Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Pen World
Citation preview
0 74851 08282 9
1 0
$6.95US $7.95CAN
OCTOBER 2014
David Oscarsonʼs
15-year historycoalesces in a pen
Overwhelmedby pens? Organize your collection!
Fall PreviewDiscover the power!
The Universe of Writing Culture
1125 YYYearrrs inn ttthheee MMMMakkinng1 881 8 9 2 02 0002 1 44441
CCRROOOSSSSS..CCOOOMM
www.pelikan.com/exclusive
S P E C I A L E D I T I O N
t h e a l l n e w m e t a l l i c c o l l e c t i o nFive high-energy fi nishes with rich black accents and black, ion-coated 18-karat gold nib.
www.pilotpen.us
48
63
69
74
66
David Oscarson turns fifteenAt fifteen, Oscarson’s brand is still young butfirmly rooted and always fresh.
the poet is a penmanGet to know California poet and pen loverNeeli Cherkovski.
throw away those cigar boxesOrganize your pens! Find out how one prolificcollector does it.
going huntingPens are hot in India—and the pen hunting isfine in Delhi, Lucknow and Jaipur.
listen to the musicFranklin-Christoph offers a two-slitted musicnib that sings on paper.
what’s your bag?Hermès, known for its luxury bags andaccessories, turns its attention to writing.
material worldPaul Erano’s series finale: the fabulousmaterials of today’s pens.
father of the Jif MaticWaterman’s Jif Matic was ingenious—but itwasn’t the first of its kind.
PEN POWER!See the latest and greatest in our 22nd Annual Fall Preview of Pens!
VOLUME 27, NUMBER 6ON OUR COVER:The 15th AnniversaryAmerican Art Deco by David Oscarson
48OCTOBER
58
40
77
40
66
58
36
77
63
06
08
10
16
22
26
30
34
10
54
viewpower and pens
mail our readers speak
newspeople, places and events
showWashington D.C. Supershow
now new pens and other products
date mark your calendar
noteCindy Zimmermann
pageBehind the Wax Seal
pageMr. Ballpoint
shopWilliam Penn
network classified advertising
sourceguide to products and services
imhoalive and well
14
30
16
16
14
108
110112
34
54
2
departmentsWHAT’S HOT NOW
view
PowerPens
Ican think of no better time to pro-claim the power of the pen thanright now. A few weeks ago as of thiswriting, New York Times technology
columnist Nick Bilton’s article “Fare TheeWell, My Pen” announced that the pen isdead, the victim of the finger. “The penwill eventually become obsolete,” hesummed up. (See IMHO in this issue forone reader’s response.)
Evidence to the contrary is right herein your hands. The David Oscarsonbrand turns fifteen this year—a hugeachievement for a one-man luxury start-up. See his anniversary pen on our coverand in the story “Gathering up theYears.” And in Nicky Pessaroff ’s story“Hermès’s New Bag Is a Pen,” you willlearn that the French luxury brand isadding an entire category of pens andwriting accoutrements.
Barry Gabay’s articles about India(see “A Tale of Three Cities” and “TheFuture Has Arrived,” beginning on p. 48)describe his adventures hunting for pensamid a culture that prizes the handwrit-ten word, and Paul Erano, in the finalsegment of his series on fountain penmaterials, delves into the staggering vari-ety of pen materials that inventive makersare using today.
Collectors won’t want to miss JohnHarwood’s article on organizing a collec-tion or Richard Binder’s latest piece on
the filling systems of yesteryear. And ofcourse this is our annual Fall Previewissue—the theme for which is Pen Power.Enjoy our special section and embracethe power!
Yes, the pen is alive and well,still...but we can’t take it for granted thatthe writing culture we know and careabout so deeply will always survive. If youlove pens, whether vintage or modern,whether a certain brand or all pens, votewith your pocketbook. Support what youlove, to the extent you can.
And now, on an exceedingly sad note:just as we were preparing to go to presswith this issue of PW, we, along with therest of the pen community, were rockedby news of the sudden passing of PWcolumnist Cindy Zimmermann.
Few people seemed more full of lifethan she, and her legions of friends arenumb with grief. Few details are knownat this time, but we will publish a tributeto her in the next issue. She would wantvery much for you to enjoy her column inthis issue titled “Write Your Way to aHappier Life.” That’s just what she did inher life, as anyone who knew her is wellaware. If there was ever an advocate forthe power of the pen, it was Cindy—andshe will be terribly missed.
