Curtis Australia—our story

Curtis Australia has evolved gently from four generations of fine craftsmanship and traditional hand skills with an appreciation of how those skills can enrich life. This heritage can be traced to the late 1890’s, when leather goods were first made by founding members of the same family in rural Australia - goods with a reputation for durability and quality.

 

Almost a hundred years ago jewellery became the focus. Time honoured, traditional skills in gold, silver and gems have been studiously handed down across three of those generations to the craftsmen chosen to create Curtis Australia’s work today. These ingrained values lead to pieces that are inherently well made by craftsmen who understand the importance of patience and care.

 

These skills are a central rib running thorough the company and are respected and encouraged in others - even in today’s busy world. Curtis Australia still has apprentices, who, even after four years are only just at the beginning of their journey to becoming masters of their craft. They follow a traditional path, covering all aspects of their trade in order to apply their skills diligently and creatively.

 

As fine pen makers and jewellers, Curtis Australia craftsmen take personal pride in every piece they create. Every new pen takes hundreds of hours to progress from design to reality. Employing skills that are little changed over centuries, each meticulous procedure in the art of pen making is carefully followed with infinite patience, consummate skill and with a very real passion.

 

This tradition of fine jewellery at Curtis Australia has been applied to and has added new facets to pen making. The jeweller’s eye for form, precious material and gems in myriad colours has added a whole new dimension to the pens created in the Curtis Australia studio. Some of these gem set pens have made a vivid splash, others are more restrained, but all have created excitement and intrigue.

 

A fascinating aspect of the way the company approaches its work is the reliance on hand skills. From initial hand drawn concept sketches to hand finished pieces, all owe themselves to the patient exploration of ideas that begin with the imagination, not from technology.

 

Whether it is the individual hand tensioning of each spring clip or the hand polishing of every pen, time is not the master of the process – the quality of the finished result is absolutely everything.

Working in an unhurried atmosphere allows for individual components to be matched and finished by hand, the craftsmen strive towards a piece that reflects those involved in the creative journey.

There may be slight differences even between pens of the same design, but these simply reassure that skilled hands have been at work.

 

The Australian character shines through in Curtis Australia. There is a freshness of ideas, not constrained by pre existing influences or the need to conform. This adds a real vitality to the designs, while still engaging a sophisticated, worldly audience appreciative of finely wrought things.

 

To say that form must follow function sums up the Curtis Australia approach to creating distinctive work quite neatly. Every piece must combine style and substance with visual balance and design integrity. Only once these essential markers are laid down can the craftsmen pick up their tools.

 

Curtis Australia’s unique collection of fine pens and jewellery has a distinctive signature – if it isn’t created from silver or gold, or contain a precious gem, it cannot be from our dedicated studio.

 

Curtis Australia has evolved into an international brand available in almost every one of the world’s continents, with a wide range of fine jewellery, writing instruments and accessories. All are made to exacting standards - a legacy of times gone by undoubtedly - but with a vision and style directed firmly towards the future.

Heather & Glenn Curtis

Directors & Founders of Curtis Australia

‘Making pens is an exciting, satisfying and creative thing to do. We are proud to be Australia’s first luxury pen maker and we are aware of the history of fine pen making. We hope to add to that by designing eloquently drawn precious silver and gold pens that are a a joy to write with and become a treasured possession—even an heirloom’

 

Glenn Curtis

Curtis Australia—an international luxury brand

It is refreshing to find a range of products that reflect the craftsmanship and quality of the past, while incorporating the finesse and technical prowess of the present. Combine this with the vision to create luxury with quality and you have Curtis Australia.