[Currently available] A Woman’s Worth – hand-painted fountain pen

R9,000

This is the first in a series Zelna le Roux is painting on the theme of A Woman’s Worth. Her depiction of a Native American woman, young and beautiful, yet with an immediate impression of gravitas and wisdom, is truly magnificent. Zelna portrays an atmosphere of freedom in the woman’s surroundings, in this case nature, and on the back of the barrel she has painted the most delicate flowers. The woman is wearing traditional jewellery including beads and feathers, and a headdress of delicate gold. Her dress is astonishingly beautiful in billowing oranges and reds, with touches of grey and white.

On the cap Zelna has painted a selection of poppies in flamboyant colours that match the woman’s dress. These flowers symbolise the fragility of time, given the short season in which they bloom, as well as respect for nature given that no human can create so much as a single poppy’s leaf.

It is difficult to comprehend that an artist can create something so delicate and so accurate at such a small scale. (As with all the artists with whom we work, Zelna paints directly on to the pen and not, for example, on to paper or at a larger scale which is then transferred on to the pen.) Once again she has given life to our motto: We operate at the interface between art and magic.

If you would like to request a custom pen painted by Zelna, please send us an email via our contact page and we will ask if the subject matter is something that inspires her.

Some more background on the process: We created the blank which Zelna then painted. Once she had completed her artwork, we coated it in a layer of clear resin so as to allow the ultimate owner to carry and use this art on a daily basis without it getting scratched or damaged. We also added a grip section in a turquoise colour, then did a final shaping, polishing and buffing. Finally we will tune the nib once the new owner has chosen the nib width they would prefer. The end product is a portable, functional, one-of-a kind work of art.

This particular pen has a sterling silver section ring and cap band, and a medallion embedded in the cap finial which has our logo in bronze.

Nib:

Available in Jowo #6 in polished steel. Please select Fine, Medium or Broad at the check-out.

The Jabulani model

SPECIFICATIONS

This is a gently curvaceous model, with a girth of 16 mm (0,6”), narrowing to a 10,7 mm (0,4”) grip section. The relatively large size of the model is to allow the artist sufficient space for their artwork, and the artwork is encased in a layer of clear resin to protect it from getting damaged during day-to-day use. Our logo medallion is embedded in the cap finial which is ever-so-slightly rounded, and the barrel finial is ever-so-slightly conical. The cap is a flush-fit and does not post. The Jabulani model usually comes with a hand-made, cap band and section ring in either Argentium silver or bronze, though this may differ depending on what best suits the artwork. Custom hand-crafted roll stops can be added.

Dimensions:

mm inches
Total length (closed) 157 6,2
Length (pen only no cap) 141 5,5
Diameter at widest point (excl. cap) 16 0,6
Width of section at narrowest point 10,7 0,4
Section length 30 1,2
Cap thread 13 0,5

We supply our pens with a Jowo #6 nib, alternatively the section can be made to fit a Bock #6 if requested.

Refill type:

Standard international fountain pen converter (supplied) or ink cartridge.

SHIPPING

International shipping to your door via DHL Express is R350 and should take less than 10 days once despatched. Pens are securely packed.

Shipping within South Africa to your door is R60.

More information on this model is available here.