PenGallery Blog

The Dürrenhembach hunting lodge near Nuremberg was acquired by Lothar von Faber in 1867 for his son Wilhelm, a passionate huntsman. Lothar’s great-grandson Count Roland von Faber-Castell also shared that passion: the father of the present Count possessed considerable environmental awareness; he loved the woods and the forests, and conservation of wildlife was dear to his heart – an attitude that still runs in the family. The aesthetic appeal of some very valuable hand-crafted hunting rifles, owned by Count Roland, inspired the Pen of the Year 2010.The barrel is made of hard walnut wood and decorated with case-hardened metal parts and the fine engravings. Until the late 19th century, case hardening was the sign of a high-quality gun, with the inimitable shimmering coloration it provides. For centuries, the technique was handed down by word of mouth and was something of a secret art. The metal parts are usually packed in carbonized leather and heated to convert the surface into steel; the colors appear on cooling. Some 20 parameters contribute to the beautiful visual effect, including the thickness of the metal, the temperature, and the rate of cooling. The 18-carat bicolor gold nib is available in the line widths F, M, and B, each one ‘run in’ by hand. The platinum-plated end cap, decorated with a case-hardened metal disc, protects the knob for the plunger mechanism, on which each pen is individually numbered. The case has a lid made of walnut veneer. A certificate testifies that the pen with its 24-carat gold inlays is one of a limited edition.