Pen World V28.5 by Pen World

The Universe of Writing Culture

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AUGUST

VOLUME 28, NUMBER 5

ON OUR COVER: Princeps fountain pen by Staedtler

30 fabulous inks

Colors so luscious you’ll wonder how you overlooked them.

34 ink wisdom

Tips on making your ink work with your pen and paper.

42 a certain CursiveLogic

This new cursive method is easy to teach and learn.

50 what’s the big idea?

Yair Greenberg has made a career of coming up with the next big thing.

54 have it your way

Luxury pens made to order from Von Moos of Switzerland.

60 nock nock

Who’s there? Passionate young pen lovers breaking new ground.

64 pen-surance

Do you need coverage for your pens beyond your homeowners policy?

68 believe it!

Who made the ﬁrst capless retractable pen? It’s not who you think.

makes a 46 Staedtler statement The 180-year-old German company introduces an array of premium writing instruments that are as fresh as tomorrow.

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08 view

good hands

10 mail

our readers speak

12 news 16 now 23 show 24 date 26 shop

people, places and events

new pens and other products

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Artlite, Atlanta

38 strokes 57 repair

Dao Huy Hoang

Danny Fudge

72 contributors 76 network 78 source 80 imho

meet our writers

classiďŹ ed advertising

guide to products and services

A Nation of Shopkeepers

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Good Hands

s the editor of PW, I am sometimes interviewed by journalists working on stories for other publications about the use of fountain pens in today’s digital world. They invariably ask whether I worry that the use of traditional writing implements will vanish entirely. I always tell them about a trend I’ve been observing for some time now: scads of young people are sharing online about their newly discovered love for fountain pens. Reinhardt Kargl, who has closely followed this trend, writes in this issue (“From Cyberspace to the Real World”) about how one such person’s quest for information led to a blog, a thriving online community, and then to a brick-and-mortar business. But one doesn’t have to be a Gen X-er or a Millennial to use today’s technology to reach the world on behalf of writing instruments. Yair Greenberg, the powerhouse behind the Yafa brands, has been an innovator from the get-go, and after decades in the business, he continues to bring new ideas to fruition. Read about his latest achievements in “I Don’t Take No.” In this issue, we also introduce you to Staedtler, a name that may ring a

bell. The venerable Staedtler company, previously known primarily as a pencil manufacturer, has recently introduced a premium line of writing instruments in a range of prices to please most pen lovers. Staedtler’s distinctive Princeps, on the cover of this issue, is only one example of what you’ll see in our cover story on pages 46–49. You won’t want to miss Deborah Basel’s article about rising letter artist Dao Huy Hoang, Julian Kreeger’s article on ink tips, or Margana Maurer’s on great inks you may have overlooked. By the way, I have never met Margana officially—I know her only from her wonderful Inkophile blog (inkophile.wordpress.com). I, too, am learning. To get back to the reporters’ question: do I think the world will collectively stop writing the old fashioned way? No way. Will successive generations embrace writing instruments in large enough numbers to preserve writing culture as we know it? I don’t have a crystal ball. But there’s a lot in this issue to indicate that the future is in very good hands.

editor@penworld.com

BY NICKY PESSAROFF

Staedtler of the Art

The venerable Staedtler (pronounced STATE-ler) re-enters the luxury pen market with a plethora of new products.

taedtler is the pencil manufacturer you haven’t heard of but should. You haven’t heard of it because, for centuries, it has flown under the radar as a European industrial design company specializing in exceptionally crafted pencils with an aesthetic flair. For decades, the company has consistently churned out remarkable writing instruments using the most innovative of technologies.

In the Heart of Bavaria While the company was founded in 1835 by Johann Sebastian Staedtler, its origins can be traced all the way back to the mid-1600s and the Nuremberg area of Germany, where pencils were born. Corey Cooper, assistant product manager of writing instruments for Staedtler-Mars Limited, North America, says, “The name Staedtler is closely connected to the Nuremberg

pencil history. Friedrich Staedtler had been active as a pencil making craftsman. First references to him in the city annals date back to 1662. Friedrich Staedtler was the first artisan to manufacture pencils from start to finish, beginning with cutting the wood and lead and ending with a fine writing instrument. In 1835, his descendant J. S. Staedtler officially formed Staedtler in Nuremberg, and

Above—The Resina comes in blue, black, and white in cartridge/converter ﬁlled fountain pen, rollerball, ballpoint, and mechanical pencil. Below—Albertus Durerus Noricus Opposite—Princeps fountain pen and ballpoint

by the 1850s, the company employed dozens and produced thousands of pencils each year.” Staedtler continued to grow, introducing the Noris and Mars brands at the turn of the 20th century— the latter named after the Roman god. The company still honors its roots by including “Mars” in the company’s official name, Staedtler Mars GmbH & Co. KG, and the “Mars head” logo also appears on every Premium product. The image has been part of the company logo since 1958 as a symbol of “unrelenting purpose, creativity, and pioneering spirit,” according to Cooper. By the 1920s, Staedtler had gone global in a big way, introducing a U.S. headquarters in New York in 1922 and following with a Japanese expansion in 1926. In the 1930s, the company began manufacturing mechanical pencils, and in the 1940s, Staedtler branched into the pen market, making ballpoints at first. In the 1950s, Staedtler introduced the Lumocolor

brand of markers, and in the 1960s, technical pens followed. Throughout its history, a series of savvy company heads purchased brands that further expanded Staedtler’s reach. One of those acquisitions was the German brand Élysée, which served as the company’s premium line until production ceased in 2000. One of its most memorable pens was the Manfred Eberhard–designed Impression No. 1, which graced the cover of PW’s October 1994 issue. Bridging the Gap With the introduction of Staedtler’s Premium lines in 2013, the company made its long-overdue re-entry into the fine writing market so that once again it covers the entire spectrum of writing instruments and can be considered a “lifetime” brand. One interesting element of Staedtler’s various Premium offerings lies in the consistency of certain design details. Cooper explains, “What differentiates the Staedtler

