It's in the Details -- A Visit with David Oscarson

Saturday, September 7th was one of the most wonderful days I have ever had at Pen Boutique. I know that's a bold statement, but it truly was a joy from start to finish, and better than I ever could have imagined. It was our first--and definitely not last--store event with special guest David Oscarson, the man behind David Oscarson, a unique and ornate luxury writing instrument brand that had always seemed somewhat unapproachable to me. David's visit with us changed that.  I originally met David back in March, 2023, at my first pen show, and I've stopped to see him at every show since then, so I already really liked David and knew him to be very charismatic and engaging, but chatting with him for a few minutes at busy pen shows and seeing his overwhelming collection under glass in its display case was very different from having him with us all day at Pen Boutique, being the "audience" during the recording of my co-host Leila's in-depth and emotional For Your Penjoyment interview with him, working closely at his side in the store, getting to know the relaxed and fun side of David, and being able to see all his pens up close and touch them as much as I wanted.  Yes, David Oscarson pens are cost prohibitive for most of us (all his fountain pens are $6,500, and rollerballs $6,200), but they are also inspiring and rich with fascinating detail that I am now much more fully able to appreciate and admire. Even if you don't think you'd be likely to add a David Oscarson pen to your collection, I hope you enjoy learning about them as much as I have. If you already know and love David Oscarson and his pens, read on to see them through my eyes.

Works of Art

No one explains the technique used to make David Oscarson pens better than David himself does, so I'm going to embed a short minute and a half video that he gave me to share with you, in which he describes the painstaking process used to create his handmade limited edition writing instruments. I love how David actually shows us the craftsmen making the pens, and describes the method vividly and succinctly in his own words.

This year is David Oscarson's 25th anniversary as a company, and they have been constructing everything the same way for their entire history. As of September, 2024, they have released thirty-nine collections inspired by different themes, and each collection is produced in several different color variations, each of which is limited to a certain number of pieces. The number of pens produced varies by collection, and sometimes has significance--for example, the 25th Anniversary Art Nouveau collection is being produced in nine color variations, and each is limited to twenty-five pieces including fountain pen and rollerball styles.

The process used to make these pens--as well as matching cufflinks and folding knives--is very similar to the one that was used to make the Fabergé Imperial Eggs, and it defines David Oscarson and is unique to their collection. Like the Fabergé eggs, many of the pieces incorporate small precious gemstones along with the .925 Sterling Silver, 18-karat gold, and translucent and opaque enamels used to create these beautiful works of art.

(Pictured: Closeup of some of David Oscarson's cufflinks, taken during our store event by my teammate Harsh Atit.)

As David described in the video above, and to Leila in her interview with him, all his creations include guilloché, a process by which an intricate pattern is precisely engraved into .925 Sterling Silver. A machine is used to do the engraving, but it is often operated by hand.  You can see guilloché on some other companies' pens, such as S.T. Dupont, Graf Von Faber-Castell, Otto Hutt and Waldmann, but David Oscarson's pens are unique in that the guilloché is finished with a hot enamel, often in many different colors.

The hot enamel is made from crushed glass that is colored with ground metal oxides and purified with distilled water to form a moist paste. The mixture is applied to the surface of the guilloché with a quill, and then the piece is put into a kiln and fired, at temperatures up to over 1,000 degrees. The glass melts and fuses with the silver, and the piece is then cooled and filed by hand with a diamond file to smooth the enamel. This tedious process is repeated three to four times per color "until the level of enamel reaches the depth required to cover the peaks and fill the valleys of each intricate guilloché pattern," as the David Oscarson website explains. "When the final stages of firing are completed, the pieces are polished and buffed, revealing the velvet finish of translucent hard enamel."

