Moving right along... Fellowship Pen Price!

[winedoc]

After exchange many emails with Danitrio, I thought it is best to nail down a price as soon as possible for the fellowship pens. This would help you with your planning, and help me get an idea how many to order. This pen will only be available for members here and will not be sold anywhere else, nor by any other dealers. I have told them to make these pens to the same high quality maki-e standard we are acustom to, yet to keep it bellow $1000 as I have promised to all of you. I am happy to report we will be able to set the price at $850 delivered within US and $875 international. Danitrio also graciously agree to upgrade the package at no additional charges. So, this is what you get:

 

The maki-e pen done on new deep purple tamenuri with nib grade choices of flexy EEF (yes, new), EF, F, M, B, Stub

Upgraded lacquer box to what they usually use for pens retails for more than $2500

Pen Pillow ($20 value)

Pen Kimono ($20 value)

Micofiber cloth

 

Part of the proceed will go to general Fellowship fund to be used for future trips, meetings etc. I want to publically thank Danitrio for this project, knowing well in advance this will not be a huge money making project for them. They have been very nice to deal with and always willing to listen to the end users. You asked for affordable raw ebonite pens, they made this happen (until the illness of the maker), you wanted flexy EEF, well, we will have them soon. They have also brought us many different urushi finishes through the yeras: Roiro-migaki, Tamenuri, Tame-midori, kara-nuri, Ishimei, Nanako-nuri, Akebono, Negoro-nuri, Wakasa-nuri, Kawari-nuri, Sakura-kawa, Kinbotan-nuri, Gin-nami-nuri, Bokashi-nuri, nami-nuri, just to name "a few". Not to mention, they come out with new tamenuri color for us to be debut with this pen, new pen body (shorter, flat top and bottom octagon) to be debut with this pen. They even dedicated one master Maki-e artist, Kosetsu san, just for this pen. This pen will be his top priority and he has been instructed to drop every other Danitrio projects but to concentrate on this one. Sure make me feel like a VIP!

 

I know in this economy, despite trying really hard, $800+ for a pen is still not cheap. I am aware of this. So, to make sure that you get the pen if you want one, I am extending my lay-away plan to you. Basically, you set an amount to pay each week/month until the pen is paid off, then I ship the pen to you. No interests added to this. BUT, since I am absorbing all the financial risks up front (paying for the pens to be made) and extending credit to those who requested, a VERY FIRM YES IS MANDATORY. When I have to put up $40,000+ easily to have these pens made, I truly hope you would understand and would accept the terms which I believe is more than fair.

 

Here are the steps:

1. Please check here to make sure your name is on this list. If you don't see your name on this list, or I made a mistake and omitted your name, please PM or email me. Thanks.

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...howtopic=100605

 

2. Next, check out the artist sketch... and put some of your own imagination what the pen would look like...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v392/winedoc/Maki-e/Basho-1.jpg

 

The Haiku is by Basho, his last poem from the collection.

Basho likes to play with words and often the words has underline meaning or double meanings, so translation into any language is a difficult one trying to capture the essence of the haiku. I offer a few translations I like for your reading pleasure... The poem is about traveling, meeting friends and the difficulty of parting with them despite the journey must go on.

 

Hamaguri no

Futami ni Wakare

Yuku Aki zo

 

Parting at Futami; dividing like clam and shells, we go with the Fall. (© Donald Keene)

Autumn going – parting for Futami a clam pried from its shell. (© Haruo Shirane)

Like a clam torn from its shell, I am departing from you for Futami. Autumn is departing too. (© Toshiharu Oseko)

A clam separates lid from flesh as autumn departs (© Hiroaki Sato)

As firmly cemented clam-shells fall apart in autumn, so I must take to the the road again, farewell, my friends (© Nobuyuki Yuasa)

Sadly, I part from you; like a clam torn from its shell, I go, and autumn, too (© Dorothy Britton)

Futami friends, farewell – clam torn from shell, I follow autumn. (© Lucien Stryk)

 

 

3. If the pen is to your liking, please post here, PM me or email me to reserve your pen. Since many of you use your handle, when contacting me, please use both of your handle and your real name so I can associate the two. Thanks. You don't need to decide on the nib grade yet, but if you know for sure, please feel free to let me know. Prototype should be here end of June/early July, so good time to start saving up, or if you like start putting that down payment (interest free) toward the pen. Please feel free to email me for questions and make arrangements to make this beauty part of your treasured collection.

 

I thought about putting this on Market Place, but since this is not open to public and only to members of the fellowship, I thought it is more appropriate here and hope my fellow mods are OK with this. If not, feel free to move it. Apology in advance.

 

Best,

 

Kevin

 

 

Due to the PM's 5 Minutes delay here, I am very behind in answering PMs. If you can, please email me at:

Internetpens@gmail.com. Thanks.

Edited April 23, 2009 by winedoc

[jlepens]

Mine. I am committed to purchase one. Now I just have to figure out which nib! i will have a stiff stub nib please.

