SOLD: Four Drawer Box for Twenty Pens

Ten to fifteen years ago, CAO Cigars packaged their Criollo cigars in unusual boxes with multiple small drawers.  Occasionally I find one of these and convert them to pen boxes.  There were several slightly different sizes of the boxes; this one is a Mancha, which held cigars that were 5 7/8 inches long and 50mm in diameter.

Like all these boxes, this one was completely unfinished wood inside and out, so I smoothed all the surfaces with fine sandpaper and 0000 steel wool, then varnished with Minwax polyurethane varnish, followed by another rub of the steel wool for a satin finish.

I fitted the four drawers with felt lining and wood dividers to hold five pens, with each pen up to 5 7/8 inches (14.7 cm) long, for a total of twenty pens.  In the pictures you can see the wood dividers with felt on each side so that the pens don’t touch the wood.

CAO had originally affixed a “wax” seal to the doors, but it had disappeared long ago, so I created a new seal with a quill pen emblem to replace it. A “pirate” map adds interest to the top of the box.

The box measures 4 1/2 inches (11.5 cm) wide by 6 inches (15.5 cm) tall by 7 inches (17 cm) front to back.

I applied a 2mm thick foam pad to the bottom of the box for a non-marring finish.

The Twenty Pen CAO Mancha is priced at $135 plus actual mailing cost. SOLD If you are interested, please email me at BamaPen@jehubbard.com and include your ZIP Code or location for an accurate mailing cost quote.

I take payment by PayPal or if you prefer I can email an invoice which you can pay with a credit card.  I mail by USPS Priority Mail in the US and by USPS International First Class Package outside the US.

Click on any image to open the gallery for larger views:

SOLD: CAO Conquistador – Four Drawers, Sixteen Pens

Ten to fifteen years ago, CAO Cigars packaged their Criollo cigars in unusual boxes with multiple small drawers.  Occasionally I find one of these and convert them to pen boxes.  There were several slightly different sizes of the boxes; this one is a Conquistador, which held cigars that were 6 1/8 inches long and 52mm in diameter.

Like all these boxes, this one was completely unfinished wood inside and out, so I smoothed all the surfaces with fine sandpaper and 0000 steel wool, then varnished with Minwax polyurethane varnish, followed by another rub of the steel wool for a satin finish.

I fitted the four drawers with pen trays that hold four pens, with each pen up to six inches long, for a total of sixteen pens.  In the pictures you will see my Montblanc 149 and a couple of even larger pens enjoying a comfortable fit in the drawer. I chose burgundy for the pen tray color to match the colors on the “pirate” map on top of the box.

The box measures 5 inches wide by 6 1/2 inches tall by 7 inches front to back.

I applied a 2mm thick foam pad to the bottom of the box for a non-marring finish.

The Sixteen Pen CAO Conquistador is priced at $125 plus actual mailing cost. SOLD If you are interested, please email me at BamaPen@jehubbard.com and include your ZIP Code or location for an accurate mailing cost quote.

I take payment by PayPal or if you prefer I can email an invoice which you can pay with a credit card.  I mail by USPS Priority Mail in the US and by USPS International First Class Package outside the US.

Click on any image to open the gallery for larger views:

SOLD: CAO La Traviata Animado 12 Pen Box – trade-in bargain

I just took this La Traviata “Animado” 12 pen box as a trade-in from a customer for a larger box.  It has been used for less than a year and is in like-new condition.  It is particularly attractive because this is one of the older style La Traviata boxes and is made of Spanish Cedar with box-jointed corners.  The newer boxes have mitered corners and are not as attractive.

The Animado will hold twelve pens, each up to 5 1/2 inches long, in individual red felt-lined compartments with wooden dividers.  It is a very good look, and protects pens well.

New, this box would sell for $50 with this style of divider, but I will offer it in its slightly used condition for $40 plus shipping. SOLD That is a 20% discount.  If you are interested, please click here to email me for a shipping cost quote.  Be sure to include your location or ZIP code.

I ship via USPS Priority Mail in the USA and by USPS International First Class Mail outside the US.

SOLD: CAO La Traviata “Radiante” – Double Decker for 14 Pens

The CAO La Traviata series has been my most requested re-purposed box.  Modified to hold two trays of pens, they provide a good look closed and a large capacity for the space occupied.

This is a “Radiante” which is the second largest of the line.  I have fitted it with two decks, each holding seven pens up to 6″ long.  Each pen is held in an individual suedecloth lined compartment for maximum protection.

