Welcome to Manuscript #8

There has been lots happening in the last couple of months and with much more in the pipeline, I'm sure you'll enjoy reading our news.

Tribute to Shakespeare

More than that, we are delighted to report that The Shakespeare Pen has been chosen by the British Council and the government's GREAT Britain campaign to represent British manufacturing in support of their 'Shakespeare Lives' promotions and events during 2016. Using the power of Shakespeare’s 400th anniversary year, 'Shakespeare Lives' is raising funds to support VSO's education programs around the globe and leave a lasting legacy and a brighter future for hundreds of thousands of children.

As a result, BBP has agreed to make a worthwhile donation to VSO from the sale of every Shakespeare Pen - a very worthy cause, I think you will agree.

As English as The Bard himself!

The Shakespeare Pen has been designed and handcrafted in England by The Stratford Pen Company's highly talented silversmiths and pen technicians who have incorporated the essence of the world’s greatest playwright into a fountain pen that’s as English as the Bard of Avon himself.

Classically elegant in design, The Shakespeare Pen is made from Sterling Silver and bears a full set of English hallmarks to confirm its quality and purity. English hallmarks have been used as evidence of purity of precious metals since 1544, well before Shakespeare was born.

Traditional engine-turned silk pattern

And there’s a closer link with William Shakespeare… His father, John Shakespeare, was a well-to-do glover and whittawer in Stratford upon Avon, and made silk gloves and purses for the nobility. At that time, silk was very fashionable with the aristocracy so when it came to making a decision about the engraved pattern on the cap and barrel of the Shakespeare Pen it seemed appropriate to use a traditional engine-turned pattern known as ‘silk’ which was used by many English silversmiths in the past, but is rarely seen today.

On the end of the cap is an image of William Shakespeare which has been taken from the title page of his First Folio, published in 1623. ‘Made in England’ is also engraved on the cap top to reflect that not only is the pen made in England, but so was the world’s greatest playwright!

A black onyx gemstone is embedded near the top of the clip as it is believed to promote wisdom, intuitiveness and concentration – great qualities for any writer and innate to Shakespeare.

Like a candle in the wind 

Conway Stewart's 90th birthday tribute to the iconic Marilyn Monroe. British silversmith Henry Simpole has captured the spirit of Marilyn in this magnificent Conway Stewart Marilyn Monroe Overlay pen. One of her most famous images has been carefully transposed on to silver and pierced through so the black acrylic barrel shows through. Henry has even included the famous beauty spot on her left cheek!

Talented British silversmith/penmaker Henry Simpole has created a sterling silver overlay pen that is dazzling in its design – an iconic image of Marilyn pierced into the silver, even including the beauty spot on her left cheek – together with the inscribed words ‘Boo Boo Be Doo!’, the refrain from the song ‘I Wanna be Loved By You’ which she sang in the film ‘Some Like it Hot.’ 

Churchill Azure