As David shared in his interview with Leila, "sadly, there is a 20% failure rate because the silver cools and contracts faster than the glass," and the glass can shatter, forcing them to start over.  Wow! He went on to explain that different colors require different temperatures to bring out their beauty--for example, a lot of the shades of blue will be a milky color unless they are fired at over 1,000 degrees, at which point they become translucent; but, red is made from powdered copper that burns and turns brown if it gets over about 800 degrees.  So, they have to fire each color in succession, and, in the case of a pen that includes five or six colors, that may be as many as twenty-four firings in the kiln for one pen cap! This costly and skilled process is done at David Oscarson's workshops in the U.K. because this art form doesn't really exist in the US. Production of translucent hard enamel requires extremely high levels of patience, skill, and experience, so a five-year apprenticeship is required for the artisans.  However, David told us that because it's an all natural material made from silver and glass, the pieces will last for hundreds of years and maintain their beauty. Knowing all this, the $6,200 - $6,500 price tag makes complete sense!

(Pictured:  Guilloché patterns and hot enamel in different colors combine to create the feeling of heat waves radiating off the blazing sun on the caps of David Oscarson's Celestial pen collection.  Photo thanks to Harsh Atit.)

The guilloché patterns chosen for each pen series can be wildly different, and are breathtaking to look at up close. You can see the engraving underneath the enamel of the pens, reflecting and refracting light.  During our store event, my new teammate Harsh helped me by taking some additional detail shots with his DSLR camera, including some macro photos!  I love seeing the variety of delicate colors in the enamel, as well as the beautiful patterns that take on form and meaning differently in each pen design.

(Pictured: Closeup detail on a Koi pen. Photo by Harsh Atit. I love the combination of the warm rich oranges, the vibrant green, and the delicate mauve, as well as the ripples in the water and the texture of the lily leaves.)

(Pictured: Closeup of the white variation of the Lord Ganesha pen, showing the beautiful intricate paisley pattern.  I am very pleased with the level of detail I was able to capture!  In these photos, you can see some of the information included around the ring. The number 925 refers to the purity of the Sterling Silver, and the other symbols are British hallmarks, including the city of London, indicating where the pen is made. The David Oscarson logo of a linked D and O is also featured, along with the limited edition number--such as 4/8--and the David Oscarson name, which is sometimes written in a different font inspired by the pen's topic.)

(Pictured: Cap detailing on 25th Silver Anniversary Art Nouveau Collection pen. The clip is a tribute to René Lalique’s famous Dragonfly Woman corsage. An unprecedented amount of exposed Sterling Silver was incorporated into this design for the company's Silver Anniversary. Photo by Harsh Atit.) 

As I touched on earlier, the other thing that defines David Oscarson's collection is the tributes, homages, and historical themes beautifully worked into the elaborate designs. The breadth of topics is quite extensive, but they are all things that David found meaningful and inspiring, and they are a little more unusual than the typical historical figures and events you see honored in other brands' pens. Because David's family moved to Stockholm when he was almost nine, and he spent five years of his childhood growing up in Sweden, many of the pens have a Scandinavian tilt, which adds a different perspective that I really enjoy. David's choice of topics are also often inspired by American history or by his strong faith, but they are very wide-ranging and international.

David Oscarson's themes include (but are not limited to!) art and literature (Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Pierrot and Pierrette, Harlequin, The Basilica of La sagrada Familia, Carl Mille, and Hans Christian Andersen's "The Ugly Duckling"), religion and myth (God ruling the universe--"Deus Regit," Sankta Lucia, Lord Ganesha, Black Water Dragon, the Tree of Life, and Valhalla), history (Ellis Island, the Golden Spike, the Magna Carta, and the Rosetta Stone), nature's beauty (Celestial, Sea Turtles, Koi, Consider the Lilies, Seaside, Harvest, and Winter), inspirational heroes who changed the world (Nikola Tesla, Raoul Wallenberg, Alexander Fleming, Carl Linnaeus, Alfred Bernhard Nobel and Lewis & Clark), and even concepts like "Take it to the Limit"--the "need for speed" experienced by car lovers!  Check out his website to see all the collections and videos with David explaining each one's individual features... I couldn't mention them all, and you never know which one might fire your imagination!

Although we only display a few of David's pens at a time in our physical store, we are able to order and sell any of the active designs, so just call us if there is one that interests you.  You can speak to our friendly and knowledgeable customer service team at 410-992-3272, Monday to Friday 9AM - 5PM (Eastern time) or email support@penboutique.com with questions. 

