MainelyPens

Elevate your writing experience with a beautiful hand-made pen from MainelyPens, created by local artisan David W. Tabbutt. Our pens capture the natural beauty of Maine in hand-turned resin and materials sourced from Maine’s woods and waters.

Maine Coast Collection

These pens feature crushed shells from Maine’s coast, including lobster, oyster, and mussel shells. Shell is a natural byproduct of Maine’s historic fishing industry and has been used in local art for centuries. Oyster shell pens will feature mostly white and ivory with flecks of brown and black. Lobster shell pens will combine brilliant red with softer orange and peach highlights. Mussel shell pens will show rich purples, soft blue grays, and flecks of white. Each pen will be unique and slight variations are natural.

Our floral pens feature flowers locally grown by Maine Master Gardener Roxanne Smith. Roxanne dries her flowers to capture their detail and color and arranges them in the mold. David then pours the resin to preserve their beauty and detail against a background of either white or black. Hold a small piece of the Maine summer in your hands, guaranteed to bring a bit of sunshine to your desk any time of year. Note: Each pen is as unique as the flowers that they contain, and no two will be alike. They are made in small batches; special color requests are not available.

Maine Forest Collection

Our Maine Forest Collection features wood that grows wild in the vast woodlands of Maine. White birch is a common species that will grow quickly after fires and is one of Maine’s most iconic trees. Oaks comprise some of our oldest trees especially here on Mount Desert Island; many are hundreds of years old. Cherry trees grow wild in Maine, and their beautiful white blossoms are a much-loved sign of spring. Tiger maple is not a specific type of maple but a striking patterning of the wood that most maples, including New England’s famous sugar maples, can develop. Each Maine Forest pen will be slightly different and feature its tree’s unique grain pattern.

Fountain Pens

Our fountain pens will come with an iridium-tipped steel nib, a Standard International Short cartridge of black ink, and a converter for those who would like to choose their own ink. The converter will be inside the pen when you receive it, with the prefilled cartridge packed separately. All fountain pens feature a screw cap that is postable on the end of the pen while writing. We recommend keeping your fountain pen in its protective velvet bag to prevent scratching.

Please only use fountain pen ink in your MainelyPens fountain pen; fountain pen inks are water-soluble and safe for the various materials used in fountain pens. Brush inks, calligraphy inks, and technical pen inks are likely to clog or damage the inner workings of your pen. We recommend high-quality fountain pen inks from established brands such as Pilot, Diamine, Waterford, or J. Herbin. Fountain pens do need to be cleaned from time to time. Most of the time, this can be accomplished by disassembling the pen, flushing the nib with water, blotting it dry, and reassembling. Commercial pen flush solutions are also available if needed, or you can add a small drop of dish soap to your cleaning water.

Rollerball Pens

Our rollerball pens will come pre-filled with one standard replaceable black rollerball ink cartridge. Rollerball ink is water-based and water soluble and will write with a smooth, saturated line. No special care is needed to maintain your rollerball pen. We do recommend keeping your pen capped when not in use to prevent drying or damage to the nib. We recommend keeping your rollerball pen in its protective velvet bag to prevent scratching.

Ballpoint Pens

Our ballpoint pens come in two models: the Funline and the Gatsby. No special care is needed to maintain your ballpoint pen. We recommend keeping your ballpoint pen in its protective velvet bag to prevent scratching.

The Funline is slim and lightweight and features a twist-up nib. Great for keeping in your purse or pocket, and perfect for writers who need a pen that will work in most conditions.

The Gatsby is elegant and heavier in design than the Funline, with a thicker barrel for a weightier writing experience. Great as a desk pen, or for those who like some heft in their writing instruments.

Ballpoint ink is oil-based, so it will not run if your paper gets wet or media such as highlighters, markers, or watercolor paints are added on top. Our pens come preloaded with one replaceable black ink cartridge.

Letter Openers

Our letter openers come in both gold and chrome finishes, with handles designed to coordinate with our pens. They are an elegant addition to any desk; use them to open your treasured correspondence, or just to make bill day a little more fun.

Safety note: All letter openers, especially those with gold finish, tend to have very sharp tips. Please use caution when unboxing your letter opener. We don’t recommend leaving your letter opener within reach of small children or pets.

Our MainelyPens products are not available for wholesale as we are a distributor.