Kynsey Luxury Pens
Airline International is honored to be the designated North American Distributor of the Kynsey line of fine writing instruments. Not just another luxury pen, the allure may exist because of the inspiration behind the creation of Kynsey in 2004. Prior to this time, Kynsey’s founder, Director Antonio Sánchez, established his reputation among pen collectors by repairing and selling pens in Madrid, Spain. In fact, he started in 1987 when he was only 15 years old.
His product is inspired exclusively by his pen collectors, and his process is painstakingly difficult to to reproduce, especially the heart and soul that goes into each and every pen. To paraphrase Antonio, he likes to convey the cultural expression of his artwork in every pen. With that in mind, he contracts with several different artisans in several different countries; it is quite understandable that his pens do have a unique appeal that is unlike any other luxury pen in the world. Antonio’s gift is that of seeking out the artisans who help create his ‘works of art’. Perhaps this talent comes from growing up in the world of pens, and appreciating the common passion shared by serious pen collectors.
The company name came from the 17th Century Japanese Engraver, Kynsey. The compositions used in the Kynsey pens are exactly what establish this product as a world class luxury pen. They begin with a special resin which is submitted to endurance tests to assure the product can withstand very high oven temperature. Next all decorative components are made of solid gold (yellow and white), which Kynsey personally selected to complement the wonderful works of art featured on each luxury pen. In fact, a select few Kynsey Pens are even adorned with diamonds. Each fountain pen nib is personalized and manufactured in 18KT gold. Concerning the topic of optimum functionality, Kynsey has selected ebonite for the feeder in lieu of plastic, despite the fact that it is significantly more costly to work with and produce. Finally, the charge mechanism is a plunger, not the typical cartridge found on the average pen.
The production process is arduously precise and places the Kynsey product among the finest writing instruments in the world! First the Kynsey Team has an annual Production Planning Meeting to establish the pen series they will be creating during the year. Also taken into consideration is the time required for special commissions by private collectors and institutions. This time must be carefully balanced to assure the quality and standards are never compromised. The next step in the process is the Feasibility Study, which requires the consultation of Kynsey’s Artistic Director, Ekaterina Markina-Savelieva. Imagine that the design idea must be transferred to the small surface of a fountain pen, and you can appreciate the required expertise expected of Kynsey’s coveted Artistic Director.
Next is the process of selecting the Design School. Based on the varied disciplines, Kynsey must sometimes select multiple design schools to combine the various techniques of the desired motif. Once this process is established, Kynsey must select the artist, and that process is based on the nature of the art. As you would expect different artists are noted for different techniques. For instance, Davidova is renowned as one of the best seascape artists in the world while Natalia Jischniak is noted for breathtaking realism. Next, the Artistic Director must meet with the chosen artist in Russia. This meeting allows the artist the opportunity to approve the chosen design and if necessary make any design changes. The type of artist proof that is produced will depend entirely on the art school chosen. In some cases the art is sketched on a piece of paper, while in other art schools the art is made directly on the piece.
Before the work begins, the Kynsey Artistic Director must approve the work and all modifications. Each piece is delivered to the respective artist. Two months after the pieces are delivered to the commissioned artist, the Artistic Director meets with the artist. The artistic process is so precise that only a limited number of hours each day can be spent on the process. Within five months of the time the decorating process begins, the artist is once again visited and the process should now be near completion. However, at this stage it is still possible to make amendments if required. During the sixth and seventh months of the decorating process the pieces are finally collected throughout Russia by the Kynsey staff and personally delivered to the lacquer workshops. Another month is required in the detail of lacquering an entire collection. Finally, the pieces are collected by the Kynsey staff and returned to Madrid for the final meticulous inspection process.
Once the paint and lacquer process is carefully inspected in Madrid, the products are very carefully packaged in custom cases to avoid any chance of damage, and then forwarded to Italy for assembly. The specialist in Italy will hand assemble each pen to achieve meticulous craftsmanship. Upon completion of assembly the pens remain in Italy for the testing process. During the next 20 days all the mechanisms such as plungers, capillary fillers, and seals are tested to make certain they function properly in the writing tests performed. Once the pens pass final inspection, the Kynsey Team will return to Italy to bring the pens back to Madrid. Upon arrival in Madrid, Kynsey will subject the pens to final performance tests, inclusive of inspecting the paint and lacquer. Only after passing this final inspection process, will the pens be worthy of introduction to our cherished collectors.
The product is described as a ‘Miniature Work of Art’, but this author would describe the product as a world class masterpiece. This is precisely why Kynsey has selected a magnificent presentation case to showcase this ‘Miniature Work of Art’. The case is manufactured of a beautiful red lacquer wood, and included in this presentation case is an extraordinary magnifying glass encased in solid silver. The magnifying glass will allow you to inspect the fine detail of art featured on each piece. No doubt, you will be in awe wondering how this breathtaking work of art could possibly be miniaturized to fit on this superlative writing instrument. Each presentation case includes the guarantee card of authentication and a catalog
As you might expect from this extraordinarily exhaustive process, all Kynsey Pens are photographed and recorded, and in fact Kynsey is actually able to provide documentation detailing all production. We hope that this summary will help you appreciate the ‘miniature works of art’ that each Kynsey Pen Collector has acquired. We not only consider the Kynsey Pen a work of art, it is truly an authentic piece of jewelry. .
Now that you know the history of Kynsey, and understand how each luxury pen is crafted, it will come as no surprise that every Kynsey writing instrument is limited to 10 or fewer units per style. What else would you expect from a museum quality luxury pen?
