Fountain Pens of Japan
By Andreas Lambrou and Masamichi Sunami

"Masa Sunami and I have worked together for more than 30 years. Our friendship, built on trust, respect for each other, and each other’s cultures, and our love for the fountain pen, has enhanced our knowledge and our pen collections. It has also spurred us to create customized Maki-E art pens, fusing together the cultures of East and West.

The book Fountain Pens of Japan has been our ultimate goal. Specific research and professional photography began six years ago.

My return to the UK at the end of April this year, made it possible for me to concentrate on the book. This, coupled with Masa’s endless efforts and enthusiasm, has enhanced the research. In addition, more photographs have been taken, the pens are up to date. The work is more comprehensive than ever before, the time spent proved worth while.

Fountain Pens of Japan has an ambitious specification.

• Hardbound cloth with dust jacket, 12 x 9 inches , 448 pages.
• History of the fountain pen and its industry in Japan from around 1880 to the present. Major and minor manufacturers are covered. Pens, inks, ephemera and equipment used for hand pen manufacture in earlier eras are detailed.
• Materials and techniques to embellish pens, are extensively discussed.
• Customized pens for the Japanese Trade and pens made or embellished in Japan, for other makers are included.
• Professional photography throughout the book depicts the pens life size for easy identification.
• A large number of prototypes not documented before are included.
• More than 500 vintage and modern pens, not previously documented in a book on pens are detailed.

We aim to bring to you an exciting and informative book at an affordable price.

The dust jacket was designed and created by Jim Mamoulides. Fountain Pens of Japan is published by Andreas Lambrou Publishers, the launch, February, 2012.

Thank you all for your interest and patience." Andreas Lambrou, December, 2010

Civilisations never clash, they enhance one another, they enrich the lives of their people – from FPOJ

FOUNTAIN PENS OF JAPAN

ANDREAS LAMBROU MASAMICHI SUNAMI

Hardbound cloth with dust jacket Format 12 x 9 inches, 448 pages

Representative pages from the book:

Frontispiece page:

Title page:

 Author biographies

Andreas Lambrou was born in Nicosia, Cyprus in 1942. He started to collect fountain pens at the age of 12 in his native Cyprus then in England while studying at London University. He is a founder member of the Writing Equipment Society formed in 1980 and served on the Executive as Trade Liaison Officer for fountain pens.  He has written articles for international publications including Pen World, Business Magazine, Vogue, The V.I.P Guide to London, etc. and has catalogued and valued pen museums of international pen manufacturers.

He is an authorized pen restorer and co-founder of Classic Pens Ltd. established in 1987, a company that specializes in the customization of limited edition pens. He is the founder of Classic Pens Inc. established in 1998 in Los Angeles, California.

He has worked with the craftsman Marc Murelli in France and international pen manufacturers and has created exclusive and novel guilloche designs for sterling silver which adorn the Classic Pens CP series of limited edition pens.

The author has worked with his long standing friend Masa Sunami and some of the most respected Maki-E Masters in Japan to create the Classic Pens  LS and AL Signature Collections of Maki-E Art Pens.

A positive working relationship between the author and the artist Paul Rossi since 2000 has resulted in the creation of unique and exquisite Sterling Silver overlays which are part of the Lambrou Rossi Collection.

In 2006, he worked with Paul Rossi to develop and produce the company's Legend™ and Mythos® pen models which are now the canvas of several pen collections of Classic Pens.

He is co-founder of Andreas Lambrou Publishers Ltd. established in 2011, a company that specializes in the creation and publishing of pen history art books.

Andreas Lambrou is recognized as a distinguished pen collector and one of the leading international authorities on fountain pens and their industry worldwide.

"The fountain pen is a very personal accessory, it enables us to put thoughts to paper. It is a privilege for me to have the opportunity to work with my long time friend Masa Sunami and several of the celebrated Maki-E artists in Japan. Our aim is to fuse the cultures of East and West through fountain pens. The artists are humble, noble people who possess a gift and through this gift they create art for others to enjoy. Many of our designs embody Nature. And just like Nature, the strength, variety, wealth and beauty of the Maki-E art never ceases to amaze me."

Masa Sunami was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1950. He began to collect pens at the age of 12 and over the years he has amassed more than 10,000 pens as well as a wide variety of writing equipment ephemera.

He has written several books on fountain pens and pen collecting in general. He is a regular contributor to magazine columns.

He has created unique designs which major manufacturers like Pilot-Namiki, Platinum and other Japanese makers have utilized to produce unique pens for him, in a variety of materials and Maki-E.

He is acclaimed as Japan’s number one pen collector.

“I believe the LS Collection of Maki-E Art Pens represents some of the best artistic creations in lacquer work for the past 100 years. The LS designs are created using natural urushi lacquer and other precious materials. I am very proud to be working with Andreas Lambrou, my friend for over 20 years, and veteran Maki-E Masters like Tatsuya Tōdō and Shogetsu Mitani. Our philosophy is to continue to create unique and novel works in Maki-E for pen lovers around the world to enjoy”.

The Power of Writing is an Indefinable Force

We are proud of our art, and it is with
honor that we can be a part in your life.

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Use of photographs, text, and illustrations is not granted without prior written permission.
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