Discreet and secure anonymous shipping, with free shipping. LION (Lion) Pen Nib Dome (Spoon Pen) - One box for sale. The engraving reads: FUKUI IND CO E-F LION MADE IN JAPAN. This pen nib is still highly popular among calligraphy enthusiasts. It was previously ranked high in the recommended popularity rankings for penmanship dip pens. With spoon pens (crow quill pens), it's difficult to create variations in line thickness like with a brush. However, this pen nib opens and closes smoothly, making it relatively easy to control line thickness. Furthermore, you can achieve greater variation in line thickness depending on the angle of the pen. This pen nib is recommended for both beginners and veterans. I also enjoy penmanship, and among the rigid pen nibs like crow quill pens and Japanese character pens, this one feels somewhat softer, and I think it's suitable for people with lighter pen pressure. Therefore, it might wear out faster for those who apply more pressure. ◆About the Pen Nib Manufacturer◆ Lion pen nibs were manufactured by LION, a manufacturer of office equipment, but they are no longer in production. The manufacturing and sale of pen nibs ceased in 1996 (Heisei 8), over 20 years ago, and it's a pen nib brand that will eventually disappear. Currently, the Japanese pen nib brands on the market are Tachikawa, Nikko, and Zebra. The Nikko brand was taken over by Tachikawa, so there are only two manufacturing companies: Tachikawa and Zebra. There are also stories that the older ones are better in performance. Around 1985, during the period of rapid economic growth, the production of dip pens was 1 million gross (1 gross is 144 pieces), a astronomical number, but it shifted to ballpoint pens in government offices and banks with the trend of the times. Regarding pen nibs: In the past, there were many pen nib manufacturers, and a large number of them were produced, with many workers and skilled craftsmen. It seems that they still use the manufacturing machines from that time, and the number of workers has drastically decreased. Many of the workers who manufactured during the mass production era had high skills. I've also heard that people say the ones from that time are better. Also, chrome-colored pen nibs show less deterioration and still maintain their original performance. I also enjoy penmanship and change pen nibs depending on what I'm writing. Lion-made pens are also one of my favorite pen nibs.