Fashion
Seeking ‘Warmth and Personality’ in the World of High-Priced Pens
When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone by hand? As we entrust our laptops and phones with more and more of our lives, the once-ubiquitous art of handwriting is seemingly in danger of going extinct. But at a London hotel on a recent …
When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone by hand? As we entrust our laptops and phones with more and more of our lives, the once-ubiquitous art of handwriting is seemingly in danger of going extinct. But at a London hotel on a recent Sunday morning, thousands of people turned up to demonstrate that the humble pen may be far from meeting the fate of the dinosaurs.
At the autumn London Pen Show, which is one of six planned events from UK Pen Shows this year, you could find yourself face to face with some of the most elegant and expensive pens on the planet — and people happy to pay through the nose for them.
Among the pen sellers was John Sanderson, 72, who sells his handmade creations under the name Silverburl Pens. A retired engineer, Mr. Sanderson made his first pen almost 50 years ago as a means of dealing with dyslexia.
“I can’t write and I can’t spell,” he said, “and it’s something that’s always fascinated me. So I made a pen, thinking, ‘I’ll learn to read and write.’” Now he makes pens for people all over the world.
The attendees of the show, including Michaela Staton, 52, Anika Mascher-Licht, 41, and Mareen Goebel, 49, were united by their love of pens. In July, Ms. Staton got a bonus at work and splurged on a new pen — a Laban 325 Sakura for about $125. This was her first pen show and she had her sights set on a specific model: an Esterbrook Estie Botanical Gardens fountain pen.
The Van Vuuren booth was one of 149 tables at the event, which was held at a hotel.Credit…Ayesha Kazim for The New York Times