Winner, Best Fine Art PenPEN WORLD
Readers’ Choice Awards 2014 Tropical Fishes • 2013 Storks
Not only perfect writing instruments, but also your own
museum that is always with you.
One of a kind & limited edition pens.Custom ordered pens and desk sets.
www.artuspen.ru•[email protected]
Adorable Panda CubEmperor/magnum sizeOne-of-a-kind
Horse and EagleEmperor/magnum sizeOne-of-a-kind
TEL: +7-4932-478-111
Artus pens now available at La Couronne du Comte, The Netherlands
and
David Oscarson celebrates fifteen years of pen design.
GatheringYearsUp the
BY LAURA CHANDLER
58
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
David Oscarson FifteenthAnniversary American Art Deco,$5,600–5,800
The young Oscarsons, from left—Grant,15; Alex, 18; Anni, 10; and Max, 12. Allhave appeared in David Oscarson ads,as Anni did in this one for the Celestial.
Over the past few years, PenWorld has celebrated thecentennials of several pen
brands that have been in continuousproduction since their founding.Their achievements are nothing lessthan inspiring—not least becausethey weathered the travails of theGreat Depression, World Wars I andII, and a century’s worth of fads andfickle tastes.
This year, we celebrate withDavid Oscarson as his eponymouspen brand, established in 2000,turns fifteen. Although it’s a shorttime in comparison, it’s long enoughthat readers of PW have watched hischildren grow up in the pages of thismagazine and for Oscarson to havedesigned and brought to fruitiontwenty-two limited editions. He hascreated a highly recognizable pres-ence in the industry and he did itentirely in the digital age. He alsodid it pretty much by himself. No, he
doesn’t actually craft each individualpen—the manufacture is carried outin England, and Oscarson is basedin Saint Louis, Missouri—but hepainstakingly creates every design,makes every decision, meets thepublic at pen shows and, yes, evenanswers the telephone.
The designs themselves are wildlydivergent, even though he hasadhered to the same basic artisticconcept over the years: his entirecollection features hot enamel, oftentranslucent, the better to see theguilloché engraving underneath onthe solid silver bodies. The colorsrange from subdued to riotous, madepossible by the vibrant color that canbe achieved with hot enamel. Thinkabout the Lilies pen, with its subtle
gradations of color, which wasinspired by his young daughters’innocence and which was also atribute to an unnamed early sup-porter, a man who, Oscarson says, “is the reason I’m in business.” Now,compare the Lilies to the Valhalla,which is one of three pens that harkback to Oscarson’s Swedish ancestry.The Valhalla, decorated with runicscript and Viking images, is crude bycomparison, but authentic—Oscarson meticulously researchesevery pen. More recently, the AlfredBernhard Nobel and Carl Linnaeuspens have celebrated fellow Swedes:respectively, the establisher of theNobel Peace Prize and the eighteenth-century naturalist who developed thebinomial system of nomenclature for
59
60
plants and animals still in use today.Some of Oscarson’s pieces wereinspired by his faith, including theCelestial, which in Mormon theologyis a reference to the highest of threeheavenly kingdoms, and the Tree ofLife, named for the tree in the Bookof Mormon that gives eternal life tothose who eat of its fruit.
If these pieces seem personal,that’s because they are—unabashedlyso. Intuition might dictate that suchpieces would find a limited audience,but the evidence seems to indicateotherwise, affirming the old sayingthat the things that are most personalare most universal. Oscarson penshave twice won PW’s most presti-
gious honor—Pen of the Year in theannual Readers’ Choice Awards—forthe Lilies and Harlequin—plusanother award for Most Glamorouspen for the Diamond Seashell. Inaddition, the David OscarsonHarvest, Pierrot and Pierrette,Celestial and Harlequin pens werenamed “Best of the Best” in theRobb Report.
Over the years, Oscarson’sdesigns have grown more complex,with the technical challenges rangingfrom difficult to exceedingly difficult.One technological milestone cameearly: making the handblownEnglish leaded crystal barrel on thepen appropriately named Crystal
(2002) and incorporating it into thepen. Other more recent technicalchallenges included the overlays onthe Black Water Dragon and BlackWater Snake, and the rotating bodyof the Rosetta Stone (see “Written inStone” in our June issue.)
