Get to know the mysterious Laban fountain pen brand and its iconic fountain pens!
On one well-known Hungarian auction portal, a fountain pen from a manufacturer completely unknown to me was advertised late in the evening with the following product name: „Laban, African Wood Sterling Silver fountain pen, in new condition.” Almost for free. Well, okay, the latter is not entirely true, but at a price that I really didn’t think much about purchasing.
Over the nearly 20 years that have passed since then, this fountain pen comes to my mind from time to time. I take it out, look at it, hold it, try it (mostly without ink), and then put it back in its box. Recently, I have been maturing the idea to look into this brand in more detail.
Laban brand: The beginnings
The similarity to a German pen manufacturing company, GEHÁ (Gebrüder Hartmann – Hartman brothers), is interesting, where a pair of brothers (Conrad and Heinrich Hartman) founded the company in 1918. The Laban Pens Corporation was established in 1981, and the brother pair was John and Charles Hu.
The slightly more than 40 years that have passed since then suggests that the company does not have a long history like the renowned manufacturers. Initially, they were OEM (component) suppliers, and after a successful introduction, they began to produce and market various writing instruments under their own name.
The company primarily aimed to manufacture high-quality, non-disposable writing instruments. Their motto: „creating enjoyable fountain pens for collectors and everyday users”. Accordingly, they thought in terms of pens, gel pens, refillable pencils, and fountain pens. The good quality is fundamentally determined by the materials used, which they sourced from Italy and Germany, and during the design phase, they paid special attention to the good weight distribution of the writing instruments and ensuring visible quality.
In the case of a newly established company, it usually takes a long time to gain recognition and to build a loyal customer base. There is no exception in the case of Laban, but thanks to their previous business relationships, they managed to find resellers relatively quickly. They began to market their products through them in Spain, Great Britain, Austria, and Hong Kong, and then established representations in Europe and America, where sales were conducted through these representations.
I believe they prepared consciously for market entry. They managed to establish good relationships and secure special orders. For example, in 1997, the Laban pen manufacturer was selected to create an exclusive pen family for the Vatican Museums between 1997 and 1999.
Later, in 2009, Pope Benedict XVI visited Israel. After a meeting with religious organizations at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Jerusalem, the ceremonial occasion concluded with the church leader signing the papal memorandum with a Laban „antique” silver fountain pen.
Some surprising facts about Laban fountain pens
As is often the case in other instances, we can best get to know the company through specific products. This also provides an opportunity to examine their older, no longer available products. The research brought surprising facts: it was interesting for me to find out that several of their fountain pens are manufactured and marketed by Chinese companies (such as Jinhao), of course not under the Laban name…
Despite being a relatively young company, the word „antique” can be found in the names of several fountain pen models. I attributed this, for lack of a better explanation, to the design, homage to the past, and the surface treatment of the materials used for the pens.
In groups dealing with fountain pens, I encountered several comments that expressed particularly good opinions about the Laban fountain pens they used. In several cases, they highlighted the good balance mentioned earlier, the smoothness of writing, and the quality materials used. The prices of their commercial fountain pens range from 40 to 400 Euros (approximately converting to 16,000 to 160,000 HUF), but they also made special, limited pens in significantly higher price categories. These almost always received some kind of award.
The following description does not, of course, include all the fountain pen variants made by Laban. I have tried to provide a relatively comprehensive presentation, but as the days went by and I encountered more and more names, I had to realize that the list is already so long that it cannot be processed meaningfully. In several cases, I found no other information besides the name and a more or less successful picture. I would like to ask for the help of those who may have additional useful information in these and other cases to help us find as many interesting facts about these pens as possible.
Related to the previous paragraph, since I obtained the information from many sources (along with the images), it is possible that I found inaccurate or incorrect information. I have tried to correct these myself.
And finally: I was also surprised at how many special models I found among Laban fountain pens. I hope others feel the same way. I do not encourage anyone to buy; the passion for pens that exists in everyone will do that for me.
Special Laban fountain pens
1.) Laban 2001 LE Serpent Antiqued
In September 2024, only a single piece was available on eBay, with a starting price of nearly 2 million forints. The fountain pen is a true limited edition, as only 500 pieces were made.
Its uniqueness comes from the two interchangeable sterling silver clips, which the owner can vary as desired. One clip features a snake with an opal eye, while the other has a snake and a spider motif, adorned with diamonds. The pen's nib is 18-karat gold, size M, equipped with an ebonite ink feeder.
2.) Laban Egypt
A Laban Egypt offers a rare combination of functionality and artistic appearance, with premium materials and craftsmanship. The uniqueness of the fountain pen lies in the light-colored briar wood body, which is decorated with real sterling silver (925 silver) plating. The cap and the metal parts of the pen body feature unique motifs reminiscent of ancient Egypt, with engraved patterns that refer to iconic elements of Egyptian art and mythology.
3.) Laban Dragon (2004)
In 2004, Laban won the Lewis & Clark Award from the Royal Academy of Arts in the UK with the limited edition Dragon fountain pen, awarded for the best writing instrument.
The pen cap evokes the three-dimensional appearance of an Asian dragon, while the carefully crafted pen body reflects the brand's characteristic exceptional workmanship.
The Dragon was made in three versions: silver, gold-plated silver, and 22-karat pure gold. Only 50 pieces were made from 22-karat gold in the special edition called The Dragon, and 800 pieces from 925 fine (Sterling Silver) silver.
4.) Laban Dragon Zodiac 2000 Sterling Silver
The special feature of the Dragon Zodiac 2000 Sterling Silver is that it is currently available on eBay for approximately 4.5 million forints.
5.) Laban Vinifera
The body of the fountain pen is silver (Sterling Silver), with a detailed filigree grape cluster pattern. The fountain pen was certainly also available in a gold-plated silver (vermeil) version.
6.) Laban Mento Tornado
The design of the Laban Mento Tornado resembles tornadoes, with a multicolored, swirling pattern. It is available in various versions, such as the Blue Tornado, the Tiger Tornado, and the Lavender Tornado, each of which gives the pen a unique appearance.
This Laban series is large and cigar-shaped. Each Mento uses German hard rubber as a base, which is then hand-painted with patterns by an experienced master. Ten layers of lacquer paint are applied and then finely polished. It won the Pen World Reader’s Choice award.
7.) Laban Galileo
The body of the Laban Galileo fountain pen is made of ivory-colored acrylic resin, which receives a filigree, perforated metal cover. The metal cover is specially double-layered: the outer silver-colored layer is made with ground edges for a more comfortable grip, while the inner rose-gold layer adds depth to the pattern.
8.) Laban Antique Fountain Pen in Silver (Antique II)
This slim, sleek fountain pen has a recycled brass body and has received a silver-colored „aged” (distressed/antique) finish. The aged, antiqued surface gives the pen a timeless, classic style.
9.) Laban Flora
The Laban Flora collection follows the graceful, filigree lines of the Art Nouveau style – with a classic yet modern appearance. The body of the pen is covered with an intricate floral-patterned filigree metal mesh, beneath which lies transparent, high-quality Italian resin. This not only adds elegance but also creates a unique visual effect: the user can see the internal ink reservoir thanks to the transparent body. The metal cover is available in rose gold, silver, or black colors.
10.) Laban Labrados
The specialty of the Laban Labrados series is the black, solid resin body covered with silver or gold-colored, finely crafted, plant or grapevine patterned metal coating. This filigree decoration is shiny and elegant, while the pen body follows a graceful, light curve. The series is a reinterpretation of early 20th-century eyedropper patterns. Versions with floral motifs and abstract patterns are also available..
…to be continued…
