August 19, 2008

A Patron with Passion

Each year, Montblanc pays homage to a renowned art patron from the past with a specially designed limited-edition pen. This year, the German pen maker immortalizes François I, crowned King of France in 1515. With a passionate appreciation for art, architecture, and literature, he was instrumental in attracting some of the most important Italian artists to France—including Leonardo da Vinci.

The Renaissance-style gilded clip, crown, and decorative bands on the pen perfectly complement the jet-black resin cap and warm-brown tiger eye barrel. The tiger eye is of particular significance, since François I wore this stone as an amulet throughout his lifetime. Priced at $3,000, the Montblanc Patron of the Arts François I limited-edition fountain pen (4,810 pieces available worldwide) features a hand-engraved 18-karat gold nib decorated with three lilies signifying the French Royal House of Valois. (800.995.4810, www.Montblanc.com)

—Nancy Olson

July 29, 2008

Omas’ Flight of the Phoenix

To commemorate the summer Olympics in Beijing, Omas is introducing the Flight of the Phoenix collection of fountain and rollerball pens. The Chinese phoenix, or fenghuang, a symbol of unity, is rendered in bold lacquer on the pen’s barrel, and the Parthenon, Greece’s finest temple, is on the cap. These two great civilizations are thereby symbolically joined to create the whole of the pen, with a stylized Greek key band marking the place where they meet. The Beijing Summer Palace is engraved on the 18-karat gold nib, and jade crowns the cap. The limited-edition collection comes in a variety of color and precious-metal combinations—including a platinum and diamond edition of just eight fountain pens, each priced at $60,000. (516.741.0011, www.omas.com)

—Nancy Olson

July 15, 2008

Dunhill’s Canine Expression

A symbol of Great Britain’s invincible spirit, the bulldog is an iconic element within Dunhill’s repertoire of luxury accessories. It dates back to the turn of the 20th century when the British-based brand sold bulldog car mascots to Edwardian motorists. And today, it takes center stage in the Alfred Dunhill Bulldog collection of products—from paperweights to key rings, cuff links to pens.   

The limited-edition Bulldog Fountain Pen is black resin with sterling silver appointments—including the face of the canine poised on the crown. The cap is encircled with two rings, each reminiscent of a studded dog collar, and the clip is in the shape of a paw. Priced at $3,450, it is available at Dunhill boutiques and select retailers. A limited edition of hand-carved onyx Bulldog Cufflinks is also available. (800.776.4053, www.dunhill.com)

—Nancy Olson

June 24, 2008

Outer Space Odyssey

The limited-edition Omas Marte fountain pen references man’s fascination with Mars. Made from rose gold and precious gems, the pen’s surface is a miniature map of the red planet, replete with craters and canyons. Olympus Mons, the highest point, and Hellas Planitia, the lowest point, are among the topographical features that are visible. Two carats of brilliant-cut diamonds on each end conjure polar ice, and four rubies set on the sculpted cap and barrel mark the landing spots of U.S.- and Soviet-launched probes. The edition comprises only 30 pens, each priced at $43,000. Marte is the final piece in Omas’ Man’s Journey series. It follows Merveille du Monde, Apollo 11, Atlantide, and Gaia. (516.741.0011, www.omas.com)

—Nancy Olson 

June 3, 2008

Tibaldi Gears up With Bentley Motors

Italian pen maker Tibaldi has teamed with Bentley Motors for a special- edition collection that pays homage to the venerable automaker. The Continental Collection features distinct details reflective of the car company’s well-known continental design. The detail along the pen barrel and cap, for example, resembles the knurled bands of the switch gear on the car’s interior, and the engraved retaining clip on the cap is the same typeface seen on the engine bay. The collection, available in signature Bentley colors, includes a fountain pen for $2,500 (shown), ballpoint for $1,500, and roller ball for $2,000. The collection can be purchased at any Bentley Motors dealer and through Tibaldi pen dealers. (www.tibaldi.it)

―Alexandra Foster

April 15, 2008

A Revered Art

The art of Japanese porcelain making is at the core of Sailor’s Arita writing instruments. Named for the city that gave birth to this art form in Japan more than 400 years ago, the Arita features hand painting on porcelain—a first for Sailor. One of the collection’s six traditional designs, the Koimari-Cherry fountain pen (shown) features a floral motif in vivid shades of blue and red. The porcelain for the cap and barrel is crafted in much the same way as in the Edo period (1603-1868), during which highly accomplished artisans produced wares reserved for the royal courts and nobility. The Arita fountain pens, with 21-karat gold nibs, are priced between $1,500 and $3,000. (www.sailorpen.com)

―Nancy Olson

April 1, 2008

An Expressive Collaboration

Omas and Maserati, both founded in Bologna, Italy, set out to create a sleek expression of their respective craftsmanship. The result is the Omas for Maserati fountain pen, which is a masterful interpretation of the Italian brand’s iconic GranTurismo automobile. Created in sterling silver, the satin-finished cap is crowned with a rendering of the car’s famous front grill, and side vents are engraved on either side of the aerodynamic clip. The barrel is decorated with a linear design emphasizing the conical form of the pen, perfectly contrasting the hexagonal shape of the highly polished filling knob. The limited-edition series of 1,200 fountain pens, each with an 18-karat gold nib, and 714 roller-ball pens, are priced respectively at $2,950 and $2,750. (www.omas.com)

