Stunning Custom Pen Box By Peter Lloyd...

[Jonst]

I should start by thanking FPN members Toolattack and Pepin. Back in December 2011 Toolattack began a thread about pen boxes on this forum. In that thread Pepin mentioned the name Peter Lloyd as a maker of fine boxes. At the time I was looking for a nice pen box to use on my desk at work, so, after a quick bit of googling I found Peter’s website (www.finehardwoodboxes.com) and other reviews of his work. In the course of my research I discovered that he is one of Europe’s artisan top box makers, having written books on box making, organised an exhibition of international fine box making and exhibited his own work in galleries around Europe.

 

Peter makes all of his boxes personally by hand, predominantly using solid English hardwoods. There are no veneers. He also accepts commissions for boxes but will base such commissions on his own designs and taking into account the character of the wood.

 

After my initial research I gave Peter a call and after a couple of weeks exchanging emails we settled on a design, essentially a box with a top tray with channels to hold up to 10 pens and a space underneath for pen cases, spare nibs and odds and sods. In terms of the wood, what I really wanted was a box with an interesting pattern, not just a brown box.

 

I have to say that Peter granted (and exceeded) my wish because the box I have ended up with looks absolutely awesome! Photos just don’t capture the way the surface of the box shimmers (a combined result of the pattern of ripple sycamore and coatings of Danish oil and bees wax).

 

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt9/GWIS/Peter%20Lloyd%20Pen%20Box/DSCN0130.jpg

 

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt9/GWIS/Peter%20Lloyd%20Pen%20Box/DSCN0131.jpg

 

Walnut hinges.

 

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt9/GWIS/Peter%20Lloyd%20Pen%20Box/DSCN0132.jpg

 

Tray lined with blue suede.

 

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt9/GWIS/Peter%20Lloyd%20Pen%20Box/DSCN0136.jpg

 

The space beneath the tray is also lined with blue suede and moire.

 

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt9/GWIS/Peter%20Lloyd%20Pen%20Box/DSCN0138.jpg

 

Plenty of space for at least a Penvelope 6, a couple of extra pen cases and bottles of Herbin.

 

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt9/GWIS/Peter%20Lloyd%20Pen%20Box/DSCN0140.jpg

 

Also room for a few pens!

 

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt9/GWIS/Peter%20Lloyd%20Pen%20Box/DSCN0143.jpg

 

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt9/GWIS/Peter%20Lloyd%20Pen%20Box/DSCN0144.jpg

 

In summary, this is an absolutely spectacular box. Not only does it look great, the glossy surface is very tactile and the combination of Danish oil and bees wax even smells great!

 

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt9/GWIS/Peter%20Lloyd%20Pen%20Box/DSCN0128.jpg

 

The only down side is the cost, over £1,000, but then it is custom made and hand made and it is more a piece of furniture than a normal box! One of Peter's books is entitled "Making Heirloom Boxes" and this box is certainly something which is more than capable of lasting several generations. I intend to pass it on to my daughter when I retire so that she can continue to use it as a pen box or, alternatively, the tray is designed with removable pen channels so that she can use it as a jewellery box. I doubt she will be the last person to use this box.

 

Thanks for looking

 

Jon

[PAKMAN]

Stunning!

[plc123]

Agree, it is stunning! At first, I thought the circle was a photo effect of a close-up of the box. I did a double take.

[PJohnP]

You had me going and starting to plan an acquisition until you mentioned paying more than £1,000 for the box...

 

...not that I in any way whatsoever disagree with your decision. Your money, your purchase, your decision.

 

That said, this is, without question, one of the most lovely pen boxes that I've seen anywhere in the world in my travels or shown in any online venue. It's completely exquisite in every respect.

 

I can only wish that you take immense joy every day in using this pen box.

 

 

 

John P.

[Jonst]

Thanks guys for your very kind comments. To say I am pleased with the box would be an understatement!

 

plc123, yes the circle is meant to be there! It is made with walnut and there is a gap between the two halves, and the bottom lip of the top half protrudes slightly, to make it easy to use a finger to open the lid.

 

PJohnP, I can fully understand your comments about the price. £1,000 is not an amount I can afford to, or did, spend lightly, but I would offer a few thoughts on the subject:

 

- paying £1,000 for a recipticle for my pens is obviously way too much when an empty paper cup from Starbucks could perform the same function but of course this box has way more significance to me than a paper cup and hopefully my daughter, and any future lucky person who gets their hands on this box, will feel the same;

 

- as you might imagine, the cost of making the box is in the time it takes to make it, rather than the cost of the raw materials. If I had not asked for the walnut "moon" on the front the price would have been less. Also the tray took some time to make and therefore that had an impact on cost. Peter makes more simple desk boxes in ripple sycamore for low hundreds of £s. Adding channels or racking to hold pens to such a desk box would no doubt increase the cost a bit but the price would still be a lot less than for my box;

 

- £1,000 is the combined cost of 2-3 pens of the type I already have. I know it is blasphemy to say it here(!), but 9-10 pens is more than enough and I am happy to forgo the purchase of 2-3 more pens in order to be able to afford this box;

 

- I like the idea of supporting a local craftsman. In the UK, as in many countries, we have allowed our manufacturing capabilities to dwindle to the point where a British made object is a relative rarity. I don't mind spending money if, in a very small way, it helps to reverse this trend.

