David Oscarson

The designs in the David Oscarson collection speak to imagination and emotion, memories and history. From the very first Henrik Wigstrom Trophy pen to the subsequent collections of beautifully designed fountain and rollerball pens, president and CEO David Oscarson has continued to exhibit an eye for design and a desire to redefine penmaking as we know it. His most recent Celestial collection, introduced in 2006, raises the bar once again with its universal iconography. The pen’s guilloche engraving is a sunburst pattern, which is not new to the brand’s collections, but seems particularly fresh in the context of the Celestial’s raison d’etre.

There are deliberate, though subtle, interruptions in the engraving to conjure flares within the sun’s rays, and the translucent-enamel cap features the face of the sun framed by flame-like tendrils. “It was particularly difficult to achieve this three-dimensional image on the curved surface of the pen,” says Oscarson, adding that Celestial took five years of work to bring to fruition. The barrel of the pen is midnight blue enamel embellished with four phases of the moon and three sizes of two-dimensional stars. There are five variations of Celestial: azure, saffron, white, gold and sunset red. Each has a midnight-blue barrel with a contrasting cap. The blue, orange and white models are trimmed with rhodium, and the remaining versions are trimmed with vermeil. The gold and red pens have a thin outline of 18-karat gold on their silver-colored moons to complement the vermeil. The white and gold pens have an orange-faced sun, while the others have a yellow one. Each version comprises 88 pieces.

The Henrik Wigstrom Trophy Collection, Oscarson’s premier collection introduced in 2000, features two colors of translucent hard enamel on each piece and stands as a tribute to Henrik Wigstrom, head workmaster for Peter Carl Fabergé. Fabergé created the famed Trophy Egg, or “Egg with Love Trophies,” the famed piece that was presented by Tsar Nicholas II to his mother, the Dowager Empress Maria Fedorovna, on Easter, April 22, 1907.

In 2002, Oscarson further challenged the luxury pen industry by incorporating three levels of guilloché engraving on each Winter collection piece: the first forms an ice branch pattern in high-relief, while the second—a pinstriped background—is interrupted by a third dimension of frost. This groundbreaking design is finished in four wintry variations of translucent hard enamel and rhodium vermeil, each limited to a production of 128 pieces.

In 2003, Oscarson introduced the world’s first filling crystal fountain pen produced in four color variations and limited to 128 pieces each. The Crystal collection incorporates full-lead English crystal from that country’s only remaining working brick cone. Established in 1755, this circular structure houses multiple furnaces where some of the world’s finest crystal has been created over the years. Each piece in the Crystal collection is blown, cut, ground and polished by hand to Oscarson’s exacting design specifications, resulting in a remarkable technical feat. To satisfy a new generation of collectors, the Crystal barrel accommodates a rollerball refill, a fountain pen cartridge and a fountain pen converter, all of which can be masked by a sterling silver sleeve finished in rhodium or 18-karat yellow gold vermeil. For the true pen aficionado, however, the pen comes equipped with a glass eyedropper for filling the pen with ink. A series of seals and O-rings secures the ink in the crystal chamber while protecting the inner threads and workings of the pen (this unique four-way filling system has been incorporated into all of Oscarson’s subsequent designs).

In the Fall of 2003, Oscarson unveiled his award-winning Harvest collection in five breathtaking fall colors, each limited to production of only 88 pieces. The Harvest Collection is the first to incorporate three levels of guilloché engraving and two different types of hard enamel—one translucent and one opalescent—on each piece. The decorative wheat stalks, grass and kernel outlines remain in high relief while the basket-weave pattern in the background gives way to a third dimension of delicate lines which complete the
wheat motif. Finished in 18-karat yellow gold vermeil, the Harvest Collection epitomizes the artistic mastery of the Oscarson Collection.

Oscarson introduced the Seaside collection in 2004: an ocean-inspired design requiring four separate stages of engraving. The entire body of the pen is first cut down to the level of the wave-patterned background, leaving the outline of the shells and sand dollars in two levels of high relief. The wave pattern is then engraved onto the remaining portion of the body of the pen. The third stage of engraving applies the skeletal motif to the surface of each sand dollar design, followed by a fourth and final stage of engraving that forms the scallop pattern on the shells. Offered in Ocean Blue, Aquamarine, Seafoam Green, and Sunshine Yellow, the first four models are accented with translucent white hard enamel and finished with rhodium, while the fifth collection piece features white-on-white hard enamel finished in a beautiful 18-karat rose gold vermeil. Each color variation is limited to production of only 88 pieces.

Later that year, Pierrot and Pierrette arrived at center stage, each embellished with three levels of guilloché and five illustrious colors of hard enamel. Inspired by the 17th century painting by Jean-Antoine Watteau, the love affair of Pierrot (in black) and Pierrette (in white) was made famous by the commedia dell’arte and French pantomime. This unique Art Deco duo is limited to production of 88 pieces each; each is accented with three VVS- 1 diamonds—one in the top of the crown, one in the center of the clip and one set in the bottom of the pen’s barrel. A one-of-a-kind pavé-diamond version was also created in 18-karat white gold ($130,000).

Since 1889, Seng Jewelers in Louisville, Kentucky has provided unique and rare creations to discerning collectors around the world. The year 2005 marked the 131st anniversary of the first Kentucky Derby held at Churchill Downs. In conjunction with Churchill Downs, Seng Jewelers proudly introduced an exclusive world’s first: the 2005 Kentucky Derby Twin Spires Masterpiece. This collection is a limited production of 131 pieces, including fountain pens and rollerball pens. The roses and thoroughbreds remain in high relief. The translucent green hard enamel and 18-karat yellow gold vermeil coordinate with the official colors of the Kentucky Derby held at Churchill Downs. The 2006 Kentucky Derby Twin Spires Masterpiece, also available exclusively at Seng Jewelers, is a limited edition of 132 pieces. The pen features a stunning black and red enamel body with 18-karat vermil or rhodium-finish appointments. The gripping section is engraved “Seng Jewelers since 1889.

To round out his already impressive repertoire, Oscarson recently created the stunning Trellis collection in 2005. It mingles traditional pin-striped formality with a more fluid botanical influence. The classic bold stripes of this design are tempered by the softer lines of a floral spiral; both are in high relief. The intricate design of the Trellis Collection requires multiple stages of engraving. The entire body of the pen is precision-cut to the level of the guilloché back-ground. The trellis and leaf and bud motifs are in high relief. Four of the five translucent hard enamel color variations in the Trellis Collection are then accented with opalescent white hard enamel, rhodium and 18-karat yellow gold vermeil. The fifth Trellis Collection piece features opalescent white hard enamel accented in translucent black and finished in 18-karat yellow gold vermeil.

The handmade limited edition writing instruments in the David Oscarson Collection blend strict attention to detail with quality materials and time-honored craftsmanship. Artistic mastery is achieved by combining the centuries-old technique of guilloché with the art and expertise of hard enamel. The beautiful creations are rare, unique and exclusive, but if these limited edition pens are not exclusive enough, Oscarson also offers special edition versions and special commission designs in solid 18-karat gold embellished with diamonds; these start at $50,000.

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