Let me introduce myself

 

 My name is Marc P. Dowdell. I am, at this point, a one man cottage business.

I am a lifelong student of many things including business and History. I live in an area rich in both. I live close to the Delaware River near many sites of interest including Washington Crossing and the Battle of Trenton. For nearly 30 years, I have been volunteering at a local Historic site, helping with maintenance and interacting with the public, generally in the personage of an indentured servant. In that guise, I have been loaned out to several other sites. I have become familiar with the issues facing these sites, and the public that visits them.

On one occasion, I was assigned to do some trimming work on a tree growing over the grave of a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, George Clymer. To me, and I thought to others, the wood in these little limbs was significant, so I couldn’t just throw it out. Eventually I taught myself to make pens out of the small limbs. I did some asking around and found that other sites would also be happy for me to use their small trimmed or downed limbs the same way. To be clear none of these pens are made from wood spirited away without proper permissions and in most cases I donate some of the pens I make back to the sites for their use, mostly in fund raising.

I decided to pursue this endeavor because I wanted to offer something thoughtful and inspiring. We often go to a historic site and become inspired. We may even visit a site gift shop and pick up something made in China with the site name printed on it to remind us of the visit. I wanted to make and offer to everyone, something that was a genuine piece of the Historic site. Not mass-produced but hand made with reverence, care and respect - even awe for the history of the place that nourished the wood these are made of. I wanted them to be useful so you have a good reason to touch history every day and occasionally stop and be inspired by the connection you are holding.

This is what others are saying about my pens from my other web store https://www.etsy.com/your/shops/HeirloomGiftPens/reviews?ref=shop_info

This shop is a new venture of mine, and I am sure it could use some improvement. Please feel encouraged to contact me and point out things I could improve – both in the shop and in my offerings, or with any comments or questions.