It’s official: Elbwood has unveiled its 2026 collection – the result of continuous development over the past months – during an almost three-hour livestream hosted by Samuel Naldi in Switzerland. Frank Pressentin, the visionary artist behind the brand, traveled from Hamburg to Zurich to personally introduce the complete new lineup to enthusiasts and collectors who joined the livestream from across the globe, including Australia and Oman.
What began as a casual conversation between Samuel and Frank quickly evolved into an immersive dialogue on craft, values, and meaning. Beyond presenting the pens, Frank spoke for the first time about Elbwood’s core values (the Nine), explained why time and patience are non-negotiable in his craft, and shared his vision for the brand’s future.
Listening to Frank made me realize that his ardent passion for creating writing instruments goes far beyond the small batches of pens he produces each year – batches that remain intentionally limited because he prioritizes quality and insists on full control over the manufacturing process. At the same time, it’s the depth of structure and storytelling behind each piece that becomes so compelling, you find yourself absorbed by the narrative first, almost forgetting to study the design itself, which is just as charming.
At the beginning of the livestream, Frank explained how his career as a social worker led him to seek an activity that would quiet the mind, which eventually brought him to building a boat – an experience that ultimately ignited the idea of crafting writing instruments.
“There was this idea when looking at the boat: there are captains who have been writing in their logbooks for centuries, and they still do today. The logbook is a very important part of seamanship. And there it was: writing. It’s about stories, about adventure, about a gate to the world. Writing gives you that metaphoric gate to the world. So my idea was: why not make writing instruments based on the experiences I had while building the boat? The first pieces were made out of brass, typical in boat building. Or oak, mahogany – that was the idea,” said the artist.
The PocketMaster, which is one of the pillars in Elbwood’s portfolio today, was in fact one of the dream projects Frank had when he started the business.
“My vision in the beginning was to make a pocket fountain pen. At the time, I had a Kaweco Sport in solid brass; it’s still in my workshop, but the nib was a bit too small. So my dream was to build a pocket fountain pen a little smaller than this one, with a large Jowo nib. It was a challenge; it took me three years to come up with the first model,” added Frank.
This was the moment Elbwood was born.
About The Nine (Elbwood’s Core Values)
As Frank himself mentioned, the concept of the Nine emerged in his ninth year of shaping the Elbwood story. It reflects not only the number of editions designed each year, but also the core values that define Elbwood’s thinking and actions – values that are embedded in each writing instrument that leaves the workshop.
Stillness
A Pen should invite calm.
It should hold a quiet presence, free of distraction, alowing focus and reflection.
Precision
Every detail matters.
Craftsmanship must be exact-not for the sake of perfection, but to show respect for the material and the client.
Relevance
A piece should belong to its time without being trapped by it.
Materials, design and intention must speak clearly to today-while quietly acknowledging what came before.
Character
Materials must speak their own language.
Wood should feel like wood. Copper should age. Nothing should pretend to be something it’s not.
Understatement
Quiet choces shape lasting impressions.
Intentional omission reveals the essence of form.
Dialogue
Form is always a response
Every creation arises from exchange between thought and matter, client and maker, past and present.
Substance
A good pen has weight-physical and emotionally.
It feels valuable in the hand and carries meaning in its presence.
Memory
Craft can hold memory.
Through material, patina, provenance or gesture, a pen can become a vessel of time.
Longevity
A well-made pen should last – not just for decades but across generations.
Its form, feel and meaning should deepen with time, not fade. Longevity is the highest form of sustainability.
The Line-Up
The new 2026 collection consists of nine editions – three PocketMaster, three ShortCap, and three LongCap models – each strictly limited to a specific number of pieces.
PocketMaster, THE NINE 2026
Among them, the Elbwood PocketMaster Silver Hammered – one of the first models produced by the brand in its early days – has now become an icon within the portfolio. It is designed using the hand-hammering technique (a brand hallmark), crafted from 935 sterling silver and fitted with a Jowo No. 6 18k gold nib.
As communicated during the livestream, starting this year, each Elbwood writing instrument will feature a reference number. For example: PM (PocketMaster) AG 935 HS (Hammerschlag) 2026 1/36.
