Michael Rabin

     This website grew out of a simple single idea: wouldn't it be great to own a piece of history?  Not just own it, but feel it and use it everyday?  Wouldn't it be neat to own the wood mentioned in the bible, the wood God commanded Moses to use?  Wouldn't it be exciting to hold in your hand the wood King Solomon stood upon, the wood king Saul gazed upon?  

     I searched the web and found nothing.  All I could find was Bethlehem olive wood-- nothing else.   I combed the web, and the closest I came were pens turned from wood taken at Monticello.  I began to think: if I could get wood from Israel, from the holy land, I could share the excitement of holding history in your hand. 

     I thought it would be an easy task.  Trees grow in Israel, why not buy the wood?  I wanted to hold the wood God had gazed upon.  After months of searching, I found someone who could legally supply me with wood.  Unfortunately, the wood is restricted and limited by law, which dictates the prices I must charge for the pens.

    The first time I held the wood, worked with it, and polished it, I felt a tingle and a feeling of awe.  I felt connected to history in a way I never imagined.  While this may not be the actual wood of the holy tabernacle, of the cross, or the oak tree planted over the idols,  it is the closest anyone can come to those relics.  

     My interest expanded and the ideas for sports and music pens grew.  Imagine using on a daily basis a pen with wood used in a major league baseball game.  I combed the globe for some of these exotic woods.

     I hope you are as excited as I am.  The list of pens available only grows as my imagination expands.  If you have an idea for a pen, please share it and I will make every effort to make it happen.  

     Please remember that these pens are very thin strips of wood.  Often they are made from old pieces of wood and they come with the cracks, nicks, and bruises of age.  Wood is sensitive to temperture and moisture and it is prone to cracking.  If humidity increases, the wood absorbs moisture and if the humidity drops, it lets moisture go, expanding and contracting.  This can cause cracking, which is normal with wood this delicate.  Cracks can be filled to prevent further cracking but can not be hidden.  The cracks themselves add to the patina and allure.  Every pen is different, with it's own personality. They will vary in color and grain and each has hidden flaws waiting to be discovered.

     Please, if you feel that a crack will bother you or if you don't feel touched when you hold history in your hands, then do not buy these pens.  The wood is in very limited supply, and I cannot wait to share them with someone who can appreciate their beauty.