The city of Delft in the Netherlands is a historical wonderland. The home of artist Johannes Vermeer and the scientist Antonie von Leeuwenhoek, the center of Delft blue porcelain and the historical hub of Dutch trading, Delft also boasts a tourist attraction for the pen enthusiast. In the historic heart of Delft, behind a 14th century church that houses the final resting places of deceased Dutch royal family members, is Frank van Krieken's cozy and beautiful Fontoplumo pen shop.
Fontoplumo is a solo operation-made all the more impressive by the fact that the Fontoplumo pen shop is the front-facing aspect of an online shop that Frank also owns and operates. He describes Fontoplumo as a hobby, but if so, he is one of the most serious hobbyists you will meet.
His interest in fountain pens dates back to grade school experiences of learning cursive with those writing instruments. When a friend received a Parker Sonnet and Frank tried it for himself, he was hooked on the writing experience. He purchased his own Parker Sonnet with a stainless steel nib and used it for years.
When he moved to the Hague, he discovered the pen shop PW. Akkerman and "a whole world of Italian pens. That is the moment I got really into pens." Looking for a challenge outside his professional field, Frank parlayed his knowledge into the Fontoplumo web store in 2012.
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Denne historien er fra April 2024-utgaven av PEN WORLD.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Show Your Summer Style
The newest Visconti Homo Sapiens, Iris Garden, is a tribute to the beautiful irises that bloom each spring in Florence, Italy's Iris Garden.
Good Made Better Keeps Getting Better
SUZANNE C. LEE tests Dan Keller's wood and metal reading and writing accessories and finds her childhood dream desk come to fruition.
Layers of Talent: River City Pen Company
With his skills in design and eye for details, Rich Paul crafts pens that are as beautiful as they are functional.
Fathoming the Unfathomable
The new Kanilea Pen Co. Blue Moana fountain pen and Mau Loa cap band are inspired by the ocean's depths and universal interconnectivity.
Truphae: Flexibility Is Key
This young pen shop is writing a new chapter in retail pen sales by finding unique ways to foster community.
"Winter Counts:" Transforming Non-fiction into Fiction
Creative writing typically blends what we know and experience with what we invent and imagine.
Swivodex, Sailors, and the Plastic Revolution: An Overview of Dip-less Desk Sets, Part V
The end of World War II ushered in a new era, with plastics technology opening the way to better and less costly products of all sorts.
The Mystery of the Purloined Parkers
What do G-men, mobsters, and tampons have in common? The two most epic fountain pen heists in history.
The Other Articles of Impeachment
\"Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye! All persons are commanded to keep silent, on pain of imprisonment...\"
The Road to Recovery
A recent trip to Wajima, Japan, by TACCIA's Shu-Jen Lin shows tragedy in the present but hope for the future.
