The Pontifex Maximus is our first fountain pen model. In Latin, Pontifex means "bridge-builder". Made in Belgium from Japanese ebonite and featuring a "Japanese eyedropper" filling system, this oversized fountain pen is a well balanced writing instrument and offers a generous canvas for urushi and maki-e artwork.
In the Our Own Myths series, just like the masters of old, we reference the stories of today, our own myths. An old man cleans, rinses and fills a puncheon. The ritual takes about two hours
[According to the philosopher Alan Watts (1915-1973),] A zen master on his death bed once said: "From the bath tub to the bath tub I have uttered stuff and nonsense."
Old Man in Tub is created in a variety of techniques: the wood of the barrel is executed in togidashi-maki-e with gold and silver powder, silver and tin inlay was used for the hoops, roiro-age with silver for the water surface and seido-nuri for the old man's wool hat. The background is created in ishime kanshitsu. The use of complex combinations in a direct and stark design – reminiscent of HON'AMI Koetsu (1558-1637) – is fitting for the old man's here-and-now attitude to life. The atmosphere is furyu : flowing with the wind, enjoying a hot bath, just so.
See specification below.
Design stages of Old Man in Tub
First design layout (Frederik Carbon)
SPECIFICATION
ARTIST.
METHOD. Togidashi-maki-e, silver-tin inlay, roiro-age, ishime kanshitsu,
seido-nuri and chinkin.
MATERIAL. Silver, tin & 100% urushi on ebonite.
FILLING SYSTEM. Japanese Eyedropper (3,5 ml ink capacity).
NIB. #8 18k Gold Bock nib.
DIMENSIONS. Closed length : 152 mm.
Barrel length (incl. nib) : 142 mm.
Barrel diameter : 16 mm.
Cap diameter : 19 mm.
YEAR. 2026.
PRICE. 6500,00 euro incl. 21% VAT.