"Maruzen World fountain pen exhibition and spot sale" The other day, when I passed through Maruzen in Nihonbashi, I noticed such a guide. Maruzen was a pioneer who invited not only Western books but also Western stationery to Japan of the Restoration. Regarding the fountain pen, the encyclopedia states, "In Japan, Maruzen Co., Ltd. in Tokyo launched a small amount of waterman products at stores in 1895 (Meiji 28), and full-scale imports were in 1902 (Meiji 35). " (The whole book of Japanese University Encyclopedia (Shogakukan))).
After that, fountain pens spread rapidly, and a large number of celebrities wrote and sketches (drawn with a fountain pen) in the booklet entitled "Impressions and Illustration Catalog" issued by Maruzen in 1912 (Meiji 45). ) Etc. The beginning of the book is Soseki Natsume (1867-1916)'s "Yoto Mannen Pen".
In this sentence, Soseki says that he has just started using a fountain pen and is less familiar. Twelve years ago, when studying in the UK, a fountain pen that I received as a farewell from a relative (Mrs. Kyoko's sister Tokiko) broke down on the ship by mimicking an instrumental gymnastics (iron bar). Three or four years ago, I bought two "pelicans" in Maruzen, but I returned to the original pen writing because "I was unhappy and I was not very grateful for the remaining pelicans." He said that he felt like "I miss my separated wife later." He said, "This manuscript was written by Roan-kun (Roan Uchida (1868-1929), who was an advisor to Maruzen at the time), and was given to him to look at it, but it was very comfortable and I was able to write smoothly. " This booklet also contains a photo of the manuscript of this sentence written by Soseki in "Onoto G".
It is a sentence that has no advertising smell to put it on a fountain pen PR booklet, but when I read what Luan wrote, "Natsume-san was a person who favored me. I asked me to write about a fountain pen, but I didn't have a bad face, but said, "I'm in trouble." So, no, I just asked you to write something useful because you only have to say it bad." Also, in Soseki's discourse later published in a newspaper, "I'm using the second generation, Onoto." I don't think this is good, but I got it from Maruzen's Roan Uchida, so it's until I use it." Even though I bought the convenience, I didn't think so much. According to Luan, Soseki hated glass ink stands, and ink hated blue black and liked sepia color.
At the time of joining Soseki, the Asahi Shimbun was located in Takiyama-cho, Kyobashi-ku (now Ginza 6-chome), as is known for the song by Takuboku Ishikawa (1886-1912). Sojinkan Sugimura (1872-1945), who entered the morning sun at the invitation of his main writing Ikebe Sanzan (1864-1912), said Soseki rarely came to the office, but when he came out at an editorial meeting held on Wednesday, everyone was laughing and laughing at every moment. Did Soseki's hand at such times have Onoto's fountain pen?
Soseki also favors Onoto, who did it, dominates the world as a luxury fountain pen, but after the war, the manufacturer U.K. de la Luo stopped manufacturing fountain pens. Currently, Maruzen sells a high-end fountain pen of "reprinted version" bearing the name of Onoto. In Nihonbashi Maruzen, the fountain pen section is on the first basement floor. As I looked around the sales floor where everything from ultra-luxury items to popular items was beautifully lined up, I noticed myself, who had no connection with fountain pens for a long time, and at the same time, when I was a child more than fifty years ago, my late parents now came back to the excitement of buying a fountain pen for the first time.
