Every once in a while we get the chance to write about special pens, and it seems that of late, they are tending to be Pelikans! We managed to get our hands on a pair of quite interesting limited edition Pelikans for this issue, and coming up in the next issue, we'll have a look at another very special edition for Pelikan, the 75th Anniversary.
For
right now, let's focus on this pair of Pelikans, the Kyokko and Gekko
Raden inlay pens. These two pens come very close to the top of the list
of the most striking pens ever made by Pelikan. Produced in very limited
numbers in 2005 these pens have become very hard to locate. 200 pieces
in each design were made. Both pens are made in the M800 size, the Kyokko
(Sunlight) has gold plate trim setting off raden inlay in hues ranging
from vivid violet through shimmering light green. Gekko (Moonlight)
features raden inlay of vibrant green and iliac shades that are matched
by platinum plate trim.
It's easy to see the amount of work that went into the creation of these pens. The master artist Norio Matsuda selected each piece of shell for it's color, then the individual pieces were cut into each narrow strip running the length of the cap or barrel. Each thin strip of shell was then set into the material of the pen, after with layers of lacquer were applied. The result allows the amazing color of the inlaid shell to show to full advantage, while retaining the utility of the pen itself. Each pen is signed by the artist in gold maki-e on the barrel, and numbered on the cap.
Of the two pens I was first struck by the Kyokko. The vivid bright purple shades of the raden almost guarantee that of the two, this is the first one you pick up. The color is even more magnificent in person than in photographs. For sheer out of this world impact, this is the pen! It is definitely going to stand out in a crowd, no two ways about it. Even better, as you turn the pen in your hand, the reflection of light form the raden inlay makes the stripes come alive, the color shifts and dances along the length of the cap and barrel. It's very hard not to fall in love with this pen, even if you normally prefer a more sedate design.
The
Gekko on the other hand, is a bit more subtle. For one thing, depending
upon the light, the color of the raden inlay is not that far removed
from the green stripe celluloid used on the regular production Souverän
models, it just carries on through the cap as well as the barrel. Then
you catch a hint of the violet color along a few of the stripes... All
of a sudden it doesn't seem quite so subtle anymore! It's a "low
key" design only when viewed in comparison to the Kyokko.
As with the Kyokko, however, as the pen moves in your hand, the color of the inlaid shell changes. It has the same ability to hypnotize you as you hold it under the light, with the raden going from light green to turquoise to vivid blue and then back to green again. It is simply an amazing pen!
The
limited availability of these pens has left them a bit more "under
the radar" than most of Pelikan's limited edition pens. Definitely
less publicized than you might expect from the sheer beauty of the designs.
The 200 pieces of each that were produced were intended for the Japanese
market, which means that those of us outside the far east marketplace
have had a tough time locating examples for sale.
Obviously, an edition like this is not going to be inexpensive, either.... In addition to the challenges of finding one of these pens, you can expect a hefty price tag once you do, around $2500 per piece. That price point is high for a Pelikan limited edition, however, when you begin comparing it to high end maki-e pens featuring this sort of raden inlay work, it begins to seem quite reasonable. Add to that the fact that you are getting a Pelikan, with all of the reliability and quality that means (in case you intend to actually use your new pen!) and it looks very much like a bargain. The Kyokko and Gekko were not sold specifically as sets, each piece was numbered and sold individually. However, many were bought as "sets" by the original purchasers, and it's easy to see why. These are pens that really do belong together!
copyright 2006 William Riepl
Images copyright 2005 William Riepl