His first pen that included multi-ple contrasting colors of enamel, theArt Deco–styled Pierrot andPierrette, was difficult to createbecause of the color scheme.Oscarson’s signature hot enamelrequires firing in a kiln and the vari-ous colors of enamel have differentfiring temperatures because of thedifferent metal oxides in them. Atemperature of 1,000 degrees
Tree of Life and Pierrot.(Pierrette, the companionpiece for Pierrot, has awhite background.)
61
Fahrenheit is fine for heat-tolerantblue but would cause the more deli-cate greens, yellows and reds to turnbrown. Each color of enamel, then,had to be fired separately in descend-ing order of most heat-tolerant toleast. Incidentally, on the day the adfor the Pierrot and Pierrette collec-tion first hit, Oscarson says, hereceived an email with this message:“Congratulations, you’ve just ruinedyour entire collection and your repu-tation. I hate it. Sincerely yours,Anonymous.” With obvious relish,Oscarson adds, “I understand thatnot every piece is going to resonatewith every person, but the Pierrotand Pierrette sold out faster than anyof our other collections and was oneof our most successful ever.” Thevibrant Harlequin in 2011—along
with the Lilies in 2009 and the CarlLinnaeus in 2013, with the subtlegradations of color on the petals ofthe flowers—no doubt owe theirexistence to all that Oscarson learnedthrough the work done on the 2004Pierrot and Pierrette.
The Pierrot and Pierrette havebeen so important to Oscarson’soeuvre, in fact, that he describes hiscelebratory Fifteenth AnniversaryAmerican Art Deco pen in terms ofthem. “The Fifteenth Anniversarypen shows off what we can do, likethe Pierrot and Pierrette did. It’sreally a companion piece for thePierrot and Pierrette—it’s in thesame Art Deco vein.
“I’m excited about the FifteenthAnniversary piece because it’s sofunky and artsy—it’s the recognition
of everything we’ve done for the pastfifteen years,” Oscarson continues.Indeed it is, in a literal sense. Thecap and barrel incorporate guilloché
David Oscarson Lilies; cap of the Valhalla
62
engraving patterns from past pens in vibrantly enameledgeometrically shaped sections, against a pinstripe guil-loché background enameled in a contrasting color. Onthe clip are two quarter-sections of the full sunburstmotif that can be seen on the Pierrot and Pierrette.
Despite all the references to previous work, the penhas a brand new body style with a reverse taper and itlooks fresh and new—different from anything Oscarsonhas previously made. The guilloché patterns, after all, aresubtle, and only those who are highly observant or whoown other Oscarson pieces would make the connection.That is why the Fifteenth Anniversary pen can also be
seen as a tribute to Oscarson’s faithful collectors andsupporters. “These are my friends—part of my family,”Oscarson says, speaking with a discernible lump in histhroat. “It’s very humbling to create something you lovethat they also love, and I’m very grateful.”
This pen is for them.
As of press time, Oscarson still had not made his finalselections for the background colors, but the possibilitiesinclude black, white, teal, orange, blue, yellow, purpleand red. One hundred fifty will be made in each color heselects, comprising both fountain pens and rollerballs.
Pierrette
Harvest
Snake
Dragon
Henrik Wigstrom
Pierrot & Pierrette and Celestial
Crystal
Crystal
Lewis and Clark
www.pelikan.com/exclusive
L I M I T E D E D I T I O N
Raden StarlightSouverän® M1000
VARIUS RUBRACER /////
carandache.com
Caran d’Ache, Maison de Haute Ecriture,
introduces the latest addition to its Varius
collection: Varius Rubracer. Intense.
Dominant. Determined.
The Varius Rubracer exploits the qualities of
high-tech rubber with a spirit of sport and
urban living that is unmistakably masculine.
Caran d’Ache. Swiss Made excellence since 1915.
Pelikan Twist Fountain PensIt’s getting colorful... trendy fountain pens in a twisted design. If you like this new trend, colors too, then you’re ready for the Twist®. With its four unique colors and its cool design, it gives lots of variety to your life and colors up your desk. Feeling bored is history... just give it a try. The pen is enhanced with a stainless steel medium nib. Cartridge fill.
