Founded in Houtong, Taiwan, in 1981 by two brothers, Laban began with simple silver- and rhodium-plated fountain pens and soon expanded into more ornate and hollow-carved writing instruments. Their design history includes an international collaboration with the Musei del Vaticano in 1997, a limited-edition 22k gold Dragon Pen that was recognized as the Best Writing Instrument of 2004 by the Royal Academy of Arts, and the Lacquer Mento series that won Pen World’s Reader’s Choice Award in 2011. While Laban is widely regarded as a pioneer of unique pen-making techniques, the brand truly emphasizes “the original intention” of the fountain pen: an instrument held in the palm of the hand and used to express unique warmth and affection.
