Pen World V30.2

The Universe of Writing Culture

30th

Anniversary 1987-2017

Cross stands against violence with Liberty United Maxim’s masterpieces: lacquered luxury from

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170 YEARS IN N THE MA AKING THE CR ROSS ® 2 1S T C E N TU U R Y LIMITED EDITIO ON 21K T S OL ID -G OLD P E N

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FEBRUARY

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VOLUME 30, NUMBER 2

ON OUR COVER: Cross Classic Century Liberty United ballpoint pen Rhythm & Hues ©2016 Mural Arts Philadelphia/Brad Carney Photo by Steve Weinik. Reprinted by permission.

50 swords into ploughshares

Cross and Peter Thum once again partner with a pen that benefits at risk youth.

28 all about blogs

The fore-parents of current pen bloggers and their (virtually) living legacy.

32 rust belt restorers

Mike and Linda Kennedy of Indy-Pen-Dance make old pens work like new.

46 maximum luxury

Artus Pens celebrates Russian culture and artistry for a global audience.

55 the air in there

Sheaffer Pen Co. reinvented the pneumatic filler. Richard Binder explains how.

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58 cool as sharks with lasers

Tuff Writer reimagines the “clicky pen,” and ballpoints will never be the same.

62 a truly American Pen Company Bob Melvin of coloradopen.com introduces a new American pen brand for the masses.

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43 an honor to be nominated

It’s time to cast your vote in the annual Readers’ Choice Awards.

departments 06 view 08 mail

love, Pen World

our readers speak

10 news

people, places, and events

16 now 22 date

new pens and other products

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mark your calendar

24 show

Philadelphia, Ohio, and Los Angeles

26 contest

winners of the American Dream essay contest

36 pages 40 shop 65 contributors To Any Soldier

Timmermans 1845 of Belgium

meet the writers

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source guide to products and services

imho pens have personalities

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L É M A N

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PW

BY NICKY PESSAROFF

’m teaching myself romance for my wife’s sake. It’s a direct reaction to a subliminal challenge—specifically, when she told me a few years back that I don’t possess a romantic bone in my body. (Little does she know that my left scapula is pure, ossified romance. The right scapula, however, is wholly self-absorbed.)

I come by my lack of romance genetically. My father, who worshipped my mother, learned romance the hard way. He once made the sitcom dad–like mistake of buying my mother a kitchen appliance for their anniversary. Another time, he failed to make a reservation for their anniversary dinner, and the whole family had to eat Hebrew National hotdogs at the Costco next door. Both times, he made up for it in diamonds.

Diamonds are pretty, but romance isn’t an object, it’s an action—noun and verb.

My wife’s favorite gifts are the photo montages and letters I’ve written her, objects that communicate sentiments that diamonds just can’t.

In the 1990s, alternative singer-songwriter Liz Phair released a song in which she opines, “I want a boyfriend. I want all that stupid old s*** like letters and sodas.” While the epithet might be unnecessary to some, the idea holds. There’s an innocent romanticism in the idea of classic American love, where letters allow a heartfelt and unique expression.

And love, by its nature, is multiple in its forms and expressions.

It’s just as valid for me to say that I love Pen World as it is to say that I love my wife and son, but it goes without saying to you—the reader/interpreter of these words—that I’m talking about two different types of love. One is the love for the two people who complete my soul, the other is a love for an object I deeply respect that allows me to communicate with a group of like-minded individuals. I have no desire to buy Pen World a diamond necklace, but I love this magazine and everything it’s given me, just as you do.

For 30 years, Pen World has documented the love we all have for writing instruments and the amazing levels of creativity that a well-crafted pen showcases; or the ways that a reliable flow of wet ink lets us write that letter in personalized penmanship that expresses who we are just as much as do the words we use.

In 2017, we celebrate 30 years of Pen World, but more important, we celebrate 30 years of Pen World readers, because you are the reason we still exist. Magazines that were staples for decades have folded or only exist online. Meanwhile, PW is still going strong, with the same production values and attention to visual and editorial detail that have set us apart from the other niche luxury magazines.

When I speak to readers, they tell me how great the photography looks, how much they enjoy the voices of our writers, how impressed they are by the offerings of the brands we cover. When readers talk about PW, their eyes gloss over and get that far-away look that bespeaks a long-standing romantic relationship with a trusted friend. And we’re talking about a few dozen pieces of paper with a bunch of words on them!

Around 25 years ago, Liz Phair lamented the destruction of romantic love. I think she was just reading the wrong magazine. Not to get sentimental, but for 30 years, your love has kept Pen World going.

Thank you, gentle reader. The feeling is mutual.

Cross and Liberty United bring attention to gun violence in the United States with a new pen.

Being the

BY LAURA CHANDLER

R

Change

ecently, a story that made national headlines brought me to tears. A three-year-old boy was shot and killed in a road rage incident in Little Rock, Arkansas, because his grandmother, who was driving the car, wasn’t moving fast enough to suit the guy behind her. The man got out of his car and opened fire. I kept thinking of my own grandson, who is about the same age as the precious child whose life was taken.