Edited April 23, 2009 by jlepens

[kiavonne]

I am committed. This is a must have. No doubts whatsoever.

 

PM to follow.

[rubyeyespenlover]

Ok, I'm interested. Thank you Kevin.

 

 

OOOps.... Is it me or I could not see the sketch of the pen......

Edited April 22, 2009 by rubyeyespenlover

[French]

I would like one too. Time to put some hard thought into which nib.

 

French

 

edited to add I'm #48 on list

Edited April 22, 2009 by French

[Karin]

I will purchase a pen Kev. Medium nib for me.

 

Thanks.

 

Karin

[Jopen]

Mine with EEF flexxxy please...

[ethernautrix]

Is it possible to get mine with a stiff F? That's my preference.

 

Kevin, thank you so much for your work on this, and thanks to Danitrio for being so accommodating. Having seen the prototype (plain, no decoration) and the sketch, I am absolutely amazed at what you and Danitrio have come up with. The Fellowship pen already far surpasses my expectations.

 

I am giddy with anticipation!

 

Thank you!

 

 

P.S. I'm #12 on the list!

Edited April 22, 2009 by ethernautrix

[winedoc]

Is it possible to get mine with a stiff F? That's my preference.

 

Kevin, thank you so much for your work on this, and thanks to Danitrio for being so accommodating. Having seen the prototype (plain, no decoration) and the sketch, I am absolutely amazed at what you and Danitrio have come up with. The Fellowship pen already far surpasses my expectations.

 

I am giddy with anticipation!

 

Thank you!

 

 

P.S. I'm #12 on the list!

 

 

Hi Lisa,

 

Yes, I can fit it with a stiff F for you, and thanks for the kind words. :-)

 

Best,

 

Kevin

[AltecGreen]

I'm in. An EEF for me.

 

 

Please thank Danitrio for me. They really went out of their way for this pen. And they seemed to put something extra in this pen at that price. This is really beyond what I had imagined.

 

[mava]

Add me to the fold!! An EEF flexy should suffice but would you happen to have an EF firm? If you have an EF firm I'd rather have that. Am I lucky number 13?

[winedoc]

Add me to the fold!! An EEF flexy should suffice but would you happen to have an EF firm? If you have an EF firm I'd rather have that. Am I lucky number 13?

 

No stiff EF yet, so I'll put you down for flexy EEF which should really write like a stiff F, unless you have a death grip. LOL.

 

Kevin

 

[mava]

Add me to the fold!! An EEF flexy should suffice but would you happen to have an EF firm? If you have an EF firm I'd rather have that. Am I lucky number 13?

 

No stiff EF yet, so I'll put you down for flexy EEF which should really write like a stiff F, unless you have a death grip. LOL.

 

Kevin

 

No death grip for me but my wife will certainly have a death grip on my throat for getting yet another pen! LOL

[playpen]

Yes! include me please! Many thanks Kevin for making this dream come true for us!

 

I can't decide on the nib. Kevin, will you be in D.C. this year? It would be so nice to see you and be able to test these nibs in person.

Also, will the haiku be written in gold on the dark purple background?

[winedoc]

Add me to the fold!! An EEF flexy should suffice but would you happen to have an EF firm? If you have an EF firm I'd rather have that. Am I lucky number 13?

 

No stiff EF yet, so I'll put you down for flexy EEF which should really write like a stiff F, unless you have a death grip. LOL.

 

Kevin

 

No death grip for me but my wife will certainly have a death grip on my throat for getting yet another pen! LOL

 

 

You are still alive and among us... so I think your wife has given you executive pardon. LOL.

 

Kevin

[winedoc]

Yes! include me please! Many thanks Kevin for making this dream come true for us!

 

I can't decide on the nib. Kevin, will you be in D.C. this year? It would be so nice to see you and be able to test these nibs in person.

Also, will the haiku be written in gold on the dark purple background?

 

Hi Gail,

 

Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it to DC this year... remember I told you we hired someone... well he did not work out, so he left. We did eventually hired another person, but would not be able to start until September, which is after the DC show.

 

Yes, the Haiku will be in gold as well.

 

Best,

 

Kevin

 

[playpen]

 

NOOOOOOOO! A show in D.C. without you is not a show at all. I am so very disappointed.

[FrankB]

I am also in for a pen. I will choose a flex F since I have been wanting to try one for a long while. I will definitely have to take you up on layaway. May I start sending you money at the beginning of May to allow it to accumulate?

 

I am #18 on the list.

[pay]

Hi Kevin. Put me down as a definite yes! Flexy EF nib for me, please. I am #20 on the list.

 

What you have done here with this Fellowship pen is just amazing! Bravo! Pass lots of thanks on to the folks at Danitrio, too.

Waiting as patiently as I can... -Phil

[pyrguy]

Put me down for one as a firm maybe. I am currently without a job so it looks like I will need to sell a couple of pens or a kidney to make this work.