In the latest in our series of customer stories, we’re sharing the details of Eadwine, a public sector manager from Worcestershire.
Eadwine is a long-term collector of luxury fountain pens. He estimates that he has forty pens in his luxury pen collection, with a clear soft spot for Montblanc’s range of high-end writing instruments. Over the years, we’ve built a great relationship with Eadwine, and he regularly buys pre-owned luxury pens from us. So naturally, we value his opinion, and it’s lovely to hear how highly he rates our very own izod’s range of luxury fountain pens – the Paradigm. Launching our own range fulfilled a lifetime ambition for us, so it’s lovely to hear that our very own pen is living up to the expectations of luxury pen collectors.
Let’s hear more about Eadwine’s story.
“Within my luxury pen collection, I own approximately a dozen Montblanc pens. For me, it’s not just about the brand. It’s the variety of materials that they use and the clever use of design. The sterling silver pens are fantastic, and the artistry within the Writers Edition and Patron of Art collections is phenomenal.
It’s strange to think how much a singular pen can completely change your perception of a brand. Before I started collecting luxury fountain pens, I’d always dismissed Montblanc as being overpriced and overrated. However, I bought my first ever Montblanc pen direct from izods (a platinum trim Classique), and it completely changed my opinion.”
“If I had to choose a specific model of pen as my favourite, I would choose the Otto Hutt Design 07. It’s sterling silver, has a chunky barrel, and has a pinstripe silver finish. I think it’s a great design, it has a stunning bi-colour gold nib, and it has an exceptional writing experience. I think it’s possibly the best value solid silver pen that you can buy.
But equally, I was hugely impressed by the Paradigm range of fountain pens launched by izods. I would say that it’s possibly a joint winner for my favourite ever pen. It’s an excellent ebonite pen with a brilliant design. I love the range of colour options, and the nibs are exceptional!”
“Within my luxury pen collection, I have a wide range of makes and models.
Many of my pens are Montblancs, but I also have fountain pens from brands including Nakaya, Sailor, Pilot, Waldmann, and Visconti.
When I’m looking for a new pen, I focus on appearance first and foremost. For example, if you think of a brand such as Montegrappa, they could offer the best writing experience in the world. But in my personal opinion, I dislike their look and style, so they are not for me. On the other hand, as I mentioned earlier, I love the artistry that some pen manufacturers have and how they can turn something simple into something with elegance and refinement.
I’m also drawn to a great nib. Some of my favourites are the Montblanc Franz Kafka, Montblanc Homer, and Montblanc Geometry LeGrand. I also love the bi-colour Palladium nibs that Visconti used to use and Waldmann’s bi-colour gold nibs.”
“Some luxury pen collectors tend to stick with one specific size of nib that suits their handwriting. For me, I prefer to have a complete variety of nibs, from EF to OBBB. I also love cursive italic, obliques, and stub nibs because they can add instant character to your handwriting without learning a calligraphy style.
I generally prefer a piston-filling mechanism when it comes to fountain pens, but I also appreciate the simplicity of a converter. Most of my pens are inked with shades of blue, but I love the fact that there are so many different shades of ink available.
Although we live in a digital world, I try to write with my pen daily. I tend to rotate my pens, so they have an equal amount of usage. Some people think that luxury fountain pens are a status symbol, but it’s about the writing experience for me. Regardless of price or materials, a pen should always be about the way that it feels in your hand and how it writes. I think if you spend significant sums of money on a luxury fountain pen, that writing experience is even more critical.”
“I appreciate that I’m lucky enough to be able to buy a luxury fountain pen on a reasonably regular basis. I buy primarily for myself. But I have also been known to surprise people with a luxury pen or a notebook as a gift.
The most amount of money I’ve ever spent on a high-end writing instrument is around the £2,000 mark. So, if someone is thinking about purchasing a pen for the first time, the best advice I can give is to remember that it’s not about a life-changing experience. Instead, you should expect a high-quality pen with a specific heritage. In short, you should expect to receive the pen that you are hoping for.”
