Pen World V32.1

The Journal of Writing Culture

guiding light:

S.T. Dupont’s Dove of Peace through the fire:

Waldmann Pen’s sterling history trends in 2019:

hot accessories for the new year

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December Volume 32, Number 1

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ON OUR COVER: S.T. Dupont Picasso Dove of Peace Limited Slim 7 lighter and fountain pen.

faire 51 savoir Accessories from France’s S.T Dupont transcend the line between fine and pop art.

Parker bubble 31 the In vintage pens, it’s not just what you sell, it’s how you

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sell it.

of light 36 Reyes Regalia Writing Labs’ Ralph Reyes creates nibs that

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color outside the lines.

mania 40 metal Waldmann Pen is a 100-year-old German company that never learned how to quit.

the box 44 outside A chance discovery, a D.C. pen shop, and a new Italian pen venture: Cervinia.

in 2019 56 trends Metals, acrylics, wood, and music nibs are just a few of the things to look for in the new year.

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fads vs. trends

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recaps and coming soon

Pens for Kids, AP Limited Editions

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deskology iron gall ink: II

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imho “music to my ears�

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Trending Now

BY NICKY PESSAROFF

T

Do you remember slap bracelets? They were those rounded strips of plastic covered in cloth or nylon that wrapped around your wrist when you slapped them. I’m proud (I think) to say that I was the first one in my sixth-grade class to wear one. I was also the first one to discover that, when the cloth or nylon ripped, a slap bracelet became the most dangerous toy since another fad, lawn darts.

Middle school years are filled with “fads,” or short-lived crazes, and I have the pictures to prove that I succumbed to all of them: Hypercolor t-shirts that changed with body temperature. A pair of Joey Buttafuoco-like charcoal-colored jam pants with orange-neon spider webs. Z. Cavarricci jeans that made me look like a Boyz II Men reject. A sad pseudo-mullet.

Fads are designed to make a quick buck. Sometimes, they find a niche in popular culture—like the hula hoop or olive-colored 1970s kitchen appliances. Sometimes, a fad that should last, doesn’t—I’d still wear a Hypercolor t-shirt if they existed. On occasion, a fad comes back: for example, my son says slap bracelets are still, in fact, around.

A “trend,” on the other hand, is a general direction in which something is headed. Jeans trend skinny, then they trend wide. Skirts trend shorter, then they trend longer. Trends are long-term changes to a market or industry.

Fountain pens are trending both as a part of the overall writing instrument market and in the mind’s eye of the populace at large. A desire for authenticity, tangibility, and thoughtful communication means that more and more people are discovering the joys of a fine writing instrument—whether for correspondence, journaling, art, or business.

So this December, we bring you a significant change: out with the old “Holiday Gift Guide,” and in with “Trends in 2019”—a section dedicated to showing both some highlights from 2018 and some products to look for in 2019.

Indeed, we explore all sorts of trending items and people in this issue.

Our cover story, France’s S.T. Dupont, introduces its second minimalist Picasso masterpiece—another move in the company’s long trend of honoring masters of art, be it fine or pop. Germany’s Waldmann Pen celebrates 100 years, but the metal mastery of its writing instruments is catching new eyes in the Asian and North American markets. Italian brand Cervinia displays the trend toward repurposing vintage celluloids—this one, a collection of rod stock that was considered lost to time until it was discovered at a party.

We also explore the work of young nib master Ralph Reyes, whose star is on the rise thanks to complex nib work that is often compared to past masters. We look at current iron gall inks and the correct way to use them—because sometimes, a trend needs explication. Cambridge, Canada pen shop Phidon Pens is further proof that there is still room for brick-and-mortar shopping in this digital world. And the work of the Pen Collectors of America’s Pens for Kids program proves that children do enjoy writing—if you know how to teach it.

If it seems like it was only a few years ago that we were wringing our hands at the prospect of handwritten communication’s ignominious conclusion, that’s because it was. Trends often move fast.

In writing instruments, metals come in and out of fashion, as do acrylics, certain nib brands or types, filling systems, and entire brands. Thank goodness the doomsdayers were wrong, but it’s also no surprise. As long as we need thoughtful communication, and as long as people wish to express themselves in the quality of their writing, fine writing instruments will be just fine; only the trends will change.

editor@penworld.com

trends in luxury

S.T. Dupont’s Savoir Faire

BY NICKY PESSAROFF

The legendary French atelier celebrates the Picasso legacy in a new collection.

