Huge Oriental Picasso Art Fountain Pen

The West is a mystery to the East in the same way what China is to Europe. For years before air travel was made possible, tales carried from faraway lands is an interest to many and often made good storyline for plays.

When China opened up to America in 1973 after Richard Nixon visit and the first friendly Ping Pong game, the west has been an admiration to the chinese, particularly in the area of Technology. The Slogan ¡° Overtake England and catch up with America¡± becomes very popular.

In 1979, Paramount Leader Deng Xiao Ping visited the southern province of Guangzhou and declared Shenzhen (SEZ) to be a special economic zone, before full economic takesoff begins for China.  Deng says ¡°No matter whether it is black cat or white cat, so long as it catches mice,it is a good cat¡± In the 1980s, China enjoyed drastic economic growth, with a GDP of 7-8% per year, catching up with the four Asian Small Dragon ¨C Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore and Korea. 

With increased economic prosperity, the chinese turn their attention to western art ¨C particularly Picasso, whose art pieces rakes up high prices and surprisingly the buyers comes from mainland China.  Most of these art pieces are now hanging in the prestigious MNC office in Shanghai- Orient of the east. 

I was in Shanghai many times and being both an engineer and a pen collector, I begin my routine search of Oriental pens wherever I go and in my recent trip I found an unusual relic of fountain pen made in the 1980s in beijing, the capital of China. 

The  Oriental Picasso Art Fountain Pen is a huge gigantic fountain pen made specially to be displayed on the desk of high ranking official. To be presented with one of these pens (Not to be sold officially) is a face-giving act.  

This pen measures 18cm in length (big enough for a man with a big hand) and 2.8cm thick. A synthetic diamond top the cap and the cap, barrel and cap ring are 18k gold plated.  What I am amazed is the art work painted on the cap and barrel, so similiar to the Picasso Abstract Art I saw. It seems like a dream that Mao¡¯s Socialisation has been completely sweep away by Deng¡¯s Capitalism, the Chinese has till now finally opened up and begins to accept western art, something which is considered evil in Mao¡¯s time. Mao¡¯s death is just a few years before.

The  Oriental Picasso Art Fountain Pen  has a rubber suction pump designed to suck in a huge amount of ink that last for days. The German made iridium tipped gold plated nib gives a smooth wet broad nib, remember this pen is made for signature and cheque signing and so a broad nib and a big size barrel will be eye catching and impressive!

If you are giving a pen as a present to someone you respect, give this a try, tell them that this pen is made in 1980 Beijing, a few years after China opened out to the world. This heavy pen is presented in a red nice bureaucratic communist style box.

I have only 4 pieces of them, the guy who sold me refuse to give me a discount because he say it is hard to get. With my years of pen collecting, what he says sounds true.

US$100. 

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