The Silk Road Pen, one of three ever made
A pen carrying the road between Palmyra and Xi’an, hand-painted in vitreous enamel, commissioned to mark a company’s journey from Greater Syria to China.
What the pen is
The barrel carries a representation of the Silk Road linking Palmyra and Xi’an, the two cities lettered in both Chinese and English. The topography between them is hand-painted in vitreous enamel. The cap carries the architecture of both cities, painted the same way.
It is hallmarked sterling silver, fitted with a fine 18 carat gold Cleave nib, and supplied in a leather presentation case. Only three were made.
How we made it
The challenge was turning a road that runs several thousand miles into a line that runs round a barrel, with the two cities still legible at the size of a fingernail.
We used modern and traditional methods together, laying vitreous enamel over the silver and painting the terrain by hand at the bench.
The pen was commissioned privately, to mark a group’s journey from its origins in historic Greater Syria to China, thirty-three years after its founding.
The pen with the Thames running round the barrel
Six landmarks run round the barrel in enamel, from Battersea Power Station to Big Ben. The pen was used to commemorate the sale of the Ritz London.
2023The pen that was made in a week
Just one week before the coronation, Cleave received a call from the palace to create a pen for His Majesty King Charles III.
2018RAF Centenary Trophy
Made for the centenary of the Royal Air Force, and given as the trophy for a new annual award first presented in 2018.