Most gun violence never makes the headlines, national or otherwise; it’s a reality that many people live with day in and day out, year after year. The problem is now so pervasive that it’s been called a public health crisis by the American Medical Association, yet there is no consensus when it comes to solutions.

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In our June 2016 issue (see “A Pen with a Purpose”), we reported that the A. T. Cross Company teamed up with Fonderie 47, an organization founded by American entrepreneur Peter Thum, in a pen venture that helps remove illicit AK-47s from some of the most turbulent regions in Africa. In this partnership, Cross produced its Peerless fountain pen in a special version that incorporates decorative details in steel obtained from confiscated AK-47s.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each Cross Peerless Fonderie 47 pen is used to fund the destruction of ten more illicit AK-47s.

Now, in a logical extension of that project, Cross partners with Liberty United—another organization established by Thum—to help address the gun violence

Cross Classic Century Liberty United uses confiscated guns to create a classic Cross ballpoint. Each pen features the serial number of a gun used to make the body of the pen. Twenty percent of proceeds goes toward philanthropist Peter Thum’s (prior page) Liberty United non-profit organization.

problem in the United States. Again, Cross has produced a special version of one of its most popular models, this time the Classic Century ballpoint, with decorative details made from the steel of illegal guns. By law, these guns must be destroyed, a process that represents an expense to the communities.

Liberty United transforms this material, which has no value (or even negative value), into an opportunity for pen lovers not only to own a great pen but also to help children threatened by gun violence. Purchasers of the pen instantly become philanthropists: 20 percent of the profits from every sale goes to support the work of Liberty United, whose primary aim is not to remove guns but to protect and educate at-risk children and teens across the United States who are living in communities with high levels of gun violence. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that, on average, more than 17,000 children and teens are shot each year.

CLOSER TO HOME For the Liberty United project, Cross chose the Classic Century because “it is the icon of the Cross brand,” says Chief Marketing Officer Magnus Jonnson. “It was launched 70 years ago to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Cross. Today, Classic Century is still the most popular and top selling collection of the Cross brand.”

The Classic Century Liberty United is a ballpoint pen in black with 23 karat gold–plated trim. Its most striking feature is the circular “moniker” (emblem) on the clip, which carries a likeness of the Liberty United logo stamped into a disc of recycled steel from an illegal gun.

These illegal guns come from police departments with which Liberty United partners: once an illegal gun is no longer needed as evidence, it is rendered inoperable and the material given to Liberty United. Near the clip, the pen is engraved with the serial number of an illegal gun removed from circulation in this process.

While the original 18 karat gold–filled Peerless Fonderie 47 fountain pen is a limited edition and the subsequent Peerless Fonderie 47 rollerball in black is a special edition, the Classic Century Liberty United, made to sell for $100, is neither: “This collection is designed to enable broader consumer support to address this issue in our society,” Jonnson explains. He adds that Cross is working on another collection with Liberty United, scheduled to launch in September.

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Clockwise, from top left—Pre-K students at the Mitzi Freidheim Center in Englewood, Illinois, participating in the literacy program for early readers; students performing at an art exhibit showcasing the work of community school students from Charles W. Earle Elementary School in Englewood; learning story illustration at the Newburgh Armory Unit Center’s Saturday Morning Enrichment Program; volunteers from AON help Community Schools students at Benjamin E. Mays Elementary Academy plant flowers in their school garden as part of their urban horticulture class.

HOW DOES LIBERTY UNITED HELP? Liberty United, established in 2013, has already produced several collections of jewelry that incorporate material from illegal guns, with the Cross Classic Century Liberty United pen being the first writing instrument offered. A portion of the funds from each purchase goes to support carefully chosen programs for children and teens in areas with rampant gun violence: Newburgh and Syracuse in New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Cook County (greater Chicago), Illinois; and New Orleans, Louisiana. Thum and his team, “mostly made up of volunteers and experts consulting in various fields, including design, law, digital marketing, and PR,” are actively seeking partnerships with other cities.

“The not-for-profit programs that we fund focus on children from ages five and up,” says Thum. “These kids all live in places that are deeply affected by gun violence.

Most of them know people—family, friends, neighbors— who have lost their lives to gun violence. The programs are all somewhat different [but] all seek to educate, support, foster, and protect the lives of young people.”

For example, Newburgh, New York, only about 60 miles north of New York City on the Hudson River, is one of the most historically and architecturally significant cities in the United States, but it is also rife with gang 52

activity. Children in Newburgh need a safe place to study and play, and that’s why Liberty United supports the Newburgh Armory Unity Center’s Saturday Morning Enrichment Program, where children can socialize, play sports, and study subjects from acting to ESL to Engineering 101.

