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The Grail has been found!


southpaw

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Many of us have a special pen we've wanted for a long time. Quite often they're out of reach for various reasons. Sometimes it's price. Sometimes it's availability. Far too often it's both. There is a particular pen that, ever since I heard of it's existence, I've wanted one. Unfortunately, over the last several years I've heard of grand total of two coming up for sale. The first, by the time I heard about it, had already been delivered to its new owner. The second, I missed by seconds. :bonk: :bonk: :bonk:

 

You may recall that over the last few months I've sold off quite a few pens. I did it for a number of reasons: I was getting some money to pay bills, I was thinning down my collection to just those I really wanted to use, and I was getting some money for a few new purchases that were in my sights or that I intended to acquire at the Raleigh Pen Show. Little did I realize that some of my pen show money would be delightfully diverted to acquire that which I thought I would never even see in person, let alone have as my very own. This is a pen that I wanted for very personal reasons, but also for "professional" reasons. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Pilot Custom Bible in Sterling Silver

 

 

Here's the case.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/michaelwhitesides/Pilot%20Custom%20Bible/CustomScripturesbox.jpg

 

 

Let's take a peek inside.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/michaelwhitesides/Pilot%20Custom%20Bible/CustomScripturesboxed1.jpg

The pen came in its original box with instructions and a polishing cloth. It has some tarnishing from age and likely from being handled a bit as you'll see, particularly in the following photos. However, I have yet to remove the tarnish as thus far I think it adds character. I haven't inked it yet either, although I'm sure I will in the next few days.

 

Here are the instructions that came with the polishing cloth (anyone care to translate for me? TIA.).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/michaelwhitesides/Pilot%20Custom%20Bible/CustomScripturesPolishingClothInstr.jpg

 

 

Here's the pen out of the box capped.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/michaelwhitesides/Pilot%20Custom%20Bible/CustomScripturescapped.jpg

 

and uncapped

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/michaelwhitesides/Pilot%20Custom%20Bible/CustomScripturesuncapped.jpg

 

 

Here's the nib, a typical Pilot Custom 18k white gold nib in fine.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/michaelwhitesides/Pilot%20Custom%20Bible/CustomScripturesnib.jpg

 

 

And here's what makes the pen so special, the engravings. The pen has John 3:16 engraved in it in English on the barrel and Japanese on the cap. I'd be grateful if someone could translate the Japanese for me (I know what it says overall, but photo by photo is what I'm after).

 

First, the cap:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/michaelwhitesides/Pilot%20Custom%20Bible/cap1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/michaelwhitesides/Pilot%20Custom%20Bible/Cap2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/michaelwhitesides/Pilot%20Custom%20Bible/cap3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/michaelwhitesides/Pilot%20Custom%20Bible/cap4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/michaelwhitesides/Pilot%20Custom%20Bible/cap5.jpg

 

 

And finally, the barrel:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/michaelwhitesides/Pilot%20Custom%20Bible/Inscription-ForGodsolovedtheworld.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/michaelwhitesides/Pilot%20Custom%20Bible/Inscription-thathegavehisonlybegott.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/michaelwhitesides/Pilot%20Custom%20Bible/Inscription-Sonthatwhosoeverbelieve.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/michaelwhitesides/Pilot%20Custom%20Bible/Inscription-inhimshouldnotperishbut.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/michaelwhitesides/Pilot%20Custom%20Bible/Inscription-haveeverlastinglife.jpg

 

 

Finis!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/michaelwhitesides/Pilot%20Custom%20Bible/PenBible.jpg

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8, NKJV)
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WOW! I am speechless. Beautiful pen and quite meaningful.

We can trust the heart of a man by his treatment of animals. - Immanual Kant

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That is stunning!!! Congratulations on gaining possession of such a super pen! I love it, just LOVE it!!!

Edited by pakmanpony

PAKMAN

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Wow, fantastic find there Southpaw! I never knew that Pilot made a mixed language pen like this. It's truly beautiful. Definitely a "keep in the family" thing--heirloom material. :)

 

Where did you find it, if you don't mind my asking??

[MYU's Pen Review Corner] | "The Common Ground" -- Jeffrey Small

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Finally, I get to see how this pen looks. :) Stan was selling one the last time, but he did not show the photos, so I am really curious to know how it looks like.

 

I can understand your thrill because I have been trying very hard to find the Buddhist scripture version. Stan did find me one, but that was the engraved type and I would prefer to have the raised-character type.

 

I agree with you on keeping the tarnish for a pen that has some age (unless the pen is a modern pen). Like old clocks, I would prefer a bit of tarnish or patina. If you are thinking of using the polishing cloth, I believe the 2 sides have different abrasive grades. Too bad I cannot understand any Japanese.

 

Once again, thanks for showing the photos of this rare pen.

 

purpledog

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I am also very curious to know if the Japanese characters are a direct translation of the English words? Taki, where are you? :)

 

purpledog

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Thanks for the nice comments. MYU, I got it from Stan. Purpledog, I hope you find the one you're after. I know they are quite hard to come by, although according to Stan, you should have a shorter wait than I did. ;)

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8, NKJV)
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Congratulations on finding your grail pen. It is truly a beauitiful pen, both in appearance and message.

 

French

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God's Word on a fountain pen: it doesn't get any better than that. :thumbup:

 

Dave

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

http://www.the-highw..._questions.html

 

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii208/blopplop/fpn-verm.jpg

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Wow! Congratulations! A beautiful pen with beautiful meaningful words.

Watermans Flex Club & Sheaffer Lifetime Society Member

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WOW!

PMS

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty -Thomas Jefferson

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Beautiful pen! Congratulations on your new addition. I have two sterling Buddhist Scripture pens and they are just as beautiful :happyberet:

Thanks for the nice close-up photos as well. Pilot Custom series pens are well made and wonderful to use.

 

Enjoy your new pen

 

Nikolaos

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Wow, thanks for sharing the photos and the story. Beautiful.

I like skinny Pens.

no more pens for me (she says she says)

unless of course I see a Silver Stripe Pilot Capless come up for sale.

then all resolutions are out the window!

=

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Congratulations, southpaw! I have to go to work soon and don't have enough time to do 'photo-by-photo' but the third and fourth photo of the cap is the beginning of the gospel(? "For god loves this world so much..."). The polish cloth says "the pen will tarnish dark over the time as it is a silver product . In that case please polish it with this cloth, or other soft cloth with baking soda or toothpaste." I think the cloth already have something added so no need for baking soda or tooth paste ;)

 

EDIT: Woops, make the beginning of the scripture into 4th and 5th photos! Sorry.

Edited by Taki
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Beautiful pen, southpaw! What a lovely tale to accompany it... very glad it is in such deserving hands. :)

 

 

:blush: :blush: :blush: :blush:

 

 

 

Taki, thanks for the help!

 

 

I truly appreciate all the comments.

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8, NKJV)
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I like how you unveiled the pen... the sequence of photos. I particularly like the Japanese writing on it. Very nice!

_________________

etherX in To Miasto

Fleekair <--French accent.

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