Cicily Lesher claims she is not a magician at mixing acrylics, yet she transforms clear, colorless liquid into brilliant blanks. When finished pouring and drying, she turns them over to her husband. Jon Lesher says he is no poet, not a writer of any kind, but get him started on color palettes, design, and pen turning, and he waxes eloquent. The two balance their talents and personalities perfectly: one gregarious, one reserved; one theoretical, one concrete; both perfectly kind and humble; both committed to planning, follow-through, and the production of quality products that bear the name Tailored Pen Company.
Jon started making pens in 2016. His pens proved so popular that supplemental income soon blossomed into full-time work. Having had small businesses before, it seemed natural for Jon and Cicily to let the pens reach their full potential.
In 2019, the Leshers formed Tailored Pen Company (TPC). The company name is a nod to tailored suits. A custom-tailored suit provides a perfectly unique fit, and that is the Leshers' goal in pen production. Because England is associated with tailored suits, some model names reflect this Anglophile couple's affection for the country: Churchill, Westminster, Cambridge, Essex, Pendelton. The popular, faceted Ascher, however, is named for a diamond cut, its angles and edges resembling those of a finely cut and polished gem.
This story is from the April 2023 edition of PEN WORLD.
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This story is from the April 2023 edition of PEN WORLD.
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