Pen Display Casel - Pencase.co.uk 5 Drawer Pen Chest

[alexhondsmerk]

So with my collection growing ever larger (oops...) I was in need of a more permanent and solid home for my pens! After shopping around a bit, I dropped an email to Geoff from pencase.co.uk asking about his boxes, and soon I'd placed an order! Turnaround was about 2 weeks, and I soon had my new pen case in hand.

http://i.imgur.com/z8MRWtl.jpg?3

http://i.imgur.com/AdpVHwk.jpg?2

Each of these cases is finished as requested by the purchaser, with a choice of black or walnut finish, and a variety of felt colours for the tray linings. I chose Walnut, with blue felt throughout. I had regular updates throughout the build complete with progress pictures, and communication with Geoff was easy and prompt throughout. The case shipped in an astonishing amount of packaging (4 layers of cardboard, 4 of bubblewrap, and a dust cover over the case itself!) and of course arrived entirely intact. Shipping is included within the UK (by Parcelforce 24 hour), and for overseas insured shipping is £25 to the USA or Europe.

The case is made of MDF fibreboard, and is reassuringly solid. The whole thing measures 25cm wide x 18.5cm deep x 28cm high, and has 5 drawers each with 10 pen slots. The drawers simply slide over the shelves, there's no rollers or anything to go wrong. A nice touch are the brass guards that protect the corners of the slots. It's a little taller than I had expected, but has a nice small footprint that fits easily on a desk or bookshelf.

http://i.imgur.com/He7RhPM.jpg?2

The drawers are lined with fine felt, all up the sides and neatly over the ridges, giving a soft and safe cushion for the pens inside. One can choose the colour of the felt (and have different colours for each drawer if desired!), and the bottom of the cabinet is also covered with the same felt to protect your furniture. No scratching here, of pens or desks!

http://i.imgur.com/SA8B9Yi.jpg?2

http://i.imgur.com/8Y6BiX5.jpg?1

Pens sit in the V-shaped slots, and the site says the maximum size that will fit is 25mm diameter including clip. In practice, my ASA Galactic and Noodler's Neponset both fit easily, and they're enormous pens!

http://i.imgur.com/OSFbQ13.jpg?2

The wood is finished nicely, with a wood grain-effect lacquer over the MDF. If you look really closely, you can see that it's not quite the same as solid wood or laminate, but looks much nicer than a plain unfinished fibreboard, and of course using solid would would add hugely to the cost of the boxes. A final coat of wax gives a nice shine to the wood.

http://i.imgur.com/HiPMQOw.jpg?2

All in all, although this isn't an inexpensive case (£109), I'd gladly buy another if (when?) my collection requires it, because I think it's a practical and stylish solution to storing larger numbers of pens! The alternatives are vastly more expensive, and when you buy one of these cases you get a lot of say over the colours and design (I've heard Geoff also takes custom work) and top-class service from fabrication to delivery.

Finally, a collection shot - plenty of room to grow!

http://i.imgur.com/1jYPrjc.jpg?2

I hope this has been a useful little review, and feel free to ask any questions you may have!

Alex

[migo984]

Thanks for your review. That's a very nice look, Alex.

 

I've had my two pen storage cases from Geoff for a while, and I'm delighted with them. They are incredibly sturdy. He did a medium oak finish for me as a special request. I had the top drawers lined in beige, to show off my (mostly) dark coloured pens, and the bottom drawer in each case lined in black so I could put inked pens in there without fear of any spots of ink spoiling the finish. Of course, the order of the trays is inter-changeable.

 

The cases arrived incredibly well-packaged. I've never seen so much cardboard, newspaper & bubble-wrap! LOL

 

I can highly recommend Geoff's work, his service is wonderful, he communicates well throughout the process and he's a very nice person, to boot :-)

 

Here's a pic before I filled them.

 

 

 

Here are some P45s in their 'home'

 

 

[da vinci]

Great review of a nice product- thanks.

[T4TEXAS]

Great review of what is clearly an attractive and more than solid product. But if I ever even consider even one of these, please just go ahead and shoot me.

[migo984]

Great review of what is clearly an attractive and more than solid product. But if I ever even consider even one of these, please just go ahead and shoot me.

Why?

[alexhondsmerk]

Why?

Too many pens I think

[mmg122]

Wonderful review, Alex...with excellent photos. Thanks for taking the time. Geoff does beautiful work.

[T4TEXAS]

Why?

Because I will have begun my way down the slippery slope to the depravity of pen addiction.

[migo984]

Because I will have begun my way down the slippery slope to the depravity of pen addiction.

Wow! I never considered myself as depraved! ;-)

[T4TEXAS]

Wow! I never considered myself as depraved! ;-)

Precisely to my point. You didn't even see it coming, did you? Yet, here you are.... And they thought you would turn out better. Best they don't know how far you have fallen to support your habit.

[alexhondsmerk]

Thanks for your review. That's a very nice look, Alex.

 

I've had my two pen storage cases from Geoff for a while, and I'm delighted with them. They are incredibly sturdy. He did a medium oak finish for me as a special request. I had the top drawers lined in beige, to show off my (mostly) dark coloured pens, and the bottom drawer in each case lined in black so I could put inked pens in there without fear of any spots of ink spoiling the finish. Of course, the order of the trays is inter-changeable.

 

The cases arrived incredibly well-packaged. I've never seen so much cardboard, newspaper & bubble-wrap! LOL

 

I can highly recommend Geoff's work, his service is wonderful, he communicates well throughout the process and he's a very nice person, to boot :-)

 

Here's a pic before I filled them.

 

Here are some P45s in their 'home'

 

That's a nice finish! And an impressive variety of 45's too, are you going for the completionist collection? The bottom in the left tray in the picture looks familiar, I think that's the same as my one P45!

 

Precisely to my point. You didn't even see it coming, did you? Yet, here you are.... And they thought you would turn out better. Best they don't know how far you have fallen to support your habit.

 

Oh this sounds so very familiar haha. I've just learned to embrace the madness!

[migo984]

That's a nice finish! And an impressive variety of 45's too, are you going for the completionist collection? The bottom in the left tray in the picture looks familiar, I think that's the same as my one P45

 

No, I don't need to have complete sets of things, so I'm happy with what I've got. Actually I'm planning to sell or give away some of those in the photo, when I get back to the UK.

[_Stormin_]

Have one of Geoff's cases and absolutely love it. I can't recommend his work enough. I went with all black. Black finish on the wood, black felt. The only thing that's not black is the brass edges on the drawer slots, which look perfect with the dark finish.

[sunnerd]

Guys, bringing this thread back... Has anyone been able to reach Geoff's site http://www.pencase.co.uk/?

Browser came back with error.

 

Is he still operating the business?

[Ebonite And Ivory]

Guys, bringing this thread back... Has anyone been able to reach Geoff's site http://www.pencase.co.uk/?

Browser came back with error.

 

Is he still operating the business?

SAME QUESTION! I, too, am trying to locate this guy. Could someone PM or share with us his email? If it was a publicly posted email address on his site it should be ok to share it here. His website is gone. I would like a pen case from him. Any other good pen case people if this guy is gone for good? Thanks! Nice to support the FPM community...

[sunnerd]

I got an email reply from Geoff that he has since stopped producing the pen cases due to a bereavement. :-(

[migo984]

I got an email reply from Geoff that he has since stopped producing the pen cases due to a bereavement. :-(

That is very sad to hear: both because of his personal loss & because his pen chests were so beautifully made. I will value the two he made for me even more.

[Kenlowe]

.

Edited January 8, 2017 by Fermata

[Kenlowe]

Double sized early model of Geoff's work