Syracuse is also among the most dangerous places to live in New York. Southside is particularly treacherous: 80 percent of all gun murders in the city take place there. In that city, Liberty United supports the Journey to Manhood Program (J2M) at Southside's Syracuse Model Neighborhood Facility. The program teaches boys and young men ages 10–18 how to make the transition into adulthood, giving them positive alternatives to the drug and gang culture around them.

In Cook County, Illinois—which includes Chicago, a city that shocked the nation with the number of shootings there in 2016—Liberty United has partnered with the Community Schools Program. This program offers a safe place for children to go after school, where they can get help with homework and have fun with their friends under adult supervision.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is known for gang violence and the continuing presence of organized crime. In Philadelphia, Liberty United supports Mural Arts Philadelphia, a program that provides art materials and instruction to individuals who have been incarcerated and reconnects them with their community through teamwork and the beautiful art they create for others to enjoy.

Liberty United’s newest partnership is with New Orleans, Louisiana, which has a murder rate four times the average for a city its size. There, Liberty United’s support will be channeled to the NOLA for Life Fund to support children under 14 who have been directly affected by gun violence.

AGENTS OF CHANGE Peter Thum’s parents, a surgeon and a teacher, modeled the concept of giving back to their community. “They both actively served in various ways in our community and our church,” says Thum. “My grandparents were the same way. My grandfathers and my dad all were Eagle Scouts, as am I. Both of my grandfathers served in World War II and my dad served in Vietnam.

“When I was young, my father died of cancer. I think that painful experience galvanized my sense that alleviating suffering is both an opportunity and a responsibility,” Thum adds.

Thum first got the idea to tie consumer trends with social activism in 2001. As a consultant for McKinsey & Company in South Africa, he says he was inspired by the many people he met who lacked access to water. The result was Ethos Water—the brand you now see at Starbucks, which purchased it from Thum in 2005. With a portion of the price of each bottle going to water projects in stressed areas, Ethos Water has thus far provided more than $13.8 million in this effort.

While visiting some of the water projects Ethos Water helped to fund in Africa, Thum was shocked to see assault rifles everywhere, even in the hands of children, and he determined to transform those instruments of destruction into objects of beauty—jewelry, watches, and, of course, the Cross Peerless Fonderie 47. So far, Fonderie 47 and its partners have removed more than 55,000 AK-47s and other assault rifles from conflict regions in Africa.

Thum’s vision for Liberty United is carefully articulated.

The words “Be the Change,” inspired by Gandhi’s ideals and activism, serve as the name of Liberty United’s newest jewelry collection. More than 2,000 children have already benefited from the organization’s support.

The two Cross Peerless Fonderie 47 editions—18 karat gold–filled Limited Edition and Peerless rollerball special edition in black PVD plating—use parts from confiscated assault rifles. Below, Thum with a young refugee at a camp in the Congo.

“I think that business has tremendous potential to do good,” says Thum. “Only 2 percent of income in the United States goes to charitable giving, so I feel like the other 98 percent offers a huge chance to solve tough problems in new ways.

“Now, as a husband and a father of a four-year-old, I hope that we can make it possible through our customers’ actions to help all the children who are served by the programs that we fund to have their own fair opportunity at happiness in life.”

Visit cross.com and libertyunited.com for more information.

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Tag! You’re Inspired!

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Counter-clockwise, from top: Sanctuary ©2016 Mural Arts Philadelphia/James Burns; Rhythm & Hues ©2016 Mural Arts Philadelphia/Brad Carney; Pedal Powering ©2016 Mural Arts Philadelphia/Candy Coated and team; Uptown Locomotion ©2016 Mural Arts Philadelphia/Joe Boruchow. Photos by Steve Weinik. Reprinted by permission.

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t was 1984, and graffiti was a scourge. Or it was art. Or it was a cry for help from the underclass. It depended on whom you asked. Philadelphia artist Jane Golden saw graffiti as an opportunity. Her goal was to turn “taggers” into artists. Over 30 years later, Mural Arts Philadelphia has launched the careers of countless respected local artists and transformed the City of Brotherly Love into the City of Murals.

But it’s not just about creating art, it’s about transforming communities, starting dialogues, and revitalizing economies.

The program has become internationally renowned. Over 12,000 people take part in mural tours each year, including celebrities and heads of state. One highlight included a 2007 visit by his Royal Highness Charles, Prince of Wales, and his wife Camilla Parker-Bowles, Duchess of Cornwall.

This is political art. Each project begins with a community dialogue incorporating artists, non-profit leaders, politicians, and volunteers so that disparate elements of the community better understand the general needs and concerns of others.

That process continues through the project, itself, in which a team of artists and volunteers bring those concepts to life. In that regard, the art is a conduit—the final step—in celebrating the notion of community.

To see the current collection of murals—or to apply for a mural project—visit muralarts.org. The website also accepts donations to support the organization’s ongoing programs. On this page, you’ll find a small taste of the magnificent art you’ll find throughout Philadelphia. And next time you’re in the city, take a tour and get inspired!

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