Sailor Wabi Sabi King Of Pens Fountain Pen

Sailor Wabi-Sabi King Of Pens

The concept of Wabi- Sabi “Wabi” meaning simplicity and “Sabi” meaning a beauty that stems from age. Over time the concepts behind the words into the heart of the Japanese aesthetic,  emphasising the transience, emptiness and imperfection of beauty.  Wabi Sabi is rooted from Zen Buddhism, it refers to a mindful way of living in everyday life, finding beauty in the mundane and imperfect or incomplete.  Wabi Sabi is most powerfully expressed in the start or end of the cycle of exoisternce –  flowers in bud and the decay of aging, which has its own beauty. It is accepting the natural cycle of growth an decomposition.

The concept has been captured by  Urushi artist Wayo Shimamori using a technique he calls “Irogasane Sabinuri”.  Irogasane means “Colour Stack” and Sabinuri is an Urushi technique using rust  Rust is the base material that is used to lacquerware in general. Rust is kneaded with raw lacquer and polishing powder kneaded with water, originally it is material to flatten the irregularities. The coating method that takes advantage of its rough texture called the rust “Sabi-nuri” or “Sabi-e”.

This has gives the pen contrasting smooth, highly polished areas and with rougher, nodose sections – which fits beautifully the concept of Wabi Sabi.

The Urushi lacquer is the result of a very long process. Layers upon layers of the lacquer are applied on an ebonite base to achieve this textured, shiny, almost metallic finish.

King Of Pens 21K nib, Ebonite feed.