ReZoom

Only a few tools are necessary to rediscover the lost art of the handwritten letter.

Today's world is all about speed. Consider the telephone, one of the most popular modes of communication. Americans reportedly make three billion telephone calls every day, helped along by our 24/7 attachment to cell phones. E-mail and text messaging also deliver information instantly. But one communication channel we rarely use is the handwritten letter.

Luckily, personally penned correspondence is not a completely lost art, and there are those who continue to sing its praises. Tim Girvin, a designer and calligrapher notes, "There is something about the age-old correlation of 'think clearly, write clearly and act clearly.' In our age of digital keying, dissonance and distraction, the notion of a simple well-crafted pen in hand is the holistic link between thought and action."

Ready to bring back the elegance and thoughtfulness of handwritten letters? You only need a few well-chosen supplies to really get back into letter-writing with flair.

For Pen Pushers

Roger Cromwell, co-owner of Penopoly, a pen repair, restoration and sales company in San Francisco, offers several guidelines to find a well-crafted fountain pen with ultimate hand/mind connectivity. First, Cromwell stresses, determine a price range. At around $300, you'll find what Cromwell describes as a good starter pen — real workhorses like the Parker Duofold. For the $500 to $700 range, you'll get a more elaborately designed pen edging toward a collectible such as Viscontis, Montegrappas, Waterman, Parkers and Auroras. In the $1,200 to $3,500+ range, you're looking at fabulous writing instruments as well as valued collectibles. Just as it's impossible to say whether Monet is better than Renoir for many art collectors, Cromwell does not recommend pen manufacturers at this price level – it's a personal decision.

To the Point

Once you set a price range, here's how to narrow the field of fountain pen contenders.
- Good fountain pens are an investment, so Cromwell insists: If you haven't tried it, you shouldn't buy it.
- Consider the grip, which means a test run for more than a few minutes. Fountain pens vary in length and diameter to suit different hand sizes.
- Determine your ink flow preference, which can be anything from glistening wet as the pen glides across the paper to somewhat dry. If you find a pen that feels wonderful in your hand, a reputable pen repairperson can adjust the pen's nib, consisting of two tines and a very small vein running between them. The vein draws ink from the pen's reservoir to the nib-point, and fine-tuning these parts modifies the ink flow.
- Make sure the nib is 14k or 18k gold. A steel nib indicates that this is not the best quality pen.

Put It in Writing

Once you've found the perfect pen, you're going to need the perfect paper. Most of today's paper, such as your all-purpose sheets from office supply stores, is made from wood-pulp because it's cheap and available. But that just won't do once you've shelled out big bucks on a great pen. You'll want fine stationery made from 100 percent cotton fiber that offers a soft, rich touch and sturdiness befitting your words. Plus, with cotton fiber paper now available in tones far beyond traditional white and ecru, you can write a letter that really is a work of art.

Megan Kuntce, Manager of Consumer Marketing at Crane & Co., explains that the luxury of fine stationery is best experienced as writing begins. Your pen glides across the surface, with paper and pen becoming one — just as a symphony's notes blend in perfect harmony. Kuntce also remarks that premium stationery possesses a heavier touch and feel that's apparent even after you seal the deal. "When you place better stationery in an envelope, there's a puffy quality. It says 'substantial.'"

And you have lots of options for finding quality paper these days, including some additional online shops, such as Luxe Paperie, Flax Art, Sugar Paper and indie sites like Buy Olympia.

Ready for more? Return to Life at Home or read our letter-writing tips.