Two collectors’ item fountain pens celebrating Darwin’s bicentenary have gone on sale at a town centre shop – for £1,850 apiece.
The pens, made by luxury pen makers Conway Stewart, have 18 carat gold tips and appointments and have been hand painted with a picture of Charles Darwin and images based on his life and theories. They are two of just 25 available in the world and are on sale at Write Here in High Street. Proprietor John Hall is designing certificates to be sold with the pens.
He will donate £50 from the sale of each pen to the Unitarian Church opposite his shop. There are also plans to project animated images of the pens on buildings around town.
Mr Hall, who stocks a range of fountain and calligraphy pens at his shop, ordered the pens directly from Conway Stewart.
He said: “If there’s anywhere in the country where you should be able to buy one of the pens it’s Shrewsbury. This is very much a one-off as there are only 25 pens like it in the world and they look fantastic, though I very much doubt they will ever be used with ink.”
For more information about the pens call Mr Hall on 01743 245950.