Brand

Laban

Laban was founded in 1981 in Houtong, Taiwan, by brothers John and Charles Hu, starting with silver- and rhodium-plated pens before moving into more decorative designs. The brand is known for glossy pearlescent and marbled acrylic barrels with heavy metal trim, in lines such as the 325, Mento, Skeleton and Formosa, and it added its own inks in 2020. Most pens are cartridge/converter fillers with gold-plated steel nibs, with 14k gold and flex options on some models, generally priced from around $60 to $200.