Historic Pen Blanks

[TonyL]

I have a client that is an historian. He wants me to make him a pen or two. I don't think he is aware of the costs of some of these blanks..nor do I as well as I should.

So I guess my first "want" is to know what folks have, or a source. The second "want" is the cost. I have Googled a around and have only found finished pens.

Thanks for reading and any direction.

 

[Sataro]

I have bought "horse chestnut" blanks from Exotic Blanks. Historical standpoint these blanks came from a tree that George Washington planted. The last "horse chestnut" tree died in 2004. I've made two of these pens. Each blank cost me $95.00-$100.00 each. So each pen was quite expensive for my customer. Exotic Blanks provided a very nice 8x10 Certificate of Authenticity with each blank. Exotic Blanks have also carried different historical blanks. That would be my first source to check out. Was very pleased with the blanks I have received from them.

 

[SDB777]

I thought the last 'surviving natural born' Horse Chestnut was the Anne Frank tree in Amsterdam(2009 or 2010 blew over), and even that one gave a bunch of 'seedlings' that were transported to the USofA....one of which is alive and well at central high school in Little Rock?


It wasn't long ago I saw a few pieces of teak from the deck of a ship that served during WWII here in the classifieds. Have you looked through the 'archived classifieds' here?

Not sure what kind-of-history you're after.....



Scott (GW was pretty cool) B

 

[jallan]

I just bought some blanks of the deck of the Battleship New Jersey with a cert. of Authenticity. The Battleship was the most decorated battleship in the U S Navy. Cost was not high for the blanks and shipping.
Hope this helps.

 

[Quality Pen]

I see a lot of battle ships compared to other things. Like jallan said they're usually not the most expensive but the provenance is usually 100%. I think being able to prove something is actually something is critical in these cases.

 

[keithlong]

i have some 200 year old long leaf yellow heart pine. This wood is off of a sharecropper home in Chrenshaw County Alabma, let me know if you are interested.

 

[TonyL]

This "buff" is not aware of what these things cost. For what he is willing to pay, I will make him an Amboyna burl on an Executive - nothing historic about it. He's a great guy, school principal, an Vietnam author. There are buffs and there are Buffs .
I saw what these things cost and believe to be fairly priced; it is not within his budget. I had no idea what blanks with historical value costs when I told him that I would do some research. Maybe after he receives the pen; he will want to up his budget into the 150 to 250 range. If I don't blow an expensive blank, I am content with doubling my money for a friend of the family.

Thank you all for your responses and generous offers. I now know where to go to get them...right here .

 

[keithlong]

Tony,
These pine blanks are tight grained and are still wet with sap. I have several pens from them and they are beautiful pens. PM me address and I will be glad to send you a few.

 

[yorkie]

I have some USS North Carolina and I also have a few from HMS Victory! These took me a year of negotiating to get my hands on and won't be cheap I'm afraid.

 

[jttheclockman]

Deleted my comments.


I need to look at the dates of these threads. Have to pay more attention

 

[TonyL]

Thank you for remembering me Stephen. The pens I made were received about two weeks after composed the request and was made of aware of the cost. I made the pens for someone who had a limited budget and was going to give them as gifts to a husband and wife - the husband was the war-history buff and I understand just authored a book. Anyway, thanks again for thinking of me .