Fukurokuju * Seven Gods of Good Fortune * Namiki 100th Anniversary Limited Edition 2019

FUKUROKUJU - God of integrity - The three characters 福禄寿 of his name, fuku, roku and ju are also the three virtues of Taoism: happiness, wealth and longevity. The body of the pen is decorated with an image of Fukurokuju who can be recognised by its elongated skull, white beard and large earlobes. Fukurokuju is standing on a turtle, which carries a sacred roll in its mouth and he is holding a gem in his right hand. He is accompanied by a crane, which is, like the turtle, another symbol of longevity. Created by artist Masahiro.

In 1918, the Namiki Manufacturing Company had a strong desire to promote the Art of Maki-e. Created around Gonroku Matsuda, the greatest master of all time in the art of Maki-e, the Kokkokai craftsmen group was formed in 1931 in Ootsuka. The group concentrated its efforts on research, development and improvement of the quality of lacquered fountain pens. Kokkokai means light of the nation, and each member of the group has specialised in different techniques, that are passed on from generation to generation. They all share a common point of view: the same vision of developing and pursuing traditional arts and crafts.