LoiMinChay Mandarin Supreme with Silver Clip Lacquer Fountain Pen

Beautiful BoxDragon MotifLoiminchays Mandarin Supreme 2002 is not for the shy.  The brilliant Mandarin Yellow natural lacquer over ebonite pen is the first of its kind.   The sizeable Mandarin Supreme measures almost 16cm in length and 20mm in diameter, but its lightweight, vase shaped design provides a slender look and good balance. Silver dragon clips were applied for their individual beauty, cultural significance and symbolic meaning.  Giant No. 10 two-tone, 18 karat gold nibs with oversize ebonite feeds were used to provide constant and even Ink flow. Ebonite was selected for the pen because, historically, fountain pens were first produced in ebonite.  Also, ebonite is lightweight, soft and warm to the touch." Collectors are able to enjoy the artistic and cultural aspects of the pens with its hand- made quality and smooth writing experience.  While the Mandarin Supreme 2002 extends the Qian Long legacy, It scores 4 first with its hand-painted layers of natural lacquer in bright Mandarin Yellow over ebonite.  The colour has long held symbolic importance in most Asian cultures.  This particular hue was a status symbol and was reserved exclusively for the emperor's personal use for thousands of years.  Even today, the cadmium yellow pigment is more expensive than other pigments.  Although it long ago ceased to be exclusive to Chinese royalty, the brilliant yellow colour still stands for purity, elegance, positive energy and power.  The pure yellow pigment is one of the most difficult to use-the proper colour density is difficult to achieve.  Few lacquer masters these days  are willing to try this colour on pens.  The masters must pay close attention to the reaction of pigments and also to the polishing process.  The balance of color and its thickness is crucial and that’s the reason why Mandarin Yellow natural lacquer hand-painted on an ebonite pen had never been attempted before.   This lacquer involves hand-application of layers and layers of the pigment and natural lacquer.  Each layer must dry completely before polishing and the application of the next layer of pigment and lacquer.  Depending on temperature and humidity, this 18 to 20-step process can take weeks to achieve, and each piece takes months to produce.  All Mandarin Supreme 2002 pens are hand-painted by a single lacquer master. Hand-painting and polishing create the depth of color.  Very slight color variations add different character to each piece versus a mass-produced commercial product.  Total length with cap closed: 165 mm (5.6")Diameter of the barrel: 16-20mm (0.6"-0.7" from thinnest to the thickest)