jhprice
Member
When the offer is made to purchase an unusual pen blank I have a very hard time resisting. When additional Andria Doria blanks came available, I couldn't resist and took the plunge. Thanks Ed, Now I'm really hooked.
The wood is teak and was collected from one of the hand rails of the sunken ocean liner, The Andria Doria. The Andria Doria was an Italian luxury liner that rivaled anything floating during the hay days of the ocean liners. On 25 July 1956, approaching the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, bound for New York City, Andrea Doria collided with the east-bound MS Stockholm of the Swedish American Line in what became one of history's most infamous maritime disasters.
On July 5th, 2004 a dive was made on the Doria to a depth of about 240 feet. The dive log for this dives states, "I removed a 10' section of the stern handrail & brought it up. We cut it up into 3 pieces. Still has plugs covering the bolts."
Because of the slim size of the blank, I mounted it on a Jr Gentleman in Rhodium. The finish is CA that has been sanded off and finished with ten coats of my friction polish and five coats of Carnauba wax. In time, the wood will take on the patina of the new owners oils, just as the handrails would have on the Andria Doria. The nib will be replaced with a Bock and the feed is a premium Schmidt.
It is awesome to hold this pen in your hands. To know that you are holding history in your fingers is truly humbling. And, yes, it was scarey turning.
The wood is teak and was collected from one of the hand rails of the sunken ocean liner, The Andria Doria. The Andria Doria was an Italian luxury liner that rivaled anything floating during the hay days of the ocean liners. On 25 July 1956, approaching the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, bound for New York City, Andrea Doria collided with the east-bound MS Stockholm of the Swedish American Line in what became one of history's most infamous maritime disasters.
On July 5th, 2004 a dive was made on the Doria to a depth of about 240 feet. The dive log for this dives states, "I removed a 10' section of the stern handrail & brought it up. We cut it up into 3 pieces. Still has plugs covering the bolts."
Because of the slim size of the blank, I mounted it on a Jr Gentleman in Rhodium. The finish is CA that has been sanded off and finished with ten coats of my friction polish and five coats of Carnauba wax. In time, the wood will take on the patina of the new owners oils, just as the handrails would have on the Andria Doria. The nib will be replaced with a Bock and the feed is a premium Schmidt.
It is awesome to hold this pen in your hands. To know that you are holding history in your fingers is truly humbling. And, yes, it was scarey turning.
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