Agresti Pen Chests

[srf11]

What are your thoughts? Have one that's way too big for my collection (holds 128 pens), but it is built excellently and quite a pretty piece - torn between offering out or just working towards making it full, lol.

[Hallel]

A picture would be lovely. I'm sorry to say I'm not familiar with Agresti pen chests. Where did you get yours? What other sizes do they come in? How expensive are they? Do they have secret compartments?

[bogiesan]

http://www.penboutique.com/m-6-agresti.aspx

 

If you have spent thousands of dollars on beautiful fountain pens, pens you never intend to use, fine furniture is the best way to display and protect them. Agresti products appear to be wonderful, never seen them up close, but there are going to be even better cases and, of course, you can commission custom work. You just research it and throw money at the problem.

[______Zaphod_Beeblebrox]

[jmccarty3]

If I had such a beautiful case, I would work at filling it up.

[inkstainedruth]

The photo in the link is of a really beautiful box. But the price? Not so beautiful. That's more than a monthly car payment for me. Nope. My pens will have to settle for inexpensive Rockler zipper cases for the ones not in rotation, and a metal tin that used to contain hot cocoa mix for the pens that are currently inked.

Now if I win the lottery, that's another matter. But just think how many (moderately priced) pens I could buy for the cost of that box....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[jmccarty3]

Everything is relative. For many of us, an Agresti pen case is either completely beyond our means or something we do not find useful or attractive. To others, it is something worth saving up for. To others, the cost of one of these cases is pocket change.

 

I question the assumption that anyone who might store his (or her) pens in such a case is not an active pen user or is only using such beautiful furniture to store Montblanc limited editions. Remember also that the purchase of things like this supports the artisans who make them. Do you recall the "luxury tax" on yachts, the major effect of which was to put the craftsmen who actually build the yachts out of work? When the politicians who were so proud of "sticking it to the rich" were made aware of the unintended consequence of that tax, they repealed it quickly.

 

We should welcome srf11 to our group, since he is new here, and be glad that he has such an elegant work of art. I hope he will be encouraged to share more photos and information about it.

[Hallel]

Woah! That's beautiful. I would definitely work towards filling it up. Of course it doesn't go with any of my IKEA furniture so naturally I'd have to upgrade (my whole house).

[da vinci]

Post apicture then set about filling it up

[BrandonA]

Does anyone actually own an Agresti pen chest? I'm thinking about getting a 55 chest but as it is a lot of money I'd like to know what those who have one think of it.

[IrishEyes]

Very nice looking chest ( had to google photos of it, because that page can no longer be found). I'd put any of my pens in it, but not light-sensitive pens in the top drawer with glass cover. Of course, I use all of mine, because, like most, if not all, functional art (restored vintage cars, bikes, or motorcycles, fancy pens, etc.), I think that using them is the point of their existence. If you won't use something designed to be written with, why bother purchasing it at all? I can think of a lot more art I'd like for the cost some people are willing to pay for high-end pens. If I own them, they're going to get used. I don't view them as strictly "art" or as an "investment" for the future. I think of them as writing instruments meant to be used for that purpose.... But, used or not, I think most pens would look very nice displayed in those chests.

Edited July 12, 2016 by IrishEyes

[EclecticCollector]

Does anyone actually own an Agresti pen chest? I'm thinking about getting a 55 chest but as it is a lot of money I'd like to know what those who have one think of it.

I've been using my 20 pen Agresti chest for just over a decade now. It has survived 5 moves in that time. Other than keeping it out of direct sunlight and dusting the glass top when it becomes difficult to see through, I don't do anything special to maintain it, but the burl wood veneer and brass hardware still look as if I'd unpacked it yesterday.