The S.T. Dupont Picasso Dove of Peace Limited collection comprises fountain pens, rollerballs, and twist-action ballpoints in black and white lacquer with Picasso’s iconic black line drawing on the cap. The collection also comprises a Ligne 2 lighter with Picasso’s signature in a black lacquer panel, and a Slim 7 lighter with chrome appointments.

T

he French term savoir faire is defined in English as “the ability to act or speak appropriately in social situations,” but let’s be honest—that’s one generic definition. Knowing to say “thank you” when someone gives you a drink doesn’t denote savior faire, but James Bond ordering a martini “shaken, not stirred,” does. “Savoir faire” is a state of mind—a suaveness, an urbanity, a confidence without cockiness. “Savoir faire” is swagger, stylishness, effortless cool.

The legendary French accessories atelier S.T. Dupont takes exceptional savoir faire very, very seriously. And for 146 years, “exceptional savior faire” has led to exceptional leather goods, lighters, and luxury writing instruments.

The story begins with a 25-year-old Simon Tissot Dupont, photographer to Napoleon III with a vision for the creation of exquisite personalized travel trunks for the Paris elite.

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The original S.T. Dupont Picasso Limited collection features the artist’s 1965 sketch, Profil de femme, in a series that comprises writing instruments, lighters, and leather work, such as the agenda below.

In 1872, Dupont opened the S.T. Dupont luggage and leather goods workshop at Rue Dieu, Paris. Using the finest European leathers and proprietary finishing and preservation processes, and with options for bespoke details and personalized initialing, S.T. Dupont luggage quickly became a prized possession.

Dupont’s star continued to rise over the next decades as control of the company passed to Dupont’s sons, Lucien and André, in 1919. By 1924, the Duponts moved their factory from Rue Dieu back to their hometown of Faverges, in the foothills of the Alps along the banks of Lake Annecy—where the factory remains to this day.

Jennifer Loria, brand manager for S.T. Dupont, USA, had the chance to visit the company’s headquarters. She notes, “Visiting the S.T. Dupont factory was an experience of a lifetime, from the crisp mountain air and views of the French Alps to meeting all of the people who put their blood, sweat, and tears into the creation of each hand-made piece.”

In 1929, while the world reeled and economies fell, Dupont doubled down on its focus on luxury. The Louis Cartier boutique on Fifth Avenue in New York City began carrying S.T. Dupont travel cases, finding remarkable success in the United States among the wealthiest clients.

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S.T. Dupont continued to raise the bar on its creations, as Lucien Dupont invented a revolutionary new leather treatment process of diamond tanning: a finish of diamond powder gave S.T. Dupont leather extra durability and suppleness. To this day, the S.T. Dupont Diamond Soft range of luggage is prized for its resistance to heat and humidity.

The Line D World Chess Limited Edition collection includes fountain pens, rollerballs, and ballpoints, and is the official writing instrument of the 2018 FIDE World Chess Championship.

In S.T. Dupont’s history, certain years ring most important, and 1941 is among them: that’s the year that the Maharajah of Patiala ordered 100 solid gold cigarette lighters to accompany 100 lacquered evening bags.

True to form, S.T. Dupont designed an exquisite lighter that was so immediately iconic, it ushered in the luxury cigar accessories market. S.T. Dupont lighters combined technical savviness with beautiful design. The company’s spring-loaded flint allowed for easy flint replacement without the need to take the lighter apart. Hand engraving or applications of natural lacquers on lighter bodies of precious metal as well as a sleek, modern design made S.T. Dupont lighters a collector’s item.

And one production error added an auditory element. A 1971 batch of lighters accidentally featured a slightly off-sized lid that, when flipped open, produced a ringing sound. That sound became as iconic as the guilloche engraving and lacquer work on S.T. Dupont lighters and is a standardized feature.

“Yes, yes, but what about the pens?” you may be wondering.

For those, we must thank Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. In 1973, she requested a specially-made pen to match her favorite S.T. Dupont lighter. The S.T. Dupont artisans got to work and produced a luxury ballpoint pen based on the design of the lighter’s drive wheel. Crafted from sterling silver, the ballpoint was named “Classique,” and it certainly became one.