Premium Assortment from others within the market is the same thing that binds each article to one another. The associated elements include our distinctive clip, our unified barrel shape, and our pronounced Mars logo.” Nearly every product has a Latin name, another reference to Mars. The products in the Staedtler Premium lines are categorized in two groups: the Initium Collection and the J. S. Staedtler Collection. The Initium Collection includes the Resina ($139–169), Lignum ($189–279), and Metallum ($179–259), all named for the materials from which they are made: resin, wood, and metal. These writing instruments are available in all four modes, and the steel nibs on the fountain pens come in extra-fine through broad. The J. S. Staedtler Collection comprises the brand’s finest writing instruments, including our stunning cover pen for this issue, the Princeps. Made of European black walnut within a palladium-plated framework, the 47

Clockwise from upper left—Lignum in plum wood (also available in maple); Pen of the Season for autumn; Metallum ballpoint; J. S. Staedtler Bavaria

Princeps ($1,899–2,999) features the Mars head logo on the cap, and the clip incorporates a triple-window overlay that showcases the pen’s black walnut. The cartridge/converter fountain pen comes with an 18 karat gold nib, coated in platinum and available in fine, medium, and broad. Rollerball, ballpoint, and mechanical pencil are also available. For unique choices of material, look no further than the Albertus Durerus Noricus fountain pen ($4,289), a limited edition of 541 pieces. An homage to German painter and polymath Albrecht Dürer, the pen is covered with Simmental cattle leather with a likeness of Dürer applied with Staedtler’s patented ink-jet technology. The Pen of the Season line features polymer clay barrels and is 48

created by a different international artist to represent each season. The Pen of the Season is limited to 90 pens each season; they are available in North America only via special order and may be seen at staedtler.com. At the top of the line is the Bavaria ($34,800), a work of art honoring the birthplace of J. S. Staedtler. The blue and white pattern on the barrel recalls the Bavarian flag, and 48 diamonds are set in the clip. Only 48 pieces are available worldwide. Progressive Pencil Making Even with such elite offerings, Staedtler has not abandoned its original product—pencils. Staedtler’s pencils are remarkable both for design and ecological awareness. Not only is Staedtler’s The Pencil the first wood cased pencil

ever to be fitted with a stylus (a technology Staedtler has patented), but it is also made of Staedtler’s proprietary WOPEX—a semi-acronym standing for wood pencil extrusion. The process of extrusion uses “more of the tree,” says Cooper, and creates a stronger lead than that of conventional pencils. The Pencil won both a Red Dot Award and an iF (International Forum) award for product design last year. The Pencil can be purchased in a set of three, plus a cap that houses an eraser and sharpener, for $79. The company takes seriously its role as stewards of the Nuremberg forests. “Existing products and manufacturing processes are continually reviewed for optimization possibilities and whether they comply with ecological efficiency,” Cooper says.

“Through the unique and completely PVC-free manufacture of mechanical pencil leads, we, as the largest manufacturer of mechanical pencil leads in Europe, achieve environmentally sound production at our headquarters location in Germany while complying with the highest demands for quality.” Further, strict European guidelines ensure that environmental awareness is always at the forefront. Artists and artisans have used Staedtler for decades—not just pencils and markers but also its brand of modeling clay, Fimo. This composite material’s utility allows it to be used for all sorts of creative endeavors. “With Fimo, you can create almost anything: jewelry or accessories, picture frames or decorations, dolls and figures, flowers and sculptures; everything is possible,” Cooper says. “The vast

range of Fimo colors and the unique texture make it possible to imitate other materials in a remarkably convincing way: wood, stone, glass and many others.” The wide array of Fimo’s applications will satisfy the professional artist, the casual dabbler, and the experimenting child. Further, the company’s offerings for young writers are some of the most diverse and well-made writing instruments on the market. And Staedtler is poised for more growth. Its writing instruments are available both online and at fine retailers across the United States and Canada. Pen lovers should expect the new old name of Staedtler to become only more prominent with time. Visit staedtler.ca or staedtler.us for more information and to find worldwide retail locations.

North American

Staedtler Dealers as of June 2015

U.S. Bittner, the Pleasure of Writing, Carmel, CA bittner.com Fountain Pen Hospital, New York, NY fountainpenhospital.com Jet Pens jetpens.com Pen & Pad, Albuquerque, NM pensabq.com Staedtler Online Shop staedtler.ca/premium

Canada Boutique Du Stylo, Québec QC (store 1) Montréal QC (store 2) Rosemère QC (store 3) stylo.ca Buchan’s Kerrisdale Stationery Vancouver BC buchanst.com Fendrihan fendrihan.com IdeaX: Gift Gallery, Markham ON ideax.ca Laywine’s, Toronto ON laywines.com Phidon Pens, Cambridge ON phidonpens.com Staedtler Online Shop staedtler.ca/premium Stylus Fine Pens, Edmonton AB stylusfinepens.com

The Pencil

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FINE WRITING INSTRUMENTS December 14, San Francisco Consignments now invited

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