The Church of Maki-e

With lower price points for its newest series of writing instruments, AP Limited Editions continues its mission of spreading the joy of maki-e.

- NICKY PESSAROFF

In order to understand the most recent maki-e masterpieces from AP Limited Editions, dually headquartered in California and Singapore, one must understand what maki-e is. “Maki-e" is not a style of design, it is a style of artistic application. A "maki-e" pen that is silkscreened and then touched up by hand is an art pen in the maki-e style, but it is not maki-e.

"Maki-e" is a lacquer art technique mainly developed during Japan's Heian period between the 9th and 12th centuries. Literally translated as "sprinkled picture," it involves sprinkling or spraying wet lacquer with metallic powder using a dusting tube, sprinkler canister, or a hair-tipped paintbrush.

"Urushi" is the natural lacquer used since 4,000 BCE in China. It is a tough, resilient lacquer that adds sheen and color to the lacquer ware. A lot of products are called "urushi," but if the lacquer isn't sourced from its traditional areas in Asia, it is not urushi. Likewise, "maki-e" pens that do not use the traditional application techniques are not truly maki-e.

Enter AP Limited Editions. For 15 years, Anuj and Smita Poddar have worked with Japanese maki-e artisans to produce fine writing instruments that keep these ancient artisanal techniques alive.

Anuj explains, "Our pens are real maki-e authored by masters of the art form in Japan, and each pen is signed by the artist with a traditional red seal, which testifies to the fact that they are entirely handmade. Our maki-e pens are all treated with a final layer of urushi over the maki-e work."