Making It Happen

David's day at Pen Boutique was a long time coming.  Every single time I'd spoken with him at a pen show, he'd told me how much he loves Pen Boutique owner Leena and how much he wanted to visit our store. Although 2024 is the David Oscarson brand's 25th anniversary, and Pen Boutique's 20th anniversary, David had never had an event with us, and he was eager to change that. Privately, at the pen shows, I shared with him that we were a little nervous about having a store event, because, although we do well with his pens, very few of our David Oscarson customers live in the area. Leena didn't want David to come to the store and then to be disappointed by the turnout. David told me he didn't care--that wasn't important to him!  He just wanted to see our store, get to know us better, and meet our local customers no matter what, even if we didn't sell a lot of his pens that day.  David couldn't wait to visit, and kept asking and asking.  Finally, we set up a date:  September 7th.  It was really going to happen!

(Pictured: David showing some of his incredible creations to one of my special customers, Toni, at the DC Fountain Pen Supershow in 2023.)

My For Your Penjoyment YouTube show co-host Leila and I knew that it was vital to make time for David to sit down with us for an interview during his visit, and David completely agreed.  He was eager to answer questions, tell us the stories behind his pens, and explain what makes his collection special. Along with my blog articles, that is the best way for us to share experiences like this with a wider audience, to allow people who can't come to pen shows or our store event to understand what is so exciting about David Oscarson and his designs.  David flew in for the day from his home, so he arrived at Pen Boutique around 10 AM, and, after welcoming him with warm hugs, we immediately whisked him into our recording studio, which is across a hallway from the store itself.

Leila, who is the show's director and editor as well as co-host, was a little anxious--she had worked very hard to prepare for this moment and wanted everything to be perfect.  Our humble studio is cramped and quirky, but David didn't seem to care.  He immediately put us at ease with his warmth and sincerity.  He was charming, relaxed, and delighted to be with us.

David loved the cute "David O !" title I'd put on our signboard, and sat down in my usual seat on our set, taking in the position of our microphones and the two cameras we'd set up with assistance from our new associate Harsh.  As soon as he understood what we had planned, he got comfortable and lounged way back in the chair, ready for a long, relaxed conversation.

Leila's questions covered a myriad of topics:  who David is, David Oscarson's past and future both as person and a brand, what sets David Oscarson pens apart, what inspires their designs, David's relationship with collectors, and detailed looks at some of the pen collections including Lord Ganesha, Ellis Island, and 25th Anniversary Art Nouveau. He spoke smoothly and articulately, thoughtfully and thoroughly answering each question, blue eyes twinkling boyishly at times, and even adding excellent sound effects as he described how the pens are made! 

Near the end of the interview, Leila asked David to talk about Hans Christian Andersen's The Ugly Duckling and Deus Regit, two pen collections with a very deep and personal emotional impact. As David retold the story of The Ugly Duckling, and showed us how each part is depicted in the pen's design, I could see Leila fighting back tears, and David began to get choked up as well, clearing his throat several times.  I could feel it too, listening.  David pointed out the subtle engravings of the swan's hard past as an ungainly cygnet in the muddy duckyard, where he was ridiculed by the ducks and made to feel unwanted and ugly.  These engravings are underneath the darker enamel and intentionally distant, like a memory.  While those painful experiences are part of what made the swan who is is today, he has put them in the past.  "That will never leave him," David told us. "It's always going to be part of who he is, but... it's underneath, where it's safely tucked away.  He remembers, he's learned from it, but now he's become this beautiful swan..." who is depicted on the cap, seeing his reflection in the water of the pen's barrel above the duckyard, finally recognizing himself as the swan he has been all along.

David's favorite part of the story is written on the gripping section in the original Danish, "It doesn't matter if you're raised in a duckyard, so long as you know that you are hatched from a swan's egg."

"I think that's why it's such an emotional topic, because, no matter who you are, somebody has held you down at some point, and hopefully we can realize... no, I'm better than this; I come from something great, and I have that greatness. It's innate; it's in all of us.  So, I think that's why that story resonates with so many of us.  And especially, for some of our core, really die-hard collectors, this is a statement, either from their spouse or for themselves, that, yeah... it was not always easy... it was... I almost didn't make it, you know.  And now I have become... it's all the more meaningful."

