Manu Propria Pens - "Fubuki"

[Manupropria]

A Miyabi Shibui Medium Size pen with Egg Shell Lacquer, called "Rankaku-Nuri", Tamago-Kara-Nuri" or "Keiran-Nuri. Fubuki = Snow Storm. Body Ebonite 18 kt gold nib and fitting Rhodium plated
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[ethernautrix]

Gorgeous.



As usual.

*smiley*

[Robert]

Remarkable work! The pen certainly merits the name given it.

[amk]

That's gorgeous. I've seen a couple of vintage Watermans with what looks like rankaku, but done much more regularly, like a mosaic, rather than a snowstorm. The pattern really does look as if it's whirling in the wind. Very dramatic.

I'd love to see some photos of the process, if you took any. How do you crush the eggshell to the right size? And how is it added - each flake placed on separately, or scattered? I'm really intrigued by this particular finish.

[Manupropria]

Thank you very much.
Normally as you desctribe "Rankaku" is done by crushing eggshells and arranging them piece by piece in wet lacquer.
Since with urushi pure white cannot be achieved egg shell is used as the white color for inlays.
I am crushing the shells with an old coffee grinding machine and calibrate them in sievs. The particles are in this case scattered into wet lacquer. After hardening aroundd 10 layers of black lacquer are applied, then ground, polished

[amk]

Thank you for the detailed description.

Coffee grinders are an underrated resource for all kinds of craftspeople! I also have one for making curry pastes, but I do keep it separately from the one I use for pigments :-)