Martini Spider L. E.

This is another edition of Martini pens unlike any other made so far and is made by Danitrio. The design, a spider in pursuit of a dragonfly, uses the antique process of Raden, with steps requiring hand work from beginning to end. Pieces of sea shell, egg shell and other materials are carefully placed into the hand grooved hard rubber. After the lacquer is set, the surface of the pen is hand finished in progressively finer stages. This pen is approximately 5 7/8" long capped, has a barrel diameter of 19/32" and weighs 29 1/2 grams without ink. It fills with a converter and takes a standard international cartridge.

The captivating part of this design is the swirl of the spider legs. As the pen is turned, the legs seem to extend.

The body of the spider is reflective with abalone, a shell that refracts different colors as the pen is turned. The final polish appears to have been done on a spindle with the results visible under a loop, and visible on the bottom close-up seen below. We suspect that this technique was employed to avoid damage to the variety of inlays.

Large areas of the barrel and cap are free of design, leaving one to conjecture whether the spider has lunch.

Retail Price: $800.00
Our price: $720.00

Pat,
Really good news. The pens that I ordered arrived yesterday night. Absolutely beautiful. Exactly as described... The Spider is almost too realistic to put in one's pocket. A nice work of art....
As ever, thanks for carefully adjusting the nibs. Your store is well named, as I think it may be the only one that thinks nibs are the heart of the pen, rather than an afterthought.
Oz Latrobe" (01/10/07)

Pat and John...
My Martini Spider arrived on time and without incident, and immediately became my favorite pen. Now this is no small feat considering I have been collecting for over 30 years and have a multitude of fountain pens:
some are functional, some are beautiful, and a rare few combine the best of both function and beauty. Many pens I own I love to handle and look at, but they are not my favorites with which to write. Others I love to
write with, but aesthetically (and I know this makes me very shallow) they are not a joy to behold.
The Martini Spider is a larger pen than most that I own and I love how it feels in my hand. Although I am a big fan of the ultra-fine Japanese nibs, I am enjoying the flexible fine nib more than I anticipated. It has a nice, soft feel and the ink flow is perfect. Of course I am enamored of having a LE that few folks will own, but this pen has a standalone beauty that would make it special no matter what. It isn't just the workmanship; it is the design: Simple, clean, and beautiful.
I am using it every day and carrying it with me everywhere. I smile every time I pick it up.
Thanks again,
Shannon Casey (7/14/06)

Dear Pat,
The Spider pen with flexible medium nib arrived last week on schedule. Then I had to go to Anchorage for a few days and took the pen with me to enjoy its appearance and writing capabilities. The size and shape are just right for my hand. The Raden produced spider and dragon fly (? looks like a damsel fly to me) are fascinating and conjure up intriguing questions about the biological world around us. I like both of these animals and can’t imagine that the spider gets the damsel fly, but rather some other less desirable insect. Enough of that. The nib and flow system work very well – just the right med width and smooth, steady ink flow. I am very pleased with the whole pen and the way it writes. Thank you (and John) again for your usual pleasant, considerate, and rapid service. It’s always a pleasure to deal with you folks.
Best Regards,
Dale Feist 8/8/05