Vietnamese Lacquer Fountain Pen – Mộc Essential

Vietnamese Lacquer Fountain Pen – Mộc Essential

With the mission of offering a premium yet accessible lacquer fountain pen that remains true to traditional values, ConCoPens proudly presents Mộc Essential – a signature piece from the Mộc Collection.

Inspired by simplicity and elegance, this pen features a refined, minimalist color palette and a flawlessly hand-polished lacquer finish. The result is a masterpiece that blends practical writing utility with the timeless artistry of authentic Vietnamese lacquer craft.

Mộc Essential is the perfect introduction to traditional lacquer fountain pens – a piece that belongs in every writing journey.

Personal engraving is available, allowing you to add a name or a short message to elevate this already-unique pen into a truly personal companion for everyday use.

1. Materials of the Vietnamese Lacquer Fountain Pen – Mộc Essential

Vietnamese traditional lacquerware is a sophisticated surface-decorating technique that creates rich textures and effects through a meticulous layering and polishing process. Each Mộc Essential pen is handcrafted using distinctive tools and natural materials, including:

• The Pen Core: The inner body of the pen is carefully selected and handcrafted by artisans using precious native Vietnamese hardwoods such as Ebony (Mun), Rosewood (Trắc), Dalbergia (Cẩm), and Agarwood (Hương).

• Tam Nong Lacquer Resin (Sơn Ta Tam Nông): This is the key material used to create the outer lacquer surface. Extracted from the lacquer trees of Tam Nông, Phú Thọ, it acts as both the main binding agent and the defining feature of authentic Vietnamese lacquer art.

• Traditional Lacquer Colors: The deep, rich hues – especially the iconic cockroach-wing brown (màu sơn cánh gián) – are achieved using time-honored pigments and additives, unique to Vietnamese lacquer techniques.

• Artisan Tools: The artisan applies the lacquer and patterns using fine brushes, feather strands, or even bare hands, creating subtle textures and delicate visual details on the pen’s surface.

• Polishing Technique: For single-color pens like Mộc Essential, after each drying stage, the surface is hand-polished using xoan charcoal powder – made from burning and grinding Chinaberry (xoan) wood – to achieve an exceptionally smooth and lustrous finish.

2. The Lacquer Fountain Pen Crafting Process at ConCoPens

At ConCoPens, the creation of a traditional Vietnamese lacquer fountain pen follows a meticulous, multi-step process rooted in heritage and refined craftsmanship. The key stages include:

• Shaping the Pen Body and Cap: Carefully selected hardwood is kiln-dried, then turned and drilled to form the basic structure of the pen and cap.

• Smoothing the Wooden Core: The surface of the wooden core is finely sanded to ensure optimal adhesion of the lacquer layers.

• Fitting Brass Threads & Pre-Polishing: Brass threads are installed, and the wooden body is polished to prepare for the lacquer application.

• Applying the Base Lacquer Layers: Initial layers of lacquer are applied to build a foundation for subsequent coats. These layers ensure strong bonding and durability.

• Creating Decorative Motifs: Once the base lacquer is fully cured, artisans may apply traditional decorative materials such as gold leaf, silver, mother-of-pearl, or eggshell. Using specialized tools, they craft distinctive Vietnamese patterns—alternatively, for minimalist models, this step is skipped to preserve the pen’s clean, single-tone look.

• Layering & Polishing the Lacquer: Multiple coats of lacquer are added and meticulously hand-polished to achieve a refined glossy or matte finish, depending on the design.

• Final Surface Finishing: The final polish is done using xoan charcoal powder (made from Chinaberry wood), yielding an exceptionally smooth and lustrous surface.

3. The Value of Handcrafted Lacquer Pens

As a handcrafted item produced through traditional methods, each lacquer pen requires a high level of precision and craftsmanship, which contributes to its unique value. Lacquer pens are highly valuable across various fields, including:

• Culture: Through lacquer pens, the traditional Vietnamese lacquer art is more distinctly recognized both domestically and internationally. Alongside traditional lacquer products like paintings, boxes, vases, and plates, the creation and use of lacquer pens help preserve the beauty of Vietnamese handicrafts.

• Education: Lacquer pens are used in education to help students understand the history and cultural heritage of Vietnam, as well as to develop writing and drawing skills.

• Decoration and Gifts: Lacquer pens are utilized for decorating homes and offices or as meaningful gifts for friends and family. These products are often valued for their aesthetic appeal and their historical and cultural significance.

With its uniqueness and high value, CONCOPENS lacquer pens offer both spiritual and practical benefits. For any questions or advice, please contact our hotline at +84 933.898.289 or +84 966.88.6492. CONCOPENS is here to assist you.