It's all about the written word...
Celebrating three years in publication. Thank you for visiting often!
Looking back to the brand’s
heritage of outfitting grand tours, dunhill presents the second Sentryman
Explorer pen. Three interchangeable nibs, each with a bayonet closure, provide
the owner with the choice of an18-karat gold fountain nib, pencil or ballpoint
depending on mood or demand. However, the true magic of this particular writing
instrument is the fact that it is also a torch.
Simply remove the tip of the barrel, and let there be light! This design
is a clear reference to the “bag light” that Alfred Dunhill created and patented in the
early 1900s. In an attempt to assist his wife to find her lipstick during the
ballet, he created a device whereby when the bag was opened a light would
automatically come on. (Wow...just like my refrigerator!) The pen is made from a patent pending gunmetal grey
PVD-coated carbon fiber. Limited to 150 pieces, each dunhill Sentryman Explorer
II is numbered and presented in a black lacquered Alfred Dunhill box with a
limited edition certificate. It is priced at $3,400.
The Bexley Corona collection comprises four new colors: Lemon Meringue, Blueberry Cream, Summer Storm, or Summer Sunset. All models come with black grip sections, and black accents at the top of the cap and bottom of the barrel. You may choose either gold-plated or rhodium-plated trim--and, you get to choose your filling system, too: a piston-filled system or a cartridge- or converter-filled system. But wait...the choices don't end here. Would you like a gold-plated two-tone stainless steel nib in fine, medium or broad size, or an 18-karat gold nib in fine, medium, broad or broad stub size? A rollerball version in any of the colors and trim choices is also available. The fountain pen with a steel nib is priced at $185 and the rollerball, $169.
And another great pen event at Dromgoole's last night... David Oscarson was in Houston to formally introduce his new Harlequin collection, and Larry Dromgoole hosted an enjoyable evening at his store to showcase the pens. Larry is the quintessential host, visiting with his many guests with attention and warmth. And David is the perfect face of his brand, since each of his products is an expression of his design sense and ethos. The David Oscarson Harlequin collection is a natural, following the Pierrot and Pierrette collection of several years ago. You may remember that Pierrot, of Commedia del Arte fame, was left heartbroken after Harlequin stole the heart of his love Columbine. The collection is available as a fountain pen or rollerball in sapphire, onyx, pearl, emerald and ruby (pictured). Dromgoole's has been a pen mainstay in the Houston area for many years, and the store carries all the major pen brands. It also carries William Henry knives (and pens) and a broad collection of stationery and agendas. The staff exemplifies southern hospitality at its finest. And the pizza was good, too.
The second new pen collection from Chilton, which will be released in August, is the 1923. Available in navy blue, Regal Burgundy and Sunrise Yellow, the collection is available in a fountain pen with a steel medium nib and a ballpoint pen. The fountain pen is priced at $110 and the ballpoint, $90.The 1923 joins the Chilton Stylewriter as the brand's late summer introductions, both of which may be seen at the upcoming Washington, DC, pen show.
Two new Chilton pen collections will be released this August, one of which is the Stylewriter. It is available in three modes--fountain pen, rollerball pen, and ballpoint--and four colors: Spring Green, Fire Engine Red (shown), Royal Blue and Lemon Yellow. The fountain pen is priced at $50, the rollerball at $45, and the ballpoint at $40. Chilton was founded in 1923 in Boston, Massachusetts, and moved to New York later in the decade. It ceased operation in 1943 and was revived in 2009 by Harpen Brands. Current collections include the Wingflow and Golden Quill collection. Follow the link for lots of great information about the history of the bran and a virtual peek at the pens. The complete Chilton collection will be shown at the upcoming Washington, DC, pen show in mid-August.
The Franklin-Christoph 33 Abditus is $275 with a high-performance steel nib or $350 with an 18-karat gold nib. It is also available as a rollerball for $250. Abditus, which is Latin for "hidden" or "secret," features a design in which the entire pen barrel is concealed within the long cap. Crafted from acrylic, the pen is 5.44 inches capped (the cap length is 5.14 inches and the barrel length is 4.90 inches). The fountain pen is cartridge or converter filled, and nib selections include fine, medium and broad; specialty nibs in x-fine, medium italic, medium stub, broad italic and broad stub are also available. The spring-loaded clip is argentium sterling silver. The collection is made in the USA, and Franklin-Christoph offers free Priority Mail shipping--good deal.
I've never met a Pilot Vanishing Point fountain pen I didn't like, and others agree, making it one of Pilot's bestselling higher-end pens. Melding the great writing pleasure of a fountain pen with the ease of a click-type pen (a simple click of the button extends the 18-karat nib), the Vanishing Point has gained near-cult status probably because of the amazing array of colors that have been introduced over the years and because of the affordable price--$225 these days. In September another limited edition makes its debut, this time in pink. As usual, nib sizes include fine, medium and broad. In my experience, the Vanishing Point's nib sizes tend to be a little finer than you might be used to, so order accordingly. The pen comes in a matching case.
Celebrate the holiday with some barbecue, fireworks and the Aurora limited edition America pen collection in red, white and blue resin. There are 7,500 fountain pens, 7,500 ballpoint pens, 5,500 rollerball pens and 999 sketch pens in the collection, and each is numbered. There are 99 full sets available. Other details include a red jasper gemstone on the crown and patriotic engravings on the clip and band. The piston-filled fountain pen has an 18-karat gold nib. Prices range from $525 for the ballpoint to $995 for the fountain pen.
