Danitrio Two Swallows Review: An Urushi and Maki-e Group Buy Worth Considering

Introduction

If you have ever wanted an artistic urushi maki-e pen, a group buy project is often the most approachable way to get one. The Danitrio Two Swallows is exactly that: a luxury pen offered through a group buy, coming at a luxury price. What makes this one stand out is the pairing of traditional Japanese lacquer art with an extra fine nib that is, frankly, glorious. Danitrio has a strong reputation among collectors, and this offering continues that track record.

First Impressions and Unboxing

The pen arrives in a soft wood box with a lifting lid, and it is hard not to like these boxes since something interesting usually lives inside them. Inside you get a polishing cloth and a kimono sleeve, and the pen itself sits within that sleeve.

The pen has an ebonite base covered in urushi lacquer and maki-e art. The base model is called the Hotan, Japanese for gourd, and the pen does have that hourglass gourd shape. In the US, Danitrio collectors have nicknamed this design the Mae West because of that figure.

The Artwork: Two Swallows

The master artisan behind this pen is Masayuki Haryu, who holds the honorary title of Dento Kishi, meaning master of traditional arts. That title is given only to a select few artisans who have made significant contributions to their craft, and he also creates maki-e art on tea containers and jewelry.

The artwork was inspired by a 1910 woodblock print called Two Barn Swallows in Flight, Willow Branch and Flowering Cherry Above, created by Koson Ohara, widely considered a master of bird and flower designs that blended traditional Japanese aesthetics with Western realism. The pen carries that theme beautifully: two Japanese barn swallows in flight above a willow tree.

In Japanese culture, swallows symbolize good luck and fidelity since these birds mate for life, and folklore holds that a swallow nesting under your eaves signals prosperity and happiness for the household. The detail on the swallows is remarkable, and the artwork extends around the rounded end of the barrel. The artist signature and the red maki-e seal appear at the end, the seal indicating the highest quality of maki-e art, and this particular pen is the artist’s proof.

Design and Build

The pen has a rounded finial where the artwork flows off the end, a bulbous cap with a rounded step down, and a bulbous barrel that angles up and tapers to a rounded end. The cap twists off with two full rotations, revealing the highlight of the pen: an 18k gold number six two-toned nib. This is Danitrio’s Fireball nib, and the imprint depicts the flame-shaped halo of the Japanese Buddhist god of fire, a motif commonly painted on the backs of Buddhist statues.

The section begins with a slight flare, and there is very little transition between the cap bands and the barrel. The pen is long enough to use unposted, and you would not want to post it anyway given the urushi and maki-e finishes. Ebonite keeps the weight moderate, but it still feels like a quality piece of artwork in hand, and with the nib facing up you get a clear view of the swallows as you write.

Writing Performance

The ink used for the sample was Taccia Sabamidori, a favorite that goes on with a reddish blue base and dries with a green sheen, alongside comparisons to Sailor Yama-dori and Papier Plume Irish Channel Green.

Here is the thing about this extra fine nib: it is genuinely exceptional. With very little pressure it lays down an extra fine line, and with slightly more pressure you get noticeable line variation without forcing it. Ink flow runs on the heavier side, so for an extra fine it is quite generous. Reverse writing is a little sharp and digs into the page a bit, but it still lays down an extra-extra-fine line, and the feed kept up with fast writing without issue. The one wish is that this Fireball imprint came in a number eight size, but it appears to be available only in number six.

Buying Advice

The Two Swallows is priced at $2,500, placing it firmly in luxury territory. The group buy window runs until February 28th, with delivery anticipated in 7 to 8 months. That wait is reasonable given that urushi and maki-e treatments on pens like this can literally take months to complete, and knowing the final quantity helps the artisan plan.

A discount code is available for the group buy, taking 10% off, which comes to $250. If you are in the market for a special pen in this price range, the project details on the company’s site are worth reviewing carefully before committing. The site also offers another model in the same series featuring mandarin ducks, which may appeal if swallows are not your theme.

Conclusion

The Danitrio Two Swallows is a thoughtful group buy: hand-finished urushi and maki-e work from a Dento Kishi master, meaningful symbolism in the swallow theme, and an extra fine nib that stands out as the best of its kind we have tested. For collectors who value traditional Japanese craftsmanship and are comfortable with both the price and the wait, this is a very easy pen to recommend.