flies majestically between tall trees seeking
the sap of hardwoods, such as oak. The male butterfly has a shiny
bright bluish-purple pattern in the center of its wings, hence
the reason for its name. Our pens depict this elegant pattern
through Taka Maki-e (raised lacquer work) technique, displaying
beautiful shiny plum-colored wings and Raden (mother-of-pearl)
technique.
Together with the Japanese plum, bamboo and orchid, the chrysanthemum
is one of the flowers that epitomizes shikunshi*, and is a symbol
of autumn. Along with the cherry blossom, the chrysanthemum is
widely popular as one of the national flowers of Japan. Chrysanthemum
is believed to have medicinal powers conferring immortality and
it is said that, since ancient times, people in China have drunk
chrysanthemum liquor during the Chrysanthemum Festival (on September
9th of the lunar calendar) in the hope of warding off evil sprits
and to acquire longevity. This noble flower is illustrated on
the pens through the gold and silver raised lacquer method.
Recently, the living conditions for both butterflies and chrysanthemums
have worsened due to the depletion of rural grasslands and mountains
as urbanization progresses. We are keen to respect the symbols
of our traditional culture - flowers, birds, wind and moon, as
well as nature's beauty. Also, we emphasize that we should preserve
the environments surrounding them. With that hope in mind, we
are pleased to introduce the 2007 "Butterfly and Chrysanthemum"
Namiki limited edition pen.
Only 99 pens have been produced worldwide. The body of the Emperor
size pen has been decorated by the skilled artisan Michifumi employing
refined Maki-e techniques.
A precision 18-karat gold nib with rhodium accent and piston
ink delivery system ensures first-class writing quality and long-lasting
performance. A special ink bottle designed specifically for this
collectible pen completes the majestic presentation. The pens
are presented in an elegant gift box, the lid of which is decorated
with a "Kaga Yuzen", one of the most prestigious traditional
handicrafts of Japan.
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