To understand the high demand for these PocketMaster pieces, by the time of writing this article, only two of the 36 pieces remain available for the entire year.
The next pen presented was the PocketMaster Ebonite Black 1920 Copper, made with ebonite produced specifically for Elbwood by Schönberger Ebonite Manufaktur GmbH. The pen combines copper and black ebonite, is fitted with a rose gold Jowo No. 6 nib, and is limited to only 24 pieces worldwide.
The PocketMaster will also be offered in walnut wood with silver elements, limited to only 24 pieces, appearing to be already sold out.
ShortCap, THE NINE 2026
Elbwood offers the hammered design in the ShortCap version (the PocketMaster’s bigger brother), limited to only 36 pieces worldwide, each weighing around 117g of sterling silver. Here as well, only three pieces remain available.
A more colorful option in this year’s line-up is the Ebonite “Faroe” and Silver, produced in only 12 pieces. The final model in the ShortCap series is the Royal Wood & Brass, crafted from olive burl wood and brass, and limited to 24 pieces.
In addition to the 18k gold Jowo No. 6 nib, to the joy of enthusiasts, Elbwood has introduced a flex nib option (in 14k gold—flexible from F to M).
LongCap, THE NINE 2026
The Ebony & Copper design of the PocketMaster extends into the LongCap series and is accompanied by two spectacular designs: the Elbwood Ebonite “50% Red,” featuring a red and black swirling pattern (limited to 24 pieces), and the Elbwood Olivewood and Silver (also limited to 24 pieces, with only one still available).
The PENMAKER’S ATELIER
Frank also introduced the PENMAKER’S ATELIER, a very special collection unveiled this year, inspired by the colors of his studio. In collaboration with Schönberger Ebonite Manufaktur, Frank was given the opportunity to design and produce a limited-edition ebonite developed exclusively by Elbwood for Elbwood.
This material, which embodies the atmosphere of his studio, transcends the mere notion of an attractive material and speaks of the space where Frank spends most of his time – and where he has created each and every pen over the years.
For this project, Frank personally contributed to the production of each ebonite rod for the edition, working alongside the specialist at Schönberger Ebonite Manufaktur.
“The process is lengthy and requires a great deal of experience and energy. The vulcanization process takes place in the boilers. Over several days, under high pressure and heat, this unique natural material is transformed into a hard mass that I can then process further,” states Elbwood’s founder about the making of the ebonite.
Both the Shortcap and Longcap versions are limited to 24 pieces for 2026 while the PocketMaster is limited to 48 units.
The Precious Line
During the livestream, Frank Pressentin also revealed details about the most precious line in his portfolio – The Precious Line, a collection that unites Fine Writing with Art and allows various artists to fully express their vision and creativity onto the pens.
In addition to the ShortCap Mokume Gane and the PocketMaster Rosegold Hammerschlag, Frank spoke about his collaboration with Bamberg-based jewelry artist, author, and illustrator Nora Kovats, whose enamel artistry is visible on the cap of the pen.
To create this particular design, each pen undergoes a complex process in which Nora applies powdered glass in 15 to 20 wafer-thin layers, each fired individually.
“This creates a deeply luminous, vibrant surface with visible depth and subtle color transitions. It took three years of joint development to refine this technique to such an extent that the enamel completely covers the cap –without chipping, without stress cracks, and with an absolutely secure fit on the metal.” – ELBWOOD
In addition to the Precious Line, Elbwood also offers a Bespoke Service, allowing its customers to materialize their most creative desires into a writing instrument – a concept I will cover in depth in a dedicated article soon.
If the livestream offered a glimpse into the brand’s present, the conversation between Frank and Samuel revealed something deeper. It showed why this dialogue mattered – not just to see what’s coming next, but to understand what the brand truly stands for, what fuels its craft, and what keeps the team moving forward.
Frank’s vision reminds us that design alone is not enough – storytelling and meaning are what give it weight and value over time.
If you haven’t seen the livestream, I highly recommend taking the time. (watch here) It’s a valuable conversation, not only about writing instruments, but about craftsmanship and the passion that sustains it.
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