Available Finishes: Blue/Pink – Blue/Lt. Blue – Red/Green – Orange/Blue Fountain Pen #923 Our Price: $20
FOR AGES 3 TO 103!
Pelikano Beginner’s Fountain PensThis child friendly fountain pen was developed in cooperation with educational experts to help youngsters take their first steps in learning to write. The Pelikano fountain pen by Pelikan is great for new fountain pen users or seasoned fountain pen writers looking for something fun for their daily writing experience. A dynamic clip matches its barrel color, available in three color options. The pen is enhanced with a stainless steel medium nib. Cartridge fill.
Available Finishes: Red – Green – Blue Fountain Pen #924 Our Price: $25
Got Ink?Buy a dozen packs, save 20%!
Available Colors: Black – Blue Black – Royal Blue – Green Red – Burgundy – Brown Violet – Turquoise
Pack of 6 cartridges $3.95
Please call800-253-PENS
or visit WWW.FOUNTAINPENHOSPITAL.COM
and request our free 92-page catalog.
10 Warren StreetNew York, NY 10007
Please call
WW
or visit800-253-PENS
Please call
TIPSOHNEPNIATTANUOF.W
k NY 100N Yeeten Strarr10 W
92-page catalogequest our frand r
S
MOC.LATTA
07t
.eer
ROORFO
OTTO3F
SEESGGEAAGR
!301
!
ork, NY 100New Y
07
OTTO3
!301
!
Buy a
a dozen packs, save 20%!
Got Ink?
Pack
–VioletRed –
kBlacailabvA
of 6 cartridges $3.95
quoiseur– Twny – Brogund– Bureenyal Blue – Gr– Ro
k – BlueBlacColors:ble
724 263 2286 201 894 4710 [email protected] www.TotallyWorthIt.com
bonhams.com/pens
FINE WRITING INSTRUMENTS
Consignments now invited
PELIKAN
Sold for $27,500
INQUIRIES
Platinum’s popular #3776 Century Re-engineered with 21st Century Technology • Unique “Slip & Seal” cap mechanism prevents ink from drying up even after months of non-use.
• Redesigned 14 karat gold nib and feed system regulates ink flow for an ultra smooth writing experience.
• Available in solid black and rich translucent colors inspired by the French landscape:Bourgogne, Chartres Blue and Limited Edition Nice in sandblasted clear resin trimmed in pink gold.
Distributed in the U.S. by Luxury Brands LLC • 1418 Bowie Lane • Frisco, TX 75033 [email protected] • 469.888.4229 • www.luxurybrandsusa.com
Celebrating Nearly a Century of Achievementwith the New Century Collection
www.laban.com
Perfectly matching your favourite jeans: AL Sport StonewashedAvai lab le a s f oun ta in pen , ba l l pen and ro l l e rba l l
w w w . k a w e c o - p e n . c o m
Exclusive fountain
pens hand painted
in Russia
w w w.phoeni x l acquer a r t.com info@phoeni x l acquer a r t.com d i a l +31 6 54 97 24 8 8
Bat tles of NapoleonLimited edition: One of a Kind
wagram friedland
This set consists of 3 fountain pens. Images from the battlefields of Aus-terlitz, Friedland and Wagram. The handpainted paper-maché plaque (on top of the black ebony presentation-box) is an image of Napoleon inspiring his troops near Augsburg.
austerlitz
Exclusively distributed by Hampton-Haddon Marketing Corporation
4700 Wissahickon Avenue • Philadelphia, PA 19144 • 215-438-1200 • [email protected] • www.hamptonhaddon.com
Color Me Impressed. New Versa from Marquis by Waterford Writing Instruments.
Say goodbye to boring and hello to the new Marquis by Waterford Versa in four bold, bright colors. Available in a push top ball pen and a capped roller ball.