Like so many luxury brands, S.T. Dupont struggled to find its identity in the late 20th century.

But by 2004, the company had turned a corner by expanding its definition of “art.”

Beginning in the 1960s, “pop artists” like Andy Warhol were challenging the very definition of “fine art.” Warhol incorporated celebrities and iconic American brands into his art, such as silk-screened images of movie stars like Marilyn Monroe or treatments of Campbell’s soup cans.

To be clear, the old guard of the art world neither understood nor approved of this transitory, ironic, mass-produced art. It took decades before the school of pop art was taken seriously.

And that’s why the 2004 S.T. Dupont Andy Warhol limited edition accessories series was such a turning point for the French brand. For the first time, this stately European brand embraced popular culture. Considering that S.T. Dupont had been the exclusive brand of business moguls, royalty, and celebrities, items like the Marilyn Monroe lighter—featuring Warhol’s silk-screen of the movie star— marked popular culture as an accepted and coveted subject matter for luxury accessories.

Comic books and fictional figures got the S.T. Dupont treatment. The year 2004 saw the unveiling of the S.T. Dupont James Bond collection, including 2015’s Spectre lighter, the first product to feature the recognizable Bond bullet hole design. A series of pens and accessories based on characters from the Star Wars movie series gained a significant amount of attention, as did collections based on Marvel Comics superheroes like Tony Stark, a.k.a. “Iron Man.” S.T. Dupont also has a decades-old connection to Spanish artist Pablo Picasso (1881–1973). Picasso had lived in Paris since 1904 and continued to do so during German occupation of Paris during World War II. He was forever changed by his war experience.

In 1949, the First International Peace Conference in Paris chose Picasso’s sketch, Dove of Peace, as its official emblem. Based on a white pigeon given to him by his friend and fellow artist, Henri Matisse, Picasso’s simple graphic line drawing somehow captured both the promise and ineffability of peace, and it remains one of the most recognized symbols of peace.

Picasso was also an S.T. Dupont loyalist, favoring the company’s lighters. In 1962, Picasso chose three of his S.T. Dupont lighters to use as a canvas, etching the lacquer with sketches for his son and daughter-in-law as well as a close friend.

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The James Bond series encompasses lighters, cigar cutters, cufflinks, and writing instruments in either yellow gold or black lacquer with guilloche engraving, including the “007” James Bond logo on the cap.

S.T. Dupont first paid homage to Picasso in 1998 in a full accessories series that included black lacquered writing instruments and lighters with Picasso’s Profil de femme (1965) etched into the body.

And now, S.T. Dupont unveils its second Picasso collection, Dove of Peace. The series encompasses both lighters and fountain pens. The Ligne 2 lighter body is palladium-plated brass with white lacquer panels. Picasso’s Dove of Peace sketch is etched in black into the front panel, and Picasso’s signature in white is etched into a black lacquer panel directly above. The jet flame Slim 7 lighter is similar in aesthetic design but trimmer and with chrome accents.

The S.T. Dupont Dove of Peace writing instrument collection comprises ballpoint, rollerball, and fountain pen modes in the company’s beloved Line D body style. The black lacquer barrel is matched with a white lacquer cap with the Picasso Dove of Peace sketch. Palladium-plated clip, section, and finials complete the look. The cartridge/converter-filling fountain pen has a 14 karat gold, palladium-plated nib in medium. The Dove of Peace Limited collection features 1,950 pieces in each accessory, honoring the year that Picasso completed his sketch. With this collection, the master atelier pays homage to a master artist.

S.T. Dupont honors a different type of mastery in another collection. In 2016, the company entered into an exclusive contract with the FIDE World Chess Championship, providing officiallysanctioned writing instruments for the organization.

Inspired by the iconic Atelier S.T. Dupont collection and using methods that date back to 1953, the Line D-bodied writing instruments come in fountain pen, rollerball, and ballpoint models. The palladium-plated brass body is treated with natural black lacquer coated with meteorite dust for a cloudy, sparkling effect. On the cap, that lacquer is applied in a chessboard pattern. The cap top is graced with the S.T. Dupont “D” logo, and the S.T. Dupont signature traces the cap ring. The cartridge/converter fountain pen has a 14 karat gold, palladium-plated nib in medium, and the series is limited to 500 writing instruments in each mode.

