Shisen Kingfisher's Devotion M4C and M5: Maki-e Fountain Pens With a Story

Introduction

Shisen is a fairly new brand, launched in 2022, that focuses on high-end Urushi and Maki-e fountain pens. The name means nature in Japanese, and it breaks down into characters referencing a master craftsman and Zen Buddhism, a fitting identity for pens built entirely around traditional Japanese lacquer art.

The Kingfisher’s Devotion is the opening release of the brand’s Birds of Japan series, a celebration of Japan’s native bird life brought to life through Maki-e art. It arrives in two sizes, the M4C and the slightly larger M5, both carrying the same artwork. The pen comes presented in a wooden box with a kimono sleeve and a polishing cloth, which sets the tone before you even pick it up.

The Artwork: Kingfisher’s Devotion

The pen is made of ebonite and covered in a deep black Urushi with a fine sprinkling of gold. It tells a story of devotion through the courtship ritual of kingfishers: the male is depicted mid-flight, diving down to catch a fish that he intends to offer as a gift to a female watching from a gabion, a wire-like retaining structure on the wall.

Both fish are created using the takamaki-e technique, with interesting use of blue, orange, red and brown, plus gold. The kingfisher heads are accented with mother of pearl, known as raden, and the cheeks even use crushed quail’s egg shell, an accent that reads beautifully at this scale. The wall features raden alongside a gold nashiji technique that creates a pattern resembling the skin of an Asian pear, and below sit golden water swirls with raden and shimmering maki-e capturing the essence of a moving stream. Reeds rise from the riverbanks on the side, and the fish themselves are placed on the section, positioned so they do not interfere with a natural grip.

The artist behind the pen is Shogo Hariier, who lives in Kaga City on Japan’s western coast. Both of his parents were Maki-e artists and he trained under them, but he has since developed his own artistic voice, held solo exhibitions, and won several awards for his artwork. Beneath his signature sits the Maki-e red seal, which signifies the highest quality Maki-e art.

Nib, Section and Filling

The nib is 18 karat gold and is currently only available in a medium. The nib logo depicts an ensō circle around a bonsai tree, with the circle representing a tranquil, meditative state that frees the mind for creativity.

The section begins with a fairly pronounced flare, angles up to the threads, and then has a medium-sized step up to the barrel. It is a cartridge converter pen with no metal interior parts, and since the body is ebonite, eyedropper conversion looks viable for those who want it. It ships with a Schmidt converter. One practical note: this is not a pen designed to be posted, which is generally true of Urushi pens anyway.

Size and Handling

As with most ebonite pens, the Kingfisher’s Devotion is not overly heavy and feels very comfortable in the hand. The raised texture of the lacquer is pleasant to hold, and the step up to the barrel sits far enough back that it does not impede a typical grip, even for those who hold the pen slightly further back.

Writing Performance

In testing with Private Reserve Naples Blue, the 18 karat gold nib proved very pleasant. It has a touch of feedback, the good kind, rather than a glassy-smooth feel. For a medium nib, ink flow sits on the medium side. Reverse writing is decent, laying down an extra-fine line, and the feed keeps up just fine during fast writing. The pen uses a plastic feed. The artwork pairs nicely with deep blue inks; similar options include Pilot’s firacon-something blues and Robert Oster’s Admiral Blue.

Pricing and Availability

This is a luxury pen at a luxury price. The M4C model is priced at $3,200 and the larger M5 at $3,600. Both are currently offered through a pre-order group buy, with an estimated production lead time of 7 to 8 months. Buyers can choose to pay the full price upfront or reserve the pen with a half deposit. A 10% discount code is available, which on the M4C amounts to a $320 saving.

Conclusion

The Shisen Kingfisher’s Devotion is a gorgeous pen with incredible artwork, a genuine story and theme behind it, and writing performance that holds up its end of the bargain. The M4C suits buyers who want the full artwork in a more compact, manageable package, while the M5 is the choice for those who want the same scene at a grander scale. Anyone considering either should be comfortable with the pre-order timeline and the realities of owning a lacquered art pen, but for collectors drawn to Japanese Maki-e craftsmanship, this is a compelling way into Shisen’s Birds of Japan series.