[WTS] Nakaya/Platinum Vintage Urushi Pen, Maki-e Urushi Eyedropper

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Prices are negotiable to a reasonable degree :)

1. Nakaya/Platinum Predecessor Vintage Urushi Eyedropper $160 $140 $125 shipped.

A little bit of history for you Nakaya and Platinum fans. This pen was made by S N & Co, which was the predecessor to the Platinum pen company. Here's a little bit of reading if you're interested: See 1928

From what I've read, this pen is Ebonite with a Black Urushi topcoat. This specific unit does indeed look like it has Urushi, although there are some spots where the lacquer is starting to wear (namely near the safety valve). Also note that while this pen has an Urushi finish, it's not the mirror finish you see in a modern Nakaya. But for a pen of it's age, I would say the gloss has held up pretty well, and is really quite shiny.

Pen is from the 1928 - 1945 era. Imprint is clear, nib works well with slight pleasant feedback. Some word down parts of Urushi, but overall great condition. Brassing on clip and band.

The only issue with the pen right now is that it needs a new seal for the safety valve, but other than that, it works quite fine as a regular eyedropper.

2. Maki-E Urushi Eyedropper $400 $350 shipped.

Next for sale is this lovely Maki-E Urushi Japanese Eyedropper. The pen is done in a beautiful glossy clear Urushi, with Gold Maki-e sprinkled throughout, including on the section. The Urushi finish itself is in immaculate condition, very very glossy and without any visible scratches. The Urushi is smooth and is a beauty to behold. The only aging the pen has had is the brass/gold furniture, which features some amount of brassing, but I think it adds a beautiful contrast against the Urushi and Maki-e.

The safety valve will require a new seal, but I've found that the pen works wonderfully, even without any restoring done. The valve works best when opened as much as shown in the last photo, and it will not leak in this position, but will write wonderfully.

The nib is 14K Gold, and is somewhat of a bold italic/stub of sorts, with a bit of flex, if needed.