In a pear tree...

The Pear Tree Pen Company, an online retailer of pens, inks and accessories, just launched its own line of luxury writing instruments. Its first, The Perdice Bradford Limited Edition fountain pen, is handmade in the US by Brian Gray of the Edison Pen Company. James Partridge, owner of Pear Tree, designed the pen with the helpful assist of Gray. It is crafted from Sheaffer rod stock from their Balance II series: Crimson Glow, Amber Glow, Cobalt Glow, Jade and Tiger Eye. I received one in Jade to test for this review, and I must say that I was very impressed, but not surprised. The pen is up to the rigorous standards of Edison, which means that it is perfectly shaped and balanced, the threading is flawless, and the material--for which I guess we should thank Sheaffer--is gorgeous. The shape is reminiscent of the Waterman Hundred Year Pen, though the size is more like the Deluxe model. The Jade is a clear and vibrant green with pearly flecks, and the other colors--though I only saw them in photos--look equally beautiful. In keeping with the overall minimalist design of the pen, the only marking on the barrel is the imprint "Perdice Bradford" with the edition number and a dot code signifying the material within the series. So, too, the clip is unadorned--springy yet sturdy. The pen features an 18-karat Edison nib: the one I tested was "Medium," and it was smooth with a bit of flex; "Fine" and "Broad" sizes are also available. There is a very limited number of pens being produced: Ten in Amber, Cobalt and Tiger, 12 in Crimson and eight in Jade, each priced at $325. A final and very interesting note about the name: "Perdice" is Italian for pear, and Bradford, of course, is a type of pear. I like the Perdice Bradford...a lot.