If you’ve ever wondered which is the story behind the name Faber-Castell or which was the moment that marked the birth of the new name, then you’re about to find out reading this article. With such a collection we’re going back in time to celebrate the wedding between Countess Ottilie and Count Alexander von Faber-Castell, the main characters that inspired this noble and majestic Heritage Limited Edition Collection.
First of all, let’s begin our journey with a brief history. Chronologically speaking, we are in 1896 when Lothar von Faber dies and Tilly, his granddaughter, is chosen as a successor. Two years later, Ottilie would get married to Count Alexander Graf von Castell-Rüdenhausen in 1898, an event that is going to bring joy and hope to the Faber family after many years, also marking a new stage in the company’s history…
The fact that the Faber name has been retained is not meaningless because due to a testimony clause in Lothar von Faber’s will, if the heiress to the company were to marry, the company name must be retained. That being said, the marriage between Countess Ottilie and Count Alexander created a new family name – “von Faber-Castell”.
After Baroness Ottilie died in 1903, Tilly, her granddaughter, took over the company. Being a fairly young woman at that time and running such a large company was not going to be easy, but she succeeded in mastering a challenge like that pretty well. Having her husband around helped her because Count Alexander was also involved in the company’s duties managing with success the global business in Stein, where the company it’s still located today.
As the company itself claims by historical documents, Ottilie and Alexander have spent a big part of their lives at the Faber-Castell castle in Stein and the interiors where they used to live as well as the specific design of rooms such as the study lounge and the ladies’ lounge became real sources of inspiration for this incredibly crafted Heritage Limited Edition collection. In terms of architecture, the castle displays a facade with romanticized arches and pillars, timber-frame elements as well as other impressive architectural details. The building is reminiscent of a medieval castle. The interiors are different, combining design styles from Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance epochs with a touch of an ultra-modern style – the Art Nouveau.
Now, let’s get on to the features of each fountain pen. At first glance, each piece looks like a true work of art, which it is indeed, but let’s take a closer look at those fine details that await us and which further accentuate the product itself.
The Fountain pen dedicated to Count Alexander is crafted from beautifully polished solid silver parts such as the cap, the grip and also the end cap that come to accompany the moss green barrel crafted from metal lacquered several times to get a shiny finish. Both the pattern of the barrel reminds of Count Alexander’s cavalry regiment’s color. On the other hand, The Ottilie Fountain Pen has a barrel that comes in her favorite color – violet, featuring a pattern pretty similar to the seat upholstery in the ladies’ lounge.
A feature that is present on the sterling silver fountain pens of the brand can also be noticed here, there are two rings with a knurled finish at the end of the cap – such a distinctive sign for Graf von Faber Castell. Regarding the cap design, it is elegantly fluted and has a clean look. On the finial, there are intertwined initials A, O, F and C – a display of filigree craftsmanship.
The words “Handmade in Germany” are engraved on the decorative ring and every fountain pen is provided with an 18 karat gold bi-color nib that comes in four widths, each one being hand inscribed: extra-fine, fine, medium and broad.
Since this collection is paying tribute to Ottilie and Alexander, each fountain pen is limited to 1,898 pieces representing the year of Ottilie’s and Alexander’s wedding. The number of the pen within the edition is engraved on the end piece of the barrel along with “Limited Edition Heritage. In terms of packaging, such beautiful fountain pens need to have an equally good-looking box to complement the fountain pen’s noble appearance, and Graf von Faber Castell takes care of that by providing a chamois-colored gift box to host the two masterpieces.
Regarding the price for a fountain pen, it may vary but it’s set around 1400 EUR.
image sources: web