First, let me say that people who have had one of my pens for a while tell me that it has become their favorite pen. They tell me when given as gifts, the recipients loves them. (I was told one Board Chairman would not let anyone else touch it.) This is gratifying because I put a great deal of work into them. However, for those of you who have never had one, let me go over the features that you may appreciate. The features can be broken into three parts. The Pen itself, The Documentation, and the History.
The Pen
First off the wood itself. People like the feel of it – it has a warmth, a feel like no other material. It is a handsome material – subtly grains or dramatically patterned – no two can be exactly alike.
Unique and rare. Because each piece of wood is unique, each pen is an individual and unique. No one will have one just like the other. Because of the source, (some of these trees are no longer around, and others will follow) and the time it takes me to make them, they will be inherently rare.
The hardware on this pen is a sealed 24 carat gold finish.
I have the ability to replace damaged hardware if needed.
The Documentation
In the box with the pen is a 5” x 8” pamphlet, printed on archival quality parchment like paper, giving a brief history related to the Pen. I designed them so that they would enhance the display of the pen, as is, in the box.
To help prove identity and provenance, help prevent counterfeiting and generally maintain the value of the pen, for now and posterity, I include in the box an important card. On this card are;
My signed warrant of authenticity
Pictures of the pen from four sides, each with an identifying tag that includes this pen's individual collector’s number.
A section provided for each successive owner to sign, continuing the provenance of the pen into the future. (some day you will be great-great grand something or other who passed this pen to great grand so and so - who passed it on to so and so -who is now passing it on. That is the plan anyway.) That is why I call them Heirloom Gift Pens.
Not in the box, I keep high-resolution photographs, like the ones that come with the pen, in a registry. (The grain of the wood is like a fingerprint.) This is to help people in the future be sure of the authenticity of a particular pen, again to help prevent counterfeiting and maintain value. You can arrange to have your name and the receivers name put in the registry of the individual pen.
The History
This pen is a bridge. From the past, in the present and into the future. It is to be used and inspire, and then given away to do the same again.
It comes from history, you become part of its history, and you pass it on for others to do the same.
It has meaning, it retains its meaning, and its succession of owners add to its meaning.