The Deus Regit, the 37th collection in the David Oscarson™ series of Limited Edition writing instruments, is as much about the philosophy of the brand as it is about penmaking. And both subjects are intriguing enough to spark some interesting conversation among pen lovers and philosophers alike. It is not the first time that David Oscarson, the eponymous founder of the Missouri-based company, has ventured into the realm of the spiritual in his pens, many of which are evocative of the man who brought them forth. He cites the earlier Celestial collection as the forebear of this 2022 series.

“The Celestial resonated with almost everyone–it became one our most iconic designs, easily recognizable with the distinct division of light and darkness so readily identified with the celestial motif,” says Oscarson. “For me, there was always a deeper meaning to the theme–one that I have now outlined more overtly with the Deus Regit [God Rules].”

That deeper meaning, he says, is “the challenge in this life to choose good over evil, light over dark and right over wrong, with the hope of a brighter eternal existence beyond our experience here in mortality.”

That’s a lot to infer from another exquisitely crafted David Oscarson limited edition. But the pen’s imagery is overflowing with symbolism, and it’s well worth taking a receptive approach to decipher the heartfelt, beautifully rendered backstory.

Hand-crafted in sterling silver, “each piece features the image of God descending from the heavens, breaking through the clouds in full glory, with heavenly hosts praising His name in worship and song,” according to company literature. The scepter-inspired clip, set with a diamond, is a symbol of power and might.

God’s “adversary,” depicted as a serpent with ruby eyes on the barrel of the pen, and the repeating flame pattern beneath the translucent enamel is a reminder of the “relentless attempts to destroy light…,” with the opaque black enamel representing the absence of all light, Oscarson says. The provocative gripping section is divided into two halves, representing “spirit prison” and “spirit paradise.”

Hard enamel

Available as either a fountain pen with an 18-karat gold nib or rollerball pen, the collection was devised employing the traditions of Old World craftsmanship, combining guilloché and hard enamel.

Using a mortar and pestle, a composition of glass, water and metal oxides is ground for hours by hand. When settled, the water is extracted, leaving the fine paste that is the basis for hard enamel. A quill is then used to apply each coat of the mixture to the surface of the sterling silver base. The components are then fired at temperatures exceeding 1,000° F, fusing the enamel to the metal and forming a layer of glass.

After cooling, the pieces are manually ground with a diamond file to restore their proper shape and surface. And this process is repeated until the level of enamel reaches the depth required to cover the peaks and fill the valleys of each guilloché pattern. When the final stages of firing are completed, the pieces are polished.

The Deus Regit collection will be produced in five variations, limited to an aggregate production of 88 pieces in each colorway; sterling silver or vermeil trim is available. The fountain pen is priced at $6,400, while the rollerball is priced at $6,200.