Popular pen kits for a charity auction - looking for guidance

Jim Mattheiss

Member
Messages
467
Location
Long Hill Township, NJ
Hello All:

My son was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome several years ago. CMT is a degenerative nueropathy that is affecting his hand and feet. LOML has been involved in fundraising for both the CMT Association and the Hereditary Neuropathy Foundation - much to the chagrin of both organizations. :rofl:

Anyway - this summer there will be a CMT Night at the Somerset Patriot's Game and the CMTA is holding a silent auction. LOML and my daughter (lil-LOML) are working on the silent auction item lineup.

I thought that I would possibly make a matching pen and pencil set and donate them for auction. I'm here on FWW looking for input on what would be an appropriate pen kit for this set.

Mack Cameron gave me a beautiful pen in the FWW Box swap some time ago. That pen looks to be a PSI Big Ben Cigar Pen kit. They have both twist and click versions - any preference there?

Are there better cigar style pen kits from other manufacturers?

Looking for any input.

Cheers

Jim Mattheiss
 
if you want a few slimline kits, send me your address and Ill stick them in the mail for you.
I havent made a pen in ages, and the kits are just sitting here collecting dust.
 
Jim, first of all, my hat's off to your wife, you and your son. I have made pens for several years for our "Relay for Life" which is a walk for cancer to raise money. I make Saturn twist pens from pink acrylic as well as the ribbon laser cut blank for a single barrel pen of which I can't remember the name off hand. Daily use pens professionals like doctors seem to like the clickers. People affiliated with meetings like the twist and screw off caps. Gives them something to play with during the meeting.
 
Thoughts and prayers are with your son and your whole family.
My experience with pens at auction has been dissapointing. It might be because of limited inspection times or the hurry-hurry of the auction. I reccomend simply making slimlines and donating several of those.
 
Wow - thanks for all the feedback. If pens are dud's I'll make a nice European Pen from my on hand stock of kits and try some other things.

I'm not locked into any particular item. If bottle stoppers seem to do better then pens then we'll try that too!

Maybe just a simple wine bottle setup. A stopper and a simple glass rack - the one that hangs on the neck of the bottle -with 2 cheap wine glasses.

wine-glass.jpg

Something like the above . . .

I've got time - just planning things out.

Cheers

Jim
 
I would agree with Frank that the pens I have made for charity auctions don't sell well if the people don't understand and publicize or educate the buying population what it is that is selling (a handmade pen versus a production pen). There is a kit for making the stems of wine glasses that with the picture you have provided, wooden stemmed glasses with a handturned stopper might be just the eye catching/unique item that will sell itself well.
 
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