The Thomas Paine "Common Sense" Limited Edition
The LeBoeuf Pen Company proudly honors the Penman of the American Revolution, Thomas Paine, with this stunning Limited Edition Fountain Pen and Roller Ball.
“These are the times that try men’s souls...” is one of the most recognizable lines of literature from the American Revolutionary War era. When penned by Thomas Paine during the darkest days of the Continental Army in his treatise The American Crisis, The cause of American independence was truly hanging in the balance.
Before the cause of American independence could be rallied by the powerful and persuasive message emanating from Thomas Paine's pen in late 1776, the cause had to be ignited. Thomas Paine's historic Pamphlet, “Common Sense” authored in January 1776, rallied the colonies to the cause of Independence. John Adams described the impact of Paine’s first and most successful pamphlet “Without the pen of the author of Common Sense, the sword of Washington would have been raised in vain.”
Paine was the editor of the Pennsylvania Magazine. As the publication was self-styled as an “American magazine” the hope was that it would combine sentiment and gain readership throughout the 13 colonies. Paine became the editor and brought a political presence to the publication. Crafting a series of letters that would be farmed out to various papers in the city, once the quill touched parchment, Paine’s genius with words flowed forth under the title of Plain Truth. Dr. Benjamin Rush, a luminary in Philadelphia and soon to affix his signature on the Declaration of Independence, suggested the title Common Sense. Paine’s motive was to spread the idea of independence from Great Britain, republican ideology, and recruitment for the military.
The result of the initial publishing of “Common Sense” exceeded 100,000 copies by the end of 1776 and from Paine himself, the estimate that over 120,000 in the first ninety days from the original publication. Some estimates range as high as a million copies within the first twelve months.
The reach was astronomical and was not confined to just one side of the Atlantic, as the pamphlet made its way into print in Great Britain and was widely read in France as well. Even the top of the revolutionary movement stopped to take notice of Common Sense and its far-reaching positive effect. General George Washington, in Massachusetts, took quill to paper writing, “I find that Common Sense is working a powerful change there in the minds of many men. Few pamphlets have had so dramatic an effect on political events.”
Thomas Paine went on to write many more pamphlets in support of the American Revolution. His lasting legacy remains the words he penned in “Common Sense’’ which ignited the fire of Independence throughout the colonies and led to the signing of the Declaration of Independence six months later on July 4th, 1776.
The LeBoeuf Thomas Paine “Common Sense” Limited Edition is produced with a stunning Patriot Blue Magenta marble acrylic which pays homage to the call for independence sparked by Thomas Paine’s Quill. Each pen barrel has been carefully tuned and polished and features Thomas Paine’s famous signature engraved in Gold fill. A Gold coin featuring a portrait of Thomas Paine has been fitted onto the top of each cap. “Common Sense” and 1776 have been engraved onto each cap enhancing the elegance of this special pen.
Each Thomas Paine Fountain Pen features a German Gold plated nib featuring the LeBoeuf logo in both Fine and Medium Points and utilizes a cartridge/Convertor filling system. A Roller Ball version is also available which uses a Standard International Roller Ball refill. Each pen model is limited to 125 pens Worldwide.
The LeBoeuf Thomas Paine “Common Sense” Limited Edition celebrates the life of the Patriot and Penman of the American Revolution, whose quill sparked the cause for America’s Independence in 1776.