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Ilya Merenzon, the Chief Executive of Agon Limited, the World Chess Championship’s commercial rights holder, notes, “The written moves in each game of the Championship Match will become historical documents—and they will be penned by the finest writing instruments in the world.”

Masters of chess, a master artist, mastery of metal engraving and lacquering, masterful leatherwork, masters of the flame: S.T. Dupont came by it all honestly, perfecting and expanding its craftsmanship over time. It all comes back to savoir faire, that cool confidence that S.T. Dupont embodies.

Imagine that Simon-Tissot Dupont miraculously walked through the doors of his namesake company’s headquarters tomorrow. What would he see? Machinery like he couldn’t imagine.

Technical innovations from his wildest dreams. Strange little rectangles that would allow him to communicate directly with his boutiques around the world if he held it to his ear.

But the master artisans who etch designs into silver? Who hunch over the leather as they treat it in S.T. Dupont’s proprietary style? Who test and re-test and then test again every product that rolls off the product line? The savoir faire that enrobes every S.T. Dupont luxury product?

Monsieur Dupont certainly would recognize that.

Visit st-dupont.com and davidoffusa.com.

S.T. Dupont does more than classic styling: the Iron Man/Tony Stark series is composed of Ceramium A.C.T., which is as tough as steel while being surprisingly light. The gray and blue pens at left are the Tony Stark collection, while the black and red rollerballs are in the Iron Man collection and feature elements from the Iron Man suit. The Iron Man ballpoint at far right is based on the S.T. Dupont Défi model.

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PEN WORLD

The Journal of Writing Culture

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imho

Music to My Ears

BY DR. DONALD LEVICK

“H

ey, I love your fountain pen. I’m thinking of buying one. Can you help me pick one out?”

This has happened to me twice in the past year. Each time has been a joy and a privilege to “turn someone on” to the world of fountain pens and writing.

The irony of this story is that I am a physician who works predominantly in healthcare technology as the Chief Medical Information Officer at a large healthcare organization. My job is to drive change and acceptance of technology and to convince healthcare providers to use computers in place of pen and paper. Many of my colleagues find it strange that someone who is technologydriven would be passionate about fountain pens.

My fountain pen collection numbers approximately 120, most of which were bought new. I use 80 of them on a regular basis and rotate four pens every month. My wife still laughs during the rituals associated with “pen changing day.” It starts with updating the spreadsheet that tracks all my pens and when they were last used.

Rinsing the nibs and chambers of the outgoing pens and inking the new pens is performed with a felt drying area, surgical gloves, and several chamois clothes. It is very enjoyable and relaxing for me—and entertaining for my wife.

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Earlier this year, my daughter-in-law approached me about using a fountain pen at work. She takes meeting notes with pen and paper, echoing the sentiment of many that she absorbs more information through writing than using her computer. She looked over my collection and we discussed her writing habits, nib preference, and width/weight preference. She was struck by the colors, the feel, and the size of my Parker 100 and Parker 51.

As she was part of the family, I made an exception and let her borrow the 51, and she fell in love with it. She has not returned the pen, but I am comforted to know it has found a safe and loving home. Now, we also talk about the paper and journals we use. I favor Clairefontaine and Leuchtturm1917, and she uses C.D. notebooks. It has become another area that we can talk about.

Several months ago, a co-worker approached me about “getting into fountain pens.” My love of fountain pens has become a source of humor at our weekly management group meetings, and I often will show off a new or unique pen that is in rotation that month. She was not surprised when I suggested we meet for 30 minutes to discuss how to choose a pen.

We went online to my favorite fountain pen store, and I showed her several suggestions. She was drawn to a Conklin Stylograph in blue. She was so excited, she texted me when it arrived and sent me a video of her first use.

“This has changed my life,” she recently told me. “It makes work much more fun.”

Music to my ears.

Dr. Donald Levick practices pediatrics in Allentown, Pennsylvania when he is not riding his motorcycle.

Share your pen experience, insight or memory with PW readers in approximately 500 words and mail to Pen World Editor, P.O. Box 2276, Cypress, TX 77410, or email to editor@penworld.com. Authors whose essays are published receive $100.