 

Best wishes

 

Jon

[PJohnP]

I like the idea of supporting a local craftsman. In the UK, as in many countries, we have allowed our manufacturing capabilities to dwindle to the point where a British made object is a relative rarity. I don't mind spending money if, in a very small way, it helps to reverse this trend.

 

Jon :

 

 

I in no way disagree with your decision, and very much support it (even if I cannot do the same), especially with respect to the continuing tradition of craftsmanship. I've been one of the people here on FPN who has discussed the concept of choice in the purchases that we make with our fountain pens, instead of simply looking to the "lowest cost option".

 

After all, banks and hotels here in North America give away ballpoint and rollerball pens, and there are ink alternatives that are a small fraction of what we pay for quality inks.

 

We choose what we do in the pursuit of fountain pens, ink, paper, and the various other items such as your pen box because we personally value the items for our enjoyment, be it the art or calligraphy produced, the beauty of the items themselves, or the personal sense of the craftsmanship that we are privileged to hold and create with each day.

 

Your new pen case is an expression of all of those things and some others you may yet experience over time. Do enjoy and cherish it !

 

 

 

John P.

[Jadie]

Agree, it is stunning! At first, I thought the circle was a photo effect of a close-up of the box. I did a double take.

 

Haha, me too. Love how the box looks like one of those old, hand-bound Medieval manuscripts when closed. Love the fact that it holds inks and other pen accessories even more. Great purchase!

[Jonst]

Thanks again for your kind words John P. I know that in your original post you weren't questioning my choice. In my response I simply wanted to give some context to the price from my perspective.

 

Thanks Jadie

 

Best wishes

 

Jon

[el.Fakir]

Stunning indeed. This is a very beautiful hand-made pen box. Those details - walnut hinges and the moon in the front, speak for the level of craftsmanship of this box.

I wish you (and later your daughter) will use it in best of health.

[Truman]

Absolutely gorgeous! What a wonderful box you have.

[dannyboy]

I've seen many pen boxes and have admired most of them, but this one is truly unique, beautiful, and yes, stunning. The sycamore is one of my favorite trees and I've often felt that its wood is overlooked by craftsmen. This box shines with the grain pattern of sycamore! And the walnut hinges are the touch of a master craftsman! My congratulations to you for being devoted to handmade objects of such beauty--I know you'll be a devoted caretaker of such a fine example of the art of woodworking.

[Jonst]

Thanks very much dannyboy, Truman and Halidak for your kind words. My daughter is only 2 at the moment so I am hoping that I get to enjoy the box for a few years before I hand it over!

 

In relation to Peter's craftsmanship I should probably mention another box which I bought at the same time. This other box is not pen related, so I didn't include it in my original post but it is interesting and has far more historical interest, so I may as well post some pictures.

 

To set the scene, on the 21st October 1805, 27 ships of the line of the British Royal Navy engaged and defeated 33 ships of the line of the combined French and Spanish navies, just west of Cape Trafalgar in south-west Spain. The loss of the battle destroyed Napoleon's hopes of invading Great Britain, however, during the battle the brilliant British commander, Admiral Lord Nelson, was fatally wounded but he lived long enough to learn of the success. The ship in which he was sailing was HMS Victory. As you might imagine, HMS Victory has a very special place in the Royal Navy, indeed it is still a commissioned warship but it now sits in dry-dock in Portsmouth on the south coast of England (not far from where I live). Over the years the Navy refurbished the Victory and in so doing it collected about 30 tonnes of oak and 10 tonnes of copper. In 1999 the Ministry of Defence sold this oak and copper to a businessman who in turn sold it to various craftsmen and women for the purpose of creating items out of it, in particular to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar in 2005. Peter Lloyd was one of the craftsmen who bought oak and he used it to build a series of boxes. I believe that most of those boxes have been sold and now he just has offcuts of the oak. However, given the historical significance of the wood, he has used the offcuts to make some small boxes for trinkets/paperclips/cufflinks and it is one of those boxes which I also have.

 

Whilst it doesn't compare to the pen box, this Victory box is beautiful in it's own right. Again, Peter's craftsmanship seems to shine through because, in real life, the grain of the wood has come to life! It is only small (it fits in the palm of my hand) but it is perfectly formed!

 

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt9/GWIS/Peter%20Lloyd%20Pen%20Box/DSCN0145.jpg

 

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt9/GWIS/Peter%20Lloyd%20Pen%20Box/DSCN0147.jpg