Antique of the Week: Maki-e Pen

As everyone in Kensington knows, Antique Row is one of the community’s points of pride. Howard Avenue and its side streets are lined with shops specializing in antique furniture, rugs, vintage toys, used books and more. This large presence in the community sparked our feature, Antique of the Week, where we will showcase a different item or curiosity each week to bring attention to pieces from the past.

This week, we’re featuring a Maki-e fountain pen, covered by floral and peacock designs. Known for its intricate three-dimensional designs, the Maki-e fountain pen at Pen Haven is a highly prized work of art.

Bert Heiserman, the owner of Pen Haven said, “It takes a lot of hard work,” because it was hand-painted in Japan by a famed artist, who devoted much time layering paint after paint. Heiserman added that it takes at least 100 layers of paint to create a Maki-e pen.

Conway Stewart created a limited number of Maki-e pens. This particular pen is number 18 out of 25, as noted on the bottom of the pen. Conway Stewart is an English company, established in 1905.

Heiserman carries other Conway Stewart pens from the 1940s and '50s. This Maki-e pen, though, is definitely one of the finest Conway Stewart pens to be treasured by a collector.

Heiserman is selling the Maki-e pen for $2,200. His showroom is located at 3730 Howard Avenue and is open on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.