The Pelikan M1000 Maki-e Nami was released in 2014 as a worldwide limited edition of just 88 pieces. Built on Pelikan's flagship M1000 piston-fill fountain pen, it was hand-crafted by renowned Japanese maki-e master Shoso, representing a pinnacle of East-meets-West artisanal excellence.
Design Inspiration
The design draws from one of the most iconic works in art history — Katsushika Hokusai's celebrated ukiyo-e woodblock print, The Great Wave off Kanagawa. Towering waves surge across the pen body with breathtaking dynamism, as if the viewer is standing before Hokusai's masterpiece itself. The overall composition is rendered on a black lacquer base, accented with gold powder to create a deep, layered visual richness.
Maki-e Lacquer Artistry
The wave crests are executed in Taka Maki-e (raised maki-e), a technique that builds the lacquer surface into three-dimensional relief, making the waves literally rise from the pen body. Within the waves, raden (mother-of-pearl) is inlaid, refracting light into a pearlescent shimmer that plays beautifully against the warm glow of the gold powder — a layered, luminous effect that no machine can replicate.
