NAMIKI ADVOCATES NATURE CONSERVATION WITH 2009 LIMITED EDITION MAKI-E EMPEROR POLAR BEAR

In light of the Polar Bear classified as vulnerable under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species with environmental degradation throughout the Arctic, Namiki has launched the 2009 Limited Edition Polar Bear fountain pen to spread its message of environment conservation to help save the species from extinction.

Using the motif of the Polar Bear, which is the world’s largest terrestrial carnivore and relies almost entirely on the marine sea-ice environment for survival in the

Arctic Circle, the body of the Namiki Emperor Vest masterpiece is meticulously decorated by the famous and skilled artisan Seiki, through a combination of refined

Maki-e techniques.

The intricate design of the writing instrument showcases the illustration of the Polar Bear and her cub gazing forlornly into the night skyline using the Taka (Raised)

Maki-e technique. The Polar Bears stand precariously on a small and shrunken iceberg in the vast ocean, a depiction of the dwindling sea-ice habitat, created using

the Shishiai-Togidashi (Burnished – raised) Maki-e technique. The brilliant portrayal of the glowing Aurora that illuminates the Northern hemisphere horizon is reflected on the pen cap using the Togidashi (Burnished) Maki-e technique. Right to the finest detail atop the pen cap is the image of the Plough, a group of seven prominent stars of the constellation Ursa Major or “The Great Bear”, achieved using the Hira (Flat) Maki-e technique.

A precision 18-karat gold nib with rhodium accent and piston ink delivery system ensures first-class writing quality and long-lasting performance. A unique ink bottle is also specially designed for this collectible pen that completes the majestic presentation. The exquisite pen and the ink bottle are presented in an elegant gift box that comes with a lid decorated with sandblasted glass representing the sea-ice. The 2009 Limited Edition Polar Bear fountain pen from Namiki is truly a masterpiece that will be embraced by fine pen collectors and connoisseurs worldwide.

It is hoped that this signif icant collection will be, to its owner, a treasured reminder of the struggles and fragility of the Polar Bear, and that human beings can no longer

afford indifference to our growing global environmental problems. The 2009 Limited Edition Polar Bear fountain pen is produced only in 99 pieces worldwide.