Love Story

AP Limited Editions celebrates its 10th anniversary with pens in honor of its deep U.S. connection. Originally published in Vol. 29, No. 2 (February 2016).

- NICKY PESSAROFF

You can't talk about AP Limited Editions without talking about Anuj and Smita luxury brand focused on fine art and fountain pens. Smita Poddar says, "I knew my husband since our teens. He had bold ideas and dreams of building a brand that expressed his passion for everything he loved-travel, art, antiques, pens, and pen-related ephemera. He had a keen eye for quality and precision. I knew that he would one day create something that expressed his passion and interest. He just had to.

"So on our wedding anniversary, 10 years ago, February 19, 2006, he took his hobby to the next level and AP Limited Editions was launched with two limited edition writing instruments, with 18 pens in each edition, to show at the Los Angeles International Pen Show in Manhattan Beach. The response was astounding, and both editions sold out."

Since then, AP Limited Editions has shown remarkable growth, both financially and artistically, consistently offering limited edition maki-e and Russian miniature pen models that wow pen lovers.

"Passion and enthusiasm are the key drivers bringing AP to its milestone of 10 years," Anuj Poddar says. "The company has grown slowly by improving the product from a technical standpoint, listening to customer feedback, exploring new techniques in the art form, and experimenting with new ideas. It is the ability to adapt to what the customer desires that has brought us this far."

Anuj grew up surrounded by his mother's art collection: Indian miniatures, Chinese brush paintings, Japanese woodblocks, Western Renaissance pieces. Smita, for her part, studied art history and design along with business management. When they immigrated to the United States, Anuj discovered the meticulous art of maki-e through the American pen community.