David is debonair, polished, and a pro at what he does, but I could see that he was speaking from the heart and from personal experience.  He's also a genuinely warmhearted person, and when Leila took off her glasses to wipe away the tears from her eyes, he was touched by her reaction and broke away from own thoughts to spontaneously reach out and pat her shoulder, saying, "Sorry!" and "I feel exactly the same way!"  It was a moment of true connection between two very different people who were both moved by Hans Christian Andersen's powerful story perfectly portrayed through the pen David held in his hand. "It's all the more meaningful now because of how difficult it was," David added, after collecting himself. "And it's all the sweeter, because we weren't always treated like a swan."

When the interview was over, Harsh and I broke into spontaneous applause.  David asked with a little uncertainty, "Okay? Any retakes? Is that okay?" and, beaming, I shook my head vehemently, while Harsh blurted out, "That was beautiful!"  David burst into laughter and reached over to clasp Leila's shoulder warmly again, as they simultaneously laughed hard together and thanked each other.  It was such a genuine and endearing response, and a beautiful ending for what had been a very in-depth and powerful interview.

One of our viewers, @debyc54, later commented on the episode, "I loved Mr. Oscarson's spirit and authenticity, as well as the thoughtful and artistic care that's put into all of his products. Absolutely beautiful!"  I completely agree, and both Leila and I were honored and delighted to be able to convey this to a larger audience.

Overwhelming, in a Good Way 

If I had to choose one word to describe the store event that followed, it would be "intense"--not because David was intimidating or the day was hectic (neither was the case!)--but just because it felt so special, so important, and was so full with a myriad of details that I hyperfocused in on. I was relaxed but "on" for the entire event, connected and enjoying every moment with David, with our customers, and with our team. It was wonderful seeing Pen Boutique owner Leena so happy, smiling and laughing, and feeling the excitement and awe of everyone who looked closely at David's pens.

(Pictured:  Pen Boutique owner Leena Shrestha-Menon with David Oscarson and store customers.)

Although we are able to order and sell any of David Oscarson's active designs, we only display five of the pens at a time in our store, so, although I am familiar with how they are constructed and what makes them stand out from other pens, I had never been able to explore the depth of the collection in person.  On Saturday, that changed dramatically.

I started the event by taking photos of many of the pens David had brought, then later pointed out details to Harsh so he could supplement my images with his more powerful camera.  David handed the pens to me three or four at a time, and also encouraged me to reach into his cases and take out what I needed, which at first seemed a little scary, but I quickly got over that.  Knowing how important it was to capture good illustrations for this blog article and our YouTube episode emboldened me to confidently lay the pens on a grey Girologio writing mat that I spontaneously grabbed for a backdrop, look closely at them, and arrange them to best display the details that David had spoken about in the interview or that simply most appealed to me.  By doing this, I gave myself permission to appreciate the pens much more intimately than I would have otherwise.

(Pictured:  Me engrossed in photographing pens, while David talks with customers.  Thanks to my teammate Aurora for the photo!)

Listening to David tell customers the stories behind the pens was riveting, and I loved watching some of our store regulars become fascinated by the intricate and diverse designs. I discussed the experience later with one of my favorite customers, Eric Arnold, and he described it as like "going to a museum and being able to handle the art piece."  I think that's a perfect analogy!

Eric told me that he never would have approached David's table at a show, or even asked to look at the David Oscarson pens we have on display in our store, because he has the mindset that it would be inappropriate to ask to look at pens you wouldn't realistically purchase.  But, because David invited him to touch the pens by physically handing them to him, he was able to truly gain an understanding and appreciation of why these pens are so special. The pens aren't just fancy to be fancy. The amount of details surrounding each pen's particular topic is astounding, thoroughly researched, meaningful, and thoughtfully incorporated into a harmonious design.  Eric compared them to a few other brands that create pens inspired by a theme or a person, and remarked that there really is no comparison.  David Oscarson pens take their themes to a whole other level.

(Pictured: David shows one of his pens to Eric Arnold and his wife, Margo Mildvan. Eric and Margo are both beloved customers and I was overjoyed that they came out for the event!)

(Pictured: David discusses his pens with customers Liz and Steve, as Logan looks on.)

