A Pen Story Of India, China, Switzerland, And The Usa

[bobje]

One of the great qualities of the Fountain Pen Network is the way it builds bridges across cultures. Six months ago, I admired a pen acquired by Hari317 that told the story of the Beijing National Stadium, often called the Bird's Nest. The stadium was the jaw-dropping, stunningly beautiful home of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, and was designed by the Swiss architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron, the Chinese firm CADG, architects Stefan Marbach and Li Xinggang, and artist Ai Weiwei. Hari documented the pen, created under license by the Chinese firm Beifa, in a well-crafted set of photographs.

 

I had spent several months in Beijing between 2006 and 2008, preparing for information technology deployment at the Olympics. Hari remembered my interest in the pen when he spotted a version recently in Hyderabad. He purchased it and asked if I would still like one. I gladly accepted this moving and thoughtful gesture and reimbursed him for the pen, which arrived today at my home in North Carolina.

 

This post is a simple story of friendship and goodwill. Thank you, Hari. Though this is not a review, my first impression is that the pen captures the lines, color, and drama of the Beijing stadium. The pen came in two versions -- gold and steel -- and this version resembles the stadium's brushed stainless steel exterior. The section and nib are beautiful, the manufacturing is careful, and attention to detail is evident throughout the pen's presentation and execution.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bo Bo Olson]

Good story. Hari317 is good folks. And always a good read.

[Parth P]

This is a very nice pen. I love the design and it must remind you about alot of your memories from the Olympics.

[Wolverine1]

Wonderful pen, and a wonderful story. Isnt it great that we get to meet and know, and become friends with great people like Hari? Thanks for this wonderful story of your friendship, Bob.