Carl Linnaeus
Carl Linnaeus
(1707 – 1778)
“The Prince of Botanists (Princeps botanicorum)”, “The Pliny of the North”, “The Second Adam”; all names given to Sweden’s most famous natural scientist, Carl Linnaeus, (Carolus Linnæus in Latin) or Carl von Linné after being raised to nobility by the King of Sweden.
He was the son of a pastor and began his academic career studying medicine. In Sweden today Linnaeus is a national hero, known to children as the flower King and to adults as the great biologist and author of numerous volumes of technical works on the naming of living things. Over the years an immense quantity of scientific writings came from his pen, and, as the author of living classics, he remains a part of Swedish everyday life.
He documented his journeys to Lapland in 1732 and Dalarna in 1734, and later made a name for himself in the Netherlands where he could have remained, but in 1738 he returned home to Sweden where he became the most famous naturalist in Europe.
The late editions of Systema Naturae (1735) encompass the entire range of creation from the stars down to the microorganisms.
Philosophia Botanica (1751) contained a complete survey of the taxonomy system as well as information on travel journal-keeping and botanical garden maintenance.
Species Plantarum (1753) is now internationally accepted as the starting point of modern botanical nomenclature.
He sent his students on voyages of scientific discovery all over the world and from time to time - and with mixed feelings - he served as a kind of court naturalist to the king and queen of Sweden.
Linnaeus gave each kind of plant and animal two names: the first name told the genus – or group – to which the plant or animal belonged. The second name described the species within that group. This two word system of naming is known as the binomial system of nomenclature.
Every Swedish province has its emblematic flower and the twin flower provincial emblem of Småland is called Linnaea borealis after the great son of that province.
Self-named Temporis Fila (Child of Time) he set out to list and order the whole of creation; Linnaeus named so many plants and animals that he has been called God’s registrar.
The letter (L.) still appears after scientific names Linnaeus assigned to all of the living things in his time.
Carl Linnaeus Collection
The Carl Linnaeus is the nineteenth in the David Oscarson™ series of Limited Edition writing instruments. Produced in three primary color variations, each limited to an aggregate production of 70 pieces (including fountain pens and roller balls), the Linnaeus Collection will stand as a lasting tribute to the seventy years of Carl von Linné’s work and his enduring worldwide influence.
The plant and floral elements of this Limited Edition are a reminder of the great scientist’s love for nature. Inspired by his numerous great works, this one-of-a-kind collection features multiple levels of guilloché engraving and seven colors of Hot Enamel.
Hard Enamel
The Carl Linnaeus Collection continues in the spirit of artistic mastery and the tradition of Old World craftsmanship by combining the centuries-old technique of Guilloché with the art and expertise of 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 removed, 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 metal, ensuring that the entire guilloché area is completely covered in enamel. The components are then fired in a furnace 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, restoring their proper shape and surface. This tedious process is repeated at length until the level of enamel reaches the depth required to cover the peaks and fill the valleys of each intricate guilloché pattern. When the final stages of firing are completed, the pieces are polished and buffed, revealing the velvet finish of translucent hard enamel.
Production of translucent hard enamel demands the highest levels of patience, experience and skill. A five-year apprenticeship is required to ensure that the highest levels of quality will be met in each individual Collection piece.
The Carl Linnaeus Collection will be produced in 3 primary color variations:
Translucent Blue with multi-colored blossoms and leaves
Translucent Black with multi-colored blossoms and leaves
Translucent Red with multi-colored blossoms and leaves in gold vermeil
