Shiseido 1943 Piston Fill Fountain Pen Extremely Rare

  

In addition to cosmetics and skincare products, SHISEIDO in their headquarters in the infamous district of Ginza manufactured fountain pens for the local market. The fountain pen part of their business, though, lasted only a few years during the Second World War. In the case of this piston filler, I believe it was only manufactured in 1943, but in any event, it only appeared during World War II. It, like the other Shiseido I have listed, is so rare and special that it is cited and described with photographs in the encyclopedic Fountain Pens of Japan.

The piston appears to work, and there is, as on a Pelikan, a window through which you can see the level of ink and the piston as you twist it up and down. For an 80 year old pen, it is in remarkable condition. The nib is a Shiseido branded Fine nib (like a European Extra Fine), but there is some flex.

Because I'd wartime restrictions, it could only be made of steel. The trim seems to be aluminum.