Because they just look so cool

Barch-Payzant (freehand) lettering pens – a new old toy.

When Richard emailed me a picture of this Barch-Payzant lettering pen set, I squealed. Oh wonderful world that has such elegant solutions in it. These pens are forward-weighted; solid brass nibs, light wooden handles.They immediately reminded me of the Indonesian tjanting, used to apply hot wax to cloth for resist batik. Unlike the tjanting, these lettering …

"Instantly replaceable by the user"

For the next company that wants to revive a beloved pen brand.

I’ve worked with brands for 25 years. That’s 52,000 hours of figuring out how to make brands engaging, persuasive, convincing – and ultimately, worth a place in someone’s life. The new Esterbrook has caused consternation among pen people. To me, it is an emerging story of the power of a brand, even after its original owners have gone, because of the meaning it holds for the people who love it.