CooCN V
olloo orl ro MMf
Me Iei b
Imp
sed
d. t
erNew VVeSay goodby
om Marsa frye to boring and hello
vailable inAAv
quis byaro to th
nts.
m@hamptonhaddon.
ting Corporatio
on
.com • .hamptonhaddowww
n.com
www.wahleversharp.comAvailable at fine pen shops or online at
55
The WAHL-EVERSHARP™100-Year Commemorative
Collection Celebrating a Century of
Great Pen Making
The Limited Edition SKYSCRAPER™ – iconic symbol of America’s
entrepreneurial spirit, lavishly guilloched to capture the essence of
the SkyScraper. Plus four classic Skyline designs in Standard and
14K Gold Nib Deluxe Editions: Mosaic • Black & Pearl • Taffy Stripe
Phila
delph
ia Pe
n Show Buy • Sell • Trade
January 16-18, 2015Sheraton Philadelphia
Downtown Hotel17th & Race Streets
Philadelphia, PAAdmission $10 per day
Trader’s Pass $45
Visc
onti H
omo
Sapie
ns C
rysta
l Fou
ntain
Pen
Philadelphia Pen Show
For more information see www.PhiladelphiaPenShow.com
108
(714) 408-7574
PENTOOLING.comVintage Fountain Pens & Tools For Restoring Them
PENTOOLING.comTM
Shop at our website and email your requests to [email protected] Eschenbach, Acculux, and other well made Illuminated Loupes
PENTOOPPENTOOPENTOO
OLING comOLING comOLINGTMTM
mmm
PENTOOenin Paountage FFointVVi
PENTOOPENTOO
OLING.comoring Theestor Rols FFoons & TTo
OLING.comOLING.com
mmem
mm
network
“90 YEARS OF KNOWING WHAT’S WRITE”
Fred P. KrinkePRESIDENT
Tuesday–Friday, 9-4 • Most Saturdays, 10-3 • Call to Verify
2640 S. Myrtle Ave, Unit 12Monrovia, CA 91016
Phone: (626) 294-9974Fax: (626) 294-0576
E-Mail: [email protected]
Bertram�s InkwellFall Pen Fair
Saturday, November 1, 201411:00 a.m 5:00 p.m.
Come visit us at 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 109 • Rockville, MD 20852
301.468.6939 • [email protected]
ZZZZZZZ
writepensink.comwritepensink.com
WritePensInkWritePensInkCustom pens made with real luxury watch [email protected]
989.284.8871
109
Descr ip t ion Retai l
$2990.00
Buy Option
Click thebuy button
Click thebuy button
Click thebuy button
Click the
S. T. Dupont Shanghai LimitedEdition fountain pen
S. T. Dupont Place Vendome L.Edition fountain pen 481047
S. T. Dupont Place VendomeLimited Edition Roller pen 482047
. T. Dupont Samourai Limited.
We make writing an enjoyable experienceThe Ink FlowFine Pen Retailers
TM
COLLECTIONS HOMEHOME ORDER INFOORDER INFO TRACKINGTRACKING LINKSLINKS CONTACTCONTACT F. A. Q.F. A. Q. CARTCART
ACMEACMEANCORAANCORAAURORAAURORABEXLEYBEXLEYCARAN d’ACHECARAN d’ACHECOLIBRICOLIBRICONWAY STEWARTCONWAY STEWARTCROSSCROSS
$2500 00
B u yB u y
B u yB u y
B u yB u y
B u yB u y
Your Pr [email protected]
210.493.6135
The Matchmaker
Susan’s Show Calendar: www.susanwirth.com/[email protected] • 414.702.8442
Find the fountain pen that makes your writing look great!
See Susan Wirth at a pen show near you.
Pen World 1988-2014
To order: email [email protected] • online at penworld.com Pen World • P.O. Box 550246 • Houston,TX 77255
Phone 713.869.9997
Colorado Pen Show
Analog tools for your digital world
October 11–12, 2014DoubleTree Denver–Stapleton North
4040 Quebec St., Denver, CO 80216Reservations: 303.321.6666
Saruday 10:00 –6:00 • Sunday 10:00–5:00
Admission: $5/day • Children under 12 free
Susan Wirth Workshop: Sunday, 11:00 am
Why some fountain pens make anyone’s writing look good
Daily door prize drawings
Sponsored by
Argent Blue • Two Hands Paperie
Ryan Krusac Studios
Show Host: Ed Capizzi
303.963.6652
Order back issues featuring your favoritetopics. $9.95 plus S&H. Rare issues, $15.95.
Discounts for bulk orders. Order [email protected] or call 713.869.9997.
ColoradoPenShow.comColoradoPenShow.com
