Lambrou Pens LN2 Harvest Prototype 2020

by Jim Mamoulides, August 9, 2024

Lambrou Pens LN2 Harvest prototype 2020

A Golden Harvest on Cyprus

The Lambrou Pens LN2 Harvest was the last Classic Pens / Lambrou Pens model using harvest time on the island Cyprus as its design theme. Each decorative design is based on an original watercolor by Jenny Lambrou that includes golden wheat, grapevines, and morning glory flowers to represent harvest time in Cyprus. The Lambrou Pens LN2 Harvest is preceded by the 2001 Classic Pens LR2 Harvest, a sterling silver overlay by Paul Rossi on a Jasper Red Parker Duofold Centennial, the 2006 AL4 Harvest, maki-e decorated Parker Duofold Centennials and Classic Pens Legends by Takuroo Masuda, and the 2009 Harvest prototype, another a sterling silver overlay by Paul Rossi featuring a silhouette of the island of Cyprus on a Classic Pens Mythos.

The artwork on the Lambrou Pens LN2 Harvest is by Yoshitsugu Nakama, whose moved from Japan to New York City in 1979 to study fine art. He worked as a fabricator for Sol LeWitt (1927-2007), an American artist of Minimalist and Conceptual artworks, of which more than six hundred are in the collection or catalogued by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. According to the Sol LeWitt page on the MoMA website, “LeWitt moved from Minimalism to Conceptual art in the 1970s often stressing theory over execution, employing systems to govern the artistic process, that most often result in large-scale wall drawings.”

Lambrou Pens LN2 Harvest prototype 2020

Nakama describes LeWitt as “a fountain pen lover, but I wasn't really interested in them at that time. My interest in pen making came much later.” Nakama started to craft bowls and plates with a lathe he purchased in 2012 and soon discovered pen making parts for “kitless” pens. This inspired him to create his own resin mixes and create his own pen designs. Many of his pens are decorated with laser engraved artwork such as cherry blossoms (sakura) and then hand filled with a pearlescent powder and resin. It’s a similar process to Chinkin (沈金) decoration. His pens are noted for beautiful cast roll-stoppers that complement the decoration on the pen and are made from 3D printed in wax and then cast in silver and plated to match the design. Nakama decorated a Lambrou Pens Legend 766L with a cherry blossom design using his artwork techniques.

Lambrou Pens LN2 Harvest prototype 2020

The Lambrou Pens LN2 Harvest artist proof shown here was made in July 2020. It’s a 6 inch long Lambrou Pens Oversize Legend hand crafted by Paul Rossi from Flame Red diffusion bonded acrylic with a Rossi made sterling silver floral design clip. Because Nakama is allergic to urushi sap the decoration is made with an inert material he seals with epoxy resin. Urushi can cause a severe rash to some people who work with it. It's derived from the sap of the Chinese lacquer tree, Toxicodendron vernicifluum, which is in the same genus, Toxicodendron, as other flowering plants in the sumac family such as poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. The Harvest design is based on the same original watercolor by Jenny Lambrou used on the other Classic Pens / Lambrou Pens Harvest models and represents harvest time on the island of Cyprus. Nakama’s interpretation is painted the cap and barrel with grapevine leaves, bunches of grapes, wheat stalks, and morning glory flowers over a pale yellow-brown coating to highlight the wheat artwork. The blue seal, an homage to maki-e artist seals, was designed by Paul Rossi, and represents the American Bald Eagle.

Lambrou Pens LN2 Harvest prototype 2020

The Lambrou Pens LN2 Harvest was intended as a limited edition of ten pens in 2020. The pen was to be offered with a choice of five 18 karat gold two-tone Peter Bock nibs in grades of fine, medium, broad, fine italic, and broad italic. It's not known how many were made or sold, though this prototype was eventually sold for $3,400.

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Referenced PenHero.com Articles

Classic Pens LR2 Harvest 2001

Lambrou Pens Rossi Harvest Prototype 2009

References

About me, Pen.18111, © 2017 Yoshi Nakama

"Classic Pens Limited Edition LN2 Harvest Fountain Pen", © 2024 Chatterley Luxuries

Sol LeWitt, Paula Cooper Gallery, © 2024 Artnet Worldwide Corporation

Sol LeWitt, Works, © 2024 The Museum of Modern Art