Bells of the Fitzgerald

[Pioneerpens]

I got this blank from Jeff Powell included with one of my orders! The bells of the edmond fitzgerald. A great write up of info on the Exotic Blanks site. Just saying, because that's where it is...sorry if it's a plug and anyone takes offense. I personally like to share where I get my blanks in case anyone else is interested.
Chrome jr. gent rollerball hardware.

All comments welcome, thanks for looking

Jennifer

 

[Akula]

nice pen, I don't get the "bell" part, am I looking at it wrong?

 

[bitshird]

Jennifer it is a sharp looking pen, I know about the Edmond Fitzgerald, but I'll be dogged if I can see the bell part, regardless the blank does look real nice, and if any one takes offense to someone saying where they got a blank then sink them as well.

 

[ed4copies]

Jennifer it is a sharp looking pen, I know about the Edmond Fitzgerald, but I'll be dogged if I can see the bell part, regardless the blank does look real nice, and if any one takes offense to someone saying where they got a blank then sink them as well.

i believe the "cement block concession" could do quite well.


Back to the bells: Dawn has explained it to me, kinda (cause I ain't no ar-teest!!) The water would distort the image, so the "main bell" runs from the top of the image to the bottom (where we see the rope that one would grasp to ring the bell). In Dawn's explanation, the other two bells are off to each side, again as distorted by looking through water and again, an "artistic impression".

Maybe Jeff will give us a MUCH better look into the mind of the artist. I am told that he used the Fitzgerald bell as an inspiration---so we tried to tie the theme together.

At least it IS food for thought!!

 

[Pioneerpens]

makes sense to me Ed. Oh and btw, I painted the tubes black and I think that made the colors 'pop' a bit more.

 

[Sylvanite]

Very nice looking pen. With the description, I can make out the bell images. Are they supposed to represent the actual ship's bell, or the tolling of the bell at the Mariners' Church of Detroit?

Regards,
Eric

 

[ed4copies]

makes sense to me Ed. Oh and btw, I painted the tubes black and I think that made the colors 'pop' a bit more.

Jeff has a really good eye for colors--every time I see one of his blanks turned, the colors are sharp and well chosen.

Your fit and finish is, of course, excellent--it always is. It is a very good looking pen that should sell well. Let us know if tying the story in has any advantage, when selling.

Thanks for showing!!!
Maybe Jeff will tell us more???

 

[Pioneerpens]

Yes, Jeff certainly casts some awesome colors with his designs. I need to ask him if he minds me using his background story in marketing this pen...I don't think he will, but always best to ask first.
Thank you for the kind words Ed!!

 

[boxerman]

That's one very nice pen.

 

[Displaced Canadian]

I also like the blank, the design is cool, but I also don't see any bells.
Gordon Lightfoot is my favorite folk singer and The wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald is my favorite song. It is one of the most famous shipwrecks on the great lakes. Cool pen.

 

[wizard]

Jennifer, That is a beautiful pen! It has a unique story to it which makes it even more of a gem as it is a great conversation starter. Makes sense after Ed explained it. I saw the video and the writeup on the Exotic's site and think Dawn did a beautiful job. Jeff makes some very artistic and creative
blanks from which you made an awesome pen with great fit and finish. I also like knowing where people got their supplies or blanks from and seeing you state it makes me feel in good company! Regards, Doc

 

[markgum]

Awesome. Had to order one before they disappeared.

 

[workinforwood]

Ed is exactly right in his description. You are looking at 3 bells. A main one in the middle, and a smaller on on either side. This is a fret interpretation of a bell with a shimmering kinda underwater effect. The wiggle on top would be the chain holding up the bells. On the bottom of each bell is the gonger ball. Each bell has a tiny opening on a bottom corner where the saw goes in, so that might be throwing people a bit, but it looks better that way than just drilling and cutting the inside of the bells out..I tried both ways, and this way look much more free flowing..as this is just free flowing fret art...and like all art in this form it can throw you a bit at first.

I like the Lightfoot song too..that's what led me to the idea..and I live in the Great Lakes State.

It looks awesome to me Jen! You can market and sell your pens anyway you like. Thanks for showing, I really think its cool..although the story is rather sad, it's a way of life around here.

 

[Pioneerpens]

Thanks all~I also was helped out by the description Ed and Dawn had up on the site. But it makes perfect sense to me now. I also loved the Gordon Lightfoot song and the history of it is sad but cool to know.
Thanks Jeff for another super design and blank!

 

[ed4copies]

We (Dawn and I) did shows for over a decade. I sold a LOT of pens. The biggest difficulty in the "show atmosphere" is attracting attention. The last couple of years I learned a successful technique!!! Posters.

I had several "themed" posters---rifle casing pens, snake skin pens and general "here's what I've made a pen from". We displayed 3 on our walls, about 7 feet off the ground. Spotlights on them.

People started coming into the booth to ASK to SEE those pens (a couple were on display, but many more were in a fold-over). Once a conversation is STARTED, a sale is MUCH easier.

So, if you have ideas about "multi-media" ways Exotics could help YOU sell, let us know!!!

In this day of "thumb drives" you could have a LOT of information with you, when you do shows!!! I sure would.

FWIW

 

[workinforwood]

Smart..little vid and couple pens..dang you have an evil salesman mind Ed!

 

[ed4copies]

Smart..little vid and couple pens..dang you have an evil salesman mind Ed!

I attempt to "create interest" in my (well, YOUR products, in this case) products.

If I hit an area that interests a buyer, the product fills his desires. OR he may tell me more about what DOES fit his wants. Either way, I am closer to helping him find something (s)he wants.

(Most people who go to craft shows WANT to buy something while they are there---you just have to determine what YOU have that they want---before the other booths help them fill their desire to spend)

 

[workinforwood]

You or I could set up a booth right there on the shores of Lake Michigan! Bring a small TV showing information about the Fitz and have a couple pens, a clear engraved pen case with the pen inside...limited edition commemorative pen..I bet you could sell the same pen 40-50 times in a day! Now in West Virginia...I don't know if Jen should go with the Fitz..maybe find another ship in that area, an ocean or war ship to celebrate, especially with the huge naval yard over there, OMG the potential to clean house! Cutting these bells is very tedious though..not sure I'd want her ordering 50 of them!

 

[Pioneerpens]

you guys have some great ideas!! Seeing how i'm new to the craft show arena, (did 1 and have another the end of June)I'm eager to get as many helpful ideas as I can. I was told to have LOTS of pens....not sure how many that is exactly lol, but i've been busy. Jeff I don't think i'll need 50 of the 'bells' but I'll be placing another order soon.

 

[workinforwood]

Jen..lots of pens is good, but can make decisions difficult. With good salesmanship, you really could just have 50 of the exact same pen and sell more than if you had 500 pens on display, and it would be less work, less set up, less for theft control. Some of the best sales people I've seen at shows only bring a dozen or two pens and those pens are actually just display models so they are just taking an order for a pen and shipping it to you later. It would be a never ending debate about if more is better or not, but I think the real question comes down to what type of a salesperson you can be.