New Opportunities

I'm really thrilled to be part of the team at Quill & Pad--an excellent and intelligent  site devoted to watches and other luxury accessories. Please take a look…often.

http://quillandpad.com/2014/10/10/putting-the-quill-in-quill-pad-introducing-resident-pen-expert-nancy-olson/

Krone Pays Tribute to Napoleon Bonaparte

The Krone pen company pays tribute to the legacy of Napoleon Bonaparte with a richly gilded fine writing instrument. The cap and barrel feature highly detailed hand-painted portraits framed with gold leaf fleur-de-lis, which is finely sculpted using Krone’s signature micro-chiseling process.  Atop the clip is an ornate bronze fleur-de-lis, and a coin atop the cap encapsulates a piece of wood from Napoleon’s actual chair in which he sat upon at the time of the battle of Waterloo in 1815.

The collection is vailable in a worldwide limited edition of 88 piston-filled fountain pens and 28 rollerballs, each with bronze accents.  

Montblanc Worldsecond

The Montblanc Worldsecond, a unique mobile app inviting people all over the world to capture everyday moments at the same time in photographic snapshots, has reached its final destination. The prize for best Worldsecond Photo as voted by the public was awarded to a Spanish entry, and a participant from Belgium was recognized by the jury for his Worldsecond Gallery, compiled from pictures selected from the Worldsecond entries. Armed with their smartphones and the unique Worldsecond App, participants from 90 countries, shared their individual take on our world’s everyday life each time the app’s self-timer triggered the cameras on their phones. Users were also invited to tell their stories by creating photo galleries from all uploaded Worldsecond photos. The result of the Montblanc Worldsecond photo project is an extraordinary mosaic of different perspectives, impressions and moments from around the globe. The winner of the Worldsecond Photo receives a Montblanc TimeWalker Twinfly Chronograph and the winner of the Worldsecond Gallery takes home the Montblanc TimeWalker Chrono Voyager UTC.

Lincoln Resurrected

A company’s archives always provide a wealth of information and frequently fascinating finds. Such was the case when the owners of Curtis Australia—during a bout of fall (yes, it’s fall in Australia) organizing—came upon an amazing discovery.

“We noticed a mysterious sealed and padded bag hidden in a far corner of our vault, underneath a large quantity of paperwork,” says Heather Curtis of a find she and her husband, Glenn, recently made.

“When we opened the bag we found 60 sterling silver Abraham Lincoln pen overlays we had produced. Needless to say, we were absolutely stunned,” she continues. “It was like uncovering buried treasure.”

Treasure indeed. The mold for these overlays had been publicly destroyed at Fahrney’s pen store in Washington, D.C. in July of 2009, insuring that the number of pens produced would be clearly limited. And while this new discovery will not affect the number in the edition, additional—and unexpected—pens are now available.

Ironically coinciding with the 12 Oscar nominations Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln received, as well as the Best Actor award it garnered for Daniel Day-Lewis in its title role at this year’s Academy Awards, this misplaced cache was indeed a fortuitous find. Lincoln, released with much acclaim late last year, is a revealing drama focusing on the sixteenth US President’s tumultuous final months in office.

Currently, the Curtis Australia Presidential series comprises three limited edition pens, including Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, in addition to Lincoln. Each of the pens is embellished with a finely sculpted sterling silver overlay that includes the likeness of its namesake, as well as pertinent details reminiscent of his life and work. Each is handcrafted using the lost-wax casting method of production, a hallmark of fine jewelry making.

Pen collectors, history buffs, and movie fans alike will undoubtedly be delighted to hear the news of more Lincoln pens on the horizon. Write Info@curtisaustralia.com for more information.

Curtis Australia is a Melbourne-based jewelry and pen atelier known for its handmade luxury products. Its heritage traces to the 1890s, when leather goods were first made by founding members of the same family in rural Australia—goods with a reputation for durability and quality. Almost a hundred years ago jewelry became the focus, and the company has evolved into the prestigious Curtis Australia brand, offering a wide selection of luxury pens, jewelry and accessories. 

Looking for entries...

Send me a short essay--around 400 words--about an event in your life wherein a pen made a difference. Did you receive a letter that changed your life? Did you write one that altered the course of your history? How about the emotional value of a journal during a difficult period in your life? Perhaps you saw handwritten documents at a museum that somehow touched you. Have you received a pen from a loved one that became a cherished talisman in your life? Let your mind wander.

I'm planning a book about the value of the handwritten word, and I'd like to include your story. Drop me a note via this site and I'll send guidelines and submission details to your email address within the next several weeks. Deadline for entries will be sometime late spring of 2013; publication date of book to be determined. Thanks, fellow pen lovers. I'll keep you posted.

Another vote for the written word....

Handwritten mail delivers more cheer than an electronic exchange, according to a recent study. And it also can lesson the emotional load of unknown or frightening circumstances. In a study of 193 soldiers recently returned from deployment, those who received letters from family and friends had fewer symptoms of post-traumatic stress than those who had communicated through email, instant messaging and video chat. "These days, letters are relatively rare, so writing and sending one is a sign of commitment," says coauthor of the study Howard Markman, Ph.D., University of Denver. In addition, since letters may be re-read, they may help a person feel connected to loved ones when lonely or in need of support. So keep writing.

Based on the Conway Stewart Belliver, the Poinsettia Special Edition of fifty pens features a mix of deep burgundy, brick red and black veins splashed with traces of iridescent green. Set off with gold trim, the colors of the Poinsettia Special Edition conjure the holidays, making it the perfect pen for those last-minute cards or as a gift. It is available as a fountain pen or rollerball; the cartridge- or converter-filled fountain pen has an 18-karat nib in extra fine, fine, medium, broad, extra broad, italic fine, italic medium and italic broad. The fountain pen is priced at $490 and the rollerball at $460.