Japanese or Italian? Maybe both. Visconti meets Ban-ei.

[iosepus]

This is one of those threads that could be posted on several subfora, and I am choosing that of Asian pens simply because I am biased towards Japanese pens.

The protagonist of this thread is, nominally, a Visconti pen... but clearly made in Japan.

IMG_2304-blog-5-4-WM.jpg

It is made of ebonite, decorated with red urushi, and with a Japanese eyedropper filling system.

IMG_9176-blog-2-1-WM.jpg

The nib is clearly marked with the letters GK:

IMG_3860-blog-12-7-WM.jpg

By now it is clear that this pen was a creation of the Ban-ei group, and implements a nib made of its nibmesiter Ginjiro Kabutogi.

Visconti started its operation in 1988 and immediately contacted the Japanese lathe master Kato Kiyoshi, with whom Visconti would later collaborate in the fabrication of some models, including some versions of the Ragtime. And Mr Kato acted as a mediator between Visconti and Sakai Eisuke and his team.

These are at least two series of these pens. The first one in 1990-91, and a second one in 1993-95. Their colors were black, red, and green. Nominally there were 100 units each year, but there are sources indicating a higher number.

Cheers,

BT

[christof]

This is a beautiful pen!

[forester]

Thanks for sharing with us!

[Cyril]

Looks like a good pen and I like that Nib too. Looks very promising.

[Barry B. Gabay]

I remember these from long ago. Magnificent. Thanks for the memories.

[Bisquitlips]

Lovely!