Graff Von Faber Castell Pen of the Year 2019 – a tribute to the noble virtues of the samurai

 

Graff Von Faber Castell Pen of the Year 2019 is inspired by the Japanese samurai philosophy and swords.

In 2015, Graf Von Faber Castell Pen of the Year was inspired by the architecture of the “New Palace” the “Sanssouci, Potsdam, while the next year, the luxury writing instruments company paid a tribute to Schloss Schönbrunn, Vienna. Last year, the Graf Von Faber Castell Pen of the Year 2017 was inspired by the revolutionary and pioneering construction of the vikings’ longboats.

Inspired by the Japanese samurai swords the barrel, made of stained magnolia wood, Graff Von Faber Castell Pen of the Year 2019 is adorned with a handmade engraving with a 24-carat-gold finish, which makes it one of a kind.

Since its first edition in 2003, the Pen of the Year has gained a special status among connoisseurs of fine writing culture. Each limited edition tells the tales of epochs and peoples whose deeds shaped the history of humanity. The Pen of the Year 2019 is inspired by the Japanese samurai (bushi) and their matchless martial arts skills, their swords made from the most precious materials and their silently gliding movements, the aesthetics of which are so similar to the writing process.

Courage and self-discipline – the samurai were driven by lofty virtues. The Pen of the Year 2019 by Graff Von Faber Castell was inspired by their era, spanning several centuries, by the aesthetics of their weapons and by their mindset. The black lacquered metal barrel of the Black Edition, with its decorative 24-carat-gold plating, evokes the elaborately ornate armour made from individual plates. The barrel made of dark-stained magnolia wood is reminiscent of the Samurais’ long swords (katanas). Their sheath and handle were made of untreated magnolia wood.

Designed to fit the samurai’s body and crafted with extreme precision, the armour (o-yoroi) offered the warrior the greatest possible freedom in handling his weapons. The painted black metal barrel of the Black Edition resembles the beautifully decorated armour made from individual metal plates. Delicate, tapered lines with 24-carat-gold plating make the embellishment appear slightly embossed.

The design of the hand-forged handle is reminiscent of the mysterious beauty of the stingray leather the samurai used to cover their swords’ handles. This makes every writing instrument unique. The detail made from genuine tamahagane steel, adorned with an engraving of the Japanese character for “samurai” on the cap of the Black Edition, adds a sophisticated touch.

The Japanese character for samurai is engraved in the tamahagane inlay in the cap. The end cap is adorned with the symbol “tsuba” (hand guard), designed by Miyamoto Musashi. The caps and the handle are finished with an anthracite-grey PVD coating made from titanium, while the 18-carat-gold nib is coated with ruthenium. Each of the unique, numbered pens in this edition, limited to 330 fountain pens and 100 rollerball pens, represents the inner disposition of the samurai to strive for strength, clarity and perfection.

The exclusive luxury pens come in a high gloss black wooden case. A certificate signed by Count Charles von Faber-Castell attests to the authenticity of the limited edition.