I loved listening to several regular customers who already own one of David's pens discussing the ins and outs with him, and being present when several others made the thrilling decision to purchase one of his pieces, but, for me, the details I remember most fondly were small ones, just like the small details I often highlight in my blog articles:  David and Logan casually talking over the best color for Logan's first suit, David remarking "Brutal!" when I privately shared a story about a challenging incident at an event, and many moments highlighting David's patience, care, kindness, and attentiveness.  

Likewise, I can't even say which David Oscarson collection is my favorite; details in each one captured my attention, and each time I looked at a pen I noticed something new and special about it:  the texture of a dragon's scales and gleam in its ruby eyes, the way some of the stars in the Celestial pens' barrel are placed underneath the enamel to make them look dimmer and more distant in the sky, the wonderful bark-like texture of the guilloché pattern in the Tree of Life pens, the kindness and wisdom in the look on Lord Ganesha's face, the delicate shades of color in the Dragonfly Woman's wings on the Art Nouveau pens, or the way the heavens in the Deus Regit pens' caps are made from four colors of hot enamel that are blended to produce the look of real clouds.

(Pictured:  Deus Regit detail. Photo by Harsh Atit.)

(Pictured:  Black Water Dragon pen details.  Photo by Harsh Atit.) 

(Pictured:  Ellis Island top finial with the Seal of Good Health, and quarantine stamp on bottom finial.) 

(Pictured:  Quotation from Emma Lazarus' The New Colossus on Ellis Island pens' gripping section. Photo by Harsh Atit.) 

I was thrilled that one of our customers decided to buy the purple variant of David's 25th Anniversary Art Nouveau pen, and that she inked it right away with our store exclusive Penjoyment Purple to harmonize with the purples in the dragonfly wings on the cap and in the recreation of Alphonse Mucha’s "La Plume" masterpiece on the barrel.  What an honor!  This is the first of David's pens with enamel on the gripping section, and the color variation that she chose is special because it's the only one that's two-tone, with some of the engraving filled in with opaque black enamel and some left recessed. 

David mentioned in his interview with Leila that he loves connecting with collectors and hearing their input on his designs and why they decided to make the purchase, and I got to see this firsthand during our event when he collaborated with one of our customers who asked him to create a custom color variation for one of his pens.  Another customer had purchased a Lord Ganesha pen from him because of its deep personal meaning, and spent a very long time discussing it with David, who listened intently.

David told us that many collectors waited a very long time for their first David Oscarson pen, or are especially excited about a certain topic and just have to get it, or have a particular loved one in mind to hand the pen down to someday. "It's an emotional and celebratory experience when people acquire one of our pens," he explained, then added, "--as it is with many of the luxury pens.  They are by definition a luxury."  Every David Oscarson pen purchase is special and memorable, and the different designs "speak to different people, so we try to shake it up with body types and shapes... gold vermeil vs. silver... fine, medium, broad, and rollerball.  We try to do a little something for everyone." 

The fountain pens can be filled by either cartridge, converter, or eyedropper fill; a series of seals and “O” rings prevent the ink from leaving the chamber at any point.  Their 18-karat gold nibs are engineered in Heidelberg, Germany, and are paired with an ebonite feed for optimum ink flow.  Each elegant two-tone nib is plated with rhodium and tipped with iridium to ensure durability.

It was great to see David with one of his own pens in his jacket pocket, using it both as an elegant accessory and as a writing tool to take notes with. Many David Oscarson pen collectors enjoy their pens simply as works of art, but most of the ones that I spoke with also write with them.  They are art pieces, jewelry, conversation pieces, and writing instruments simultaneously, and, despite the ornate and heavy caps on many of the designs, the pens themselves are very well balanced and functional.

I don't think I'll own a David Oscarson pen anytime soon, but it's not that crazy. I could see myself using one of these small masterpieces, allowing its details to speak to me and elevate my writing with its exquisite craftsmanship and inspired beauty.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my David Oscarson experience as much as I enjoyed having it.  It was a truly special day, and I left Pen Boutique feeling exultant, enlightened, and a little sad that it was over.

-Laura P.

(Photo by Harsh Atit.  Thank you, Harsh!)