Not many car racing drivers have competed against a train and won. However, that is exactly what Woolf Barnato accomplished in 1930, pitting his Bentley Limousine against a high-speed train traveling from Cannes to Calais.
Famous throughout the 20s and 30s as one of the ‘Bentley Boys’, Woolf’s achievement became known as the ‘Blue Train Race’. The 90th anniversary of this spectacular event inspired the design of the exclusive Limited Edition Barnato Fountain Pen from Graf von Faber-Castell in partnership with Bentley Motors.
This stellar writing collection is limited to just 1930 pieces, a number representing the year that the Blue Train Race was run. Along with the fountain pen, the collection includes rollerball pens and twist ballpoint pens crafted in a similar style.
Many writing instruments have been inspired by luxury car manufacturers over the years, transferring their design concepts to a mechanical device that favors ink over fuel. The Barnato fountain pen incorporates several traits of Bentley’s luxury design with diamond guilloche patterns, to the signature dark green coloring.
As a luxury writing tool, the Barnato Fountain Pen will provide quality and reliability for years to come, whether at sea or on land, it will perform beautifully in all writing situations. Using the fountain pen transfers a smooth, flowing letter path and a writing experience that effectively mimics the Bentley driving experience; captivating the writer from the second the pen touches paper.
The Limited Edition Barnato writing collection is supplied with an exclusive presentation box featuring the familiar Bentley logo. For easy transportation, a 2-pen zipper case is available crafted from the finest quality calfskin and is finished with contrasting stitching resembling a car interior. The Bentley logo is subtly embossed on to the leather exterior of the case.
To complement the quality writing experience is the Graf von Faber-Castell high-quality, smooth paper Linen bound notebook. The thread stitched notebook contains individual paper sheets that allow a smooth glide of writing instruments across their surface and are lasting and durable.
As a luxury writing instrument, this pen’s design is both striking and flawless. A solid metal barrel is patterned with Bentley’s familiar diamond guilloche design over a dark green matte base. Tiny interlaced lines give the pen its distinctive look and a sturdy non-slip feel. Ideal for use aboard a yacht, the instrument’s weight lays comfortably in the hand with a sense of solid reassurance and transfers an impression of a well-built and powerful writing implement.
Recharging the fountain pen is accomplished via the pens converter, and inks are available in a variety of colors from Graf von Faber-Castell, including NAVIS recommendation of Hazelnut Brown or Olive Green.
Providing a crisp contrast to the fountain pen’s green coloring is a polished chrome-plated nib, cap bezel, and clip, nicely highlighting the darker barrel’s tones. The Bentley ‘B’ adds a touch of panache and sits on the chrome bezel atop a slightly darker green knurling, which resembles a mechanical engineering element.
A shining gloss version of the signature green color lends a subtle, reflective sheen to the fountain pen’s cap, which is engraved with Woolf Barnato’s signature to commemorate and capture his racing legacy.
