Pens and Things Pens and Things was established in 1894 by Earnest Barker as a small business making the

then new invention, the fountain pen (invented ten years earlier by the American Lewis Waterman). For many years the company was known as Barker and Sons but it has recently diversified into selling other specialist stationery items and in 1997 took the new name Pens and Things. Pens and Things has retained the original Barker name for its prestige fountain pens. Over the years the Barker Pen has established a world-wide reputation most sales are now of gift box sets that contain a Barker Fountain Pen and a Matching Barker Ball-point Pen. Pens and Things manufactures its Barker Pens in a small factory in the English Lake District. The factory makes the pen cases, nibs, etc. but the gift boxes, ink cartridges and ball-point refills are bought in from other manufacturers. Pens and Things also sells a number of other stationery items such as letter openers and pen holders, some of these marked with the Barker brand. All of these items are bought in from other manufacturers. The Barker Pen is sold on a world-wide basis. Sales in the UK are direct to selected wholesalers or the major department stores and jewellery shop chains. For the export market, sales are typically through a local agency that buys in bulk from Pens and Things and then sells onto the stores in that country. A catalogue that specifies the full product range is produced once a year and distributed to all trade customers and agencies. Changes to the product range, between issues of the catalogue, are documented in leaflets and sent out to all recipients of the catalogue.