The Chinese lacquering is a masterpiece of craftsmanship: the body of the pen is given several coats, first red then black. The result is a truly dramatic contrast as the fire-red dragon seems to explode out of an infinity of intense black. The Maison de Haute Ecriture has joined with the contemporary Chinese artist, Li Qiang Sheng to create the image of the dragon and add his signature. 'Year of the Dragon' has been produced in a total of 888 individually numbered pieces since 8 is considered a lucky number in China.