The box was originally unfinished, so I have stained it with Minwax “Gunstock” and varnished it with several hand-rubbed coats of satin varnish.  The trays are lined with black suedecloth to show of your pens at their best.

The La Traviata Double Decker is priced at SOLD.  If you are interested, please click here to email me for a shipping cost quote.  Be sure to include your location or ZIP code.

Closed

Open with tray in place

Open with 14 pens

SOLD: Double Decker Pen Case, Steampunk Style

Here’s the latest in my Steampunk style pen cases.  This is a double-decker, holding seven pens on each level, for a total of 14 pens.

Both the exterior and interior of the case are painted to resemble patinaed metal, and original artwork (by me) featuring a fountain pen theme decorates the interior of the lid.  The lid is secured by a brass latch, and a 2mm foam pad on the bottom of the box provides a non-marring finish to protect your desk or table top.

The individual pen compartments continue the steampunk style, with the dividers continuing the patinaed metal look, while the compartments are lined with soft suede cloth finished in a leather look to protect your pens.

The Double-Decker Steampunk Pen Case is priced at $50 plus shipping.  SOLD  If you are interested, please email me for a shipping cost quote.

I normally ship in the USA by USPS Priority Mail and internationally by USPS International First Class.  If you prefer some other shipping mentod, please let me know and I’ll try to accommodate your wishes.

CAO La Traviata

The CAO La Traviata series has been my most popular pen storage conversion.  I have shipped them across the world, ranging from Perth, Australia, to Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England – right on the English Channel.

 

The La Traviata series comes in five sizes, all are quite similar visually  From small to large, they are Divino, Favorito, Animado, Radiante, and Intripedo.  Here are some pictures comparing four of them.  Left picture, bottom to top Intripedo, Radiante, Favorito, Divino with the back edges aligned.  Center picture Intripedo, Radiante, Favorito, and Divino in front.  Right picture, same order as center, with lids opened to show interior treatments.

Click on thumbnails for a larger image

The La Traviata boxes are bare, unfinished wood when I receive them, so I apply Minwax “Gunstock” stain – a rich brown – followed by three coats of Minwax Polyurethane Varnish, hand-rubbed between coats with 0000 steel wool for a smooth satin finish.

All of the La Traviata boxes are deep enough to double deck, allowing for a large number of pens in a small footprint.  I can detail the interior in several colors, using felt or microfibre suede, and using several types of pen dividers, ranging from a flocked tray to microfibre-lined vacuum formed slots to individual wooden dividers with felt or microfibre facing to protect the pens.

The price of a competed La Traviata box depends on the size of the box and the interior treatment. If you are interested in a La Traviata, please email me. Be sure to include your location so that I can provide a shipping quote.

Below are some examples of La Traviatas delivered to customers in the past.  Top to bottom: microfibre covered dividers, wood dividers faced with felt, and my newest style, the “saddle” compartments.

CAO La Traviata Animado – double decked pen storage

The La Traviata familiy of boxes has been my most popular, perhaps because it provides good capacity in a small package.  The La Traviatas come in five sizes: Divino, Favorito, Animado, Radiante, and Intripedo.  This one is a Animado, which measures 7 1/4 inches by 6 1/4 inches by 3 inches, and has a capacity of 12 fountain pens in individual compartments.

SOLD: CAO Criollo four drawer box

CAO packages its cigars in some unusual containers.  A few years ago, they produced some four-drawer boxes to fit several sizes of cigars.  These are no longer made and are highly sought after by collectors.  The smallest, the Pato, is limited to pens 5 1/4″ long, the Mancha holds up to 5 7/8″ length, and the Bomba and Conquistadore held six inch long cigars, so will accomodate most any pen.

I sand and varnish the exterior, carefully preserving the “pirate map” on the top and the CAO Criollo Story on the inside of the doors.  I also wax the drawers with antique wax so that they slide smoothly.

I replaced the original wax seal on the doors with a nice-looking “brass” latch and finished the inside of the drawers with a dark green microfibre suede cloth.  Individual dividers separate the pens.  The box will hold 20 pens and in the photos you can see a MB 149 with room to spare.

IThe Pato is priced at $125 plus shipping and I have one available.

Click on the images below for a larger view.

CAO MX2 – SOLD

Striking Double-decked Box in Black Velvet

CAO packages their cigars in a variety of interesting boxes, among them this black velvet (inside and out) MX2 with an unusual double opening top.