―Nancy Olson

March 18, 2008

Italian Art in Writing

Trevi Fountain, one of Rome’s most famous sculptural masterpieces, is immortalized in the Trevi collection of pens from Stipula. This Florentine pen maker, known for its exquisite metalwork, has imbued each piece with the spirit of its namesake, creating masterpieces of its own in 18-karat gold and sterling silver. Each pen is a one-of-a-kind sculpture, with highly polished enamel in watercolor shades of blue and green complementing the matte-finished cast metal. Trevi is part of Stipula’s Academia project, wherein the Italian Renaissance is explored each year through the medium of the pen, using authentic Florentine craftsmanship to create each collection. The gold fountain pen is priced at $14,800 and the silver, $5,000. (www.stipula.com)

―Nancy Olson

March 4, 2008

Fit for Royalty

The private salon of Countess Ottilie von Faber (1877-1944) was the inspiration for this year’s Graf von Faber-Castell Pen of the Year. The countess was the wife of Count Alexander zu Castell-Rudenhausen, who became head of Faber-Castell in 1900. Ottilie’s grandfather Lothar, great grandson of the founder, stipulated in his will that all successors must bear the name Faber. Thus the new company name, Faber-Castell, came about when Alexander and Ottilie married at the turn of the century. Inspired by the Indian satinwood paneling in the countess’ salon at the family castle in Stein, Germany, along with the herringbone pattern on her writing desk, the company’s new handmade satinwood pen replicates the same pattern. Priced at $3,000, each pen in this limited series, which is for sale exclusively in 2008, is crowned with a faceted citrine. (www.fabercastell.com) 

―Nancy Olson

February 19, 2008

New York Nostalgia

New York aristocrats commissioned work from some of the most talented French designers and architects during the 1930s and 1940s, creating a chronicle of exquisite architecture along Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue. Inspired by this rich era, S. T. Dupont has conceived a legacy of its own in the New York Fifth Avenue collection. Approximately 160 hours are required to create each $2,400 taupe- and chocolate-colored lacquer fountain pen, which is hand gilded with pale-gold high relief that features a globe design inspired by the 1936 statue of Atlas at Rockefeller Center. The openwork clip and 18-karat-gold nib further enhance the design in the true spirit of French art de vivre. There are just 1,929 pieces in the collection to honor the year Lucien Tissot Dupont, son of S. T. Dupont’s founder, first traveled from France to New York. (www.st-dupont.com)

―Nancy Olson

January 29, 2008

Penned with Admiration

The latest creation from David Oscarson, the Wildwood, Missouri-based artistic pen maker, comes from his research into the life of Jacques DeMolay, who served as the 23^rd and final grand master of the Knights Templar, a group sanctioned by the Catholic Church in 1128 to guard the road between Jerusalem and Acre, an important Israeli port on the Mediterranean Sea. DeMolay may seem like strange inspiration for a handcrafted pen, but the Frenchman gained iconic status as a martyr when he was executed in 1307. Captivated by the story, Oscarson created a limited-edition pen that features details such as the spiral pattern on the barrel that replicates the Apprentice’s Pillar, a Templar symbol made famous in the The DaVinci Code; the Templar’s sword, which serves as the cap’s pen clip; and DeMolay’s name is engraved on the bottom of the writing instrument. The fountain model is $4,500, and roller style is $4,300. (636.458.4345, www.davidoscarson.com)

―Alexandra Foster

December 18, 2007

Dunhill Pays Homage to the Noble Kingfisher

Inspired by the mating rituals of the Kingfisher bird, Alfred Dunhill’s latest pen series illustrates the story of the male proposing to his mate at a riverbed surrounded by blooming pink flowers. Designed by Namiki maki-e master Seiki Chida, the Dunhill-Namiki Kingfisher pens are hand-painted using the centuries-old Japanese technique of maki-e lacquering. It takes at least six months to complete each maki-e design, which is achieved by sprinkling layer after layer of colored gold or silver dust over a design that is drawn on the barrel and cap with sap from the urushi (Japanese lacquer) tree. A limited edition of 25 pens will be created at approximately $112,000 each and will be available at Alfred Dunhill boutiques in February. (www.dunhill.com)

—Alexandra Foster

December 4, 2007

Time to Write

Caran D’Ache, the 200-year-old French company that produces handmade writing instruments, pays tribute to precision Swiss watchmaking with its 1010 Limited Edition Series. The pens are designed to reflect the delicate mechanisms of a fine timepiece: A transparent body is encased by two cages featuring gear wheels and bridges. Other familiar watch components include a cap designed like a wristwatch crown, a clip resembling a watch hand, and each piston pump is set with a ruby replicating the winding crown. The name, 1010, appropriately symbolizes 10 minutes past 10, the time that watchmakers say the image of the dial is in perfect balance. Five hundred numbered pens are being created for $19,000 each. The 10 solid-gold versions for $120,000 each have already sold out. (www.carandache.com)

—Kelly Thacher

November 1, 2007

London’s Smythson Brings Proper Etiquette to Beverly Hills

November 1, 2007

Cartier’s Newest Lovebirds

In its quest to celebrate the art of love, Cartier (known for its iconic Love jewelry) created a limited-edition series of his-and-hers lovebird fountain pens. The exclusive Inséperables de Cartier hand-lacquered male and female lovebird pens are $210,000 a set, and only 10 will be created. Each handcrafted pen is set with more than 400 pavé diamonds in 18-karat gold with sapphire or emerald eyes. A labor of love, it takes more than 300 hours to create each pen. (800.227.8437, www.cartier.com)

—Skye Mayring