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Kenro Acquires The "revived" Esterbrook Company

tadas

By tadas
in Esterbrook

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tadas Near Mint

tadas

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This just arrived in my email from Kenro, the folks that own Montegrappa and Aurora:

 

MINEOLA, April 9, 2018--- Kenro Industries, Inc., has reached an agreement to acquire the Esterbrook Pen Company and add the iconic brand to its portfolio of luxury lifestyle brands. Terms of the Transaction were not made public.

Originally founded in 1858, the Esterbrook Pen Company was revived in 2014 by Harpen Brand Holdings, LLC. America’s Original Pen Company, Esterbrook pens have literally written American History. Used in the White House by such Presidents as Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John F, Kennedy and Dwight Eisenhower, the Esterbrook brand is revered worldwide.

Esterbrook will join Kenro Industries, a leader in the marketing and distribution of luxury lifestyle brands, which include Aurora and Montegrappa writing Instruments and U Boat Watches. “We are excited to add the Esterbrook Brand to our portfolio and look forward to expanding the brand globally with an extensive new line of fine writing instruments” said Joel Blumberg, CEO of Kenro Industries.

Robert Rosenberg, the founder of Harpen Brand Holding’s LLC will join Kenro Industries and will be working with the Kenro team in continuing to build the Esterbrook brand in both the North American and International markets. “ I could not have found a better fit then Kenro to take the reins of the Esterbrook brand. The company is well respected throughout the industry and their success in building luxury brands is well established”, said Robert Rosenberg, Founder of Harpen Brand Holding’s, LLC.

 

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inkstainedruth Ancient Artifact

inkstainedruth

Posted
Posted

Reserving judgment. I'm a huge fan of vintage J series pens. The resurrected brand? Not so much, given the reports on here when Mr. Rosenberg bought the rights to the name. And I don't have any experience with Aurora or Montgrappa (but do remember that Montegrappa is behind the Chaos pen, that one that has the animated video about it -- the one with angels -- and, IIRC, the Pirates of the Caribbean pen...).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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LanceSaintPaul Rare

LanceSaintPaul

Posted
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"Luxury Lifestyle Brands" certainly is an opposite direction to the original company's ethos. It's now just a nostalgic name - Icon no more.

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Dickkooty2 Vintage

Dickkooty2

Posted
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"Luxury Lifestyle Brands" certainly is an opposite direction to the original company's ethos. It's now just a nostalgic name - Icon no more.

Yes. As a child in the 40s and 50s writing with various pens in school, I remember Esterbrook as a low-cost item for classroom work. Parker, Shaeffer, and Waterman were the more expensive brands. Of course, there were a great number of other brands to choose from. Most school stuff available on cardboard backboards held on by elastic bands. By the early 50s though, the pens were BPs.

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Barkingpig Collectors Item

Barkingpig

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And just for the sake of accuracy,

 

While I was on the computer this afternoon, perhaps poking about FPN, I received notification of an incoming electronic message, indicating the sender as KENRO & stating:

 

"OUR BIGGEST ANNOUNCEMENT YET!"

 

I was pleased to read the announcement & especially the addition of Mr. Rosenberg to the KENRO team in "continuing to build the Esterbrook brand in both the North American & International markets."

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chad.trent Vintage

chad.trent

Posted
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I thought this was probably good news until I got to the last paragraph.

I agree. He's the reason I got excited about Kenro buying them. Then when I saw that my excitement went out the window...

Roanoke Pen Club
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Corona688 Extremely Rare

Corona688

Posted
Posted

Revival = totally different, sometimes entirely unrelated product. The original died after all.

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chad.trent Vintage

chad.trent

Posted
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True, they did die. But I think the "revival" lost a lot of fans right from the start when they just rebranded an existing pen and raised the price. Then made it a point to attack anyone who said anything remotely negative about them.

Roanoke Pen Club
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knarflj Extremely Rare

knarflj

Posted
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I hope the box is top of the line.

 

 

:D

"To read without also writing is to sleep." - St. Jerome

 

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mmg122 Collectors Item

mmg122

Posted
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I agree. He's the reason I got excited about Kenro buying them. Then when I saw that my excitement went out the window...

 

Absolutely agree!

 

Robert Rosenberg and his antics rapidly became toxic to the revised Esterbrook company and his subpar pens were certainly no homage to the Original Esterbrook Brand. I will be pleasantly surprised if the next round of Esterbrook pens live up to the reputation of the original. Unfortunately, I have my doubts with Rosenberg at the helm.

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Tweel Collectors Item

Tweel

Posted
Posted (edited)

:excl: I'd recommend against trying to get further information by clicking on the "Esterbrook Media Kit" link on the Kenro site. It tries to install a load of software on your computer.

 

Nice one, guys :roller1: .

Edited by Tweel

fpn_1375035941__postcard_swap.png * * * "Don't neglect to write me several times from different places when you may."
-- John Purdue (1863)

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inkstainedruth Ancient Artifact

inkstainedruth

Posted
Posted

:excl: I'd recommend against trying to get further information by clicking on the "Esterbrook Media Kit" link on the Kenro site. It tries to install a load of software on your computer.

 

Nice one, guys :roller1: .

 

:o Thanks for the heads up.... I have enough problems with targeted "non-targeted ads" as it is....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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FarmBoy Museum Piece

FarmBoy

Posted
Posted

For what it is worth, this will not be the first time a 'Pen Company' was revived then purchased from a Mr. Rosenberg.

To bad the box quality went to (bleep) but I'm still able to find the old (dare I say original?) models at shows and internet sites in the $20 range and there are nib choices galore!

San Francisco International Pen Show - The next “Funnest Pen Show” is on schedule for August 23-24-25, 2024.  Watch the show website for registration details. 
 

My PM box is usually full. Just email me: my last name at the google mail address.

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inkstainedruth Ancient Artifact

inkstainedruth

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To bad the box quality went to (bleep)

 

Snerk....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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AL01 Vintage

AL01

Posted
Posted

For what it is worth, this will not be the first time a 'Pen Company' was revived then purchased from a Mr. Rosenberg.

To bad the box quality went to (bleep) but I'm still able to find the old (dare I say original?) models at shows and internet sites in the $20 range and there are nib choices galore!

 

HAHA!

 

So I was right!

 

The original Esterbrook boxes were BETTER!!!

 

:P :P :P

 

But I am interested to see what the guys at Kenro do with Esterbrook.

 

It may not be that bad.

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Tom Heath Vintage

Tom Heath

Posted
Posted

I reserve judgement on the new management and their ideas.

 

Don;t have a wish to own any of the recent revived editions.

 

 

Esty collector for over 30 years now.

penfancier1915@hotmail.com

 

Tom Heath

 

Peace be with you . Hug your loved ones today

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