The Retro 51 Blog

According to historians, blue and white earthenware originated as early as the seventh century during the Tang Dynasty and became broadly popular in the 13th century during the Yuan Dynasty. By the 14th century it was mass produced and traded throughout the Eastern world and continues to be popular to this day. The latest Tornado Popper ‘Dynasty’ is printed with a dragon, phoenix and floral motif inspired by these historical artifacts. They are finished with stonewashed pewter accents and complete with the Chinese symbol representing “fortune” imprinted on the top disc. Each rollerball pen has been numbered on the top ring and packaged in a commemorative tube with only 888 pieces produced. Make sure to get one for your collection before they become history themselves.

Friday April 27th is National Arbor Day so get out your Retro51’s and share the message! With every purchase of a bamboo Retro design, a donation was (or will be) made to the Arbor Day Foundation to save 250 square feet of rainforest. Since this program was launched in 2010, Retro has made donations that has saved over 6.6 million square feet of rainforest. That is 116 football fields worth of land! 

Arbor Day’s goal is to plant an additional 50,000 trees this month. Whenever you use #arborday in your Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram posts during the month of April #arborday plants a tree.

We will randomly choose five winners and you may enter once per day (up to five times). Enter the contest by doing the following:

1. Take a photo of your Retro51 pen with handwritten message “Arbor Day 2018.”
2. Type #arborday when you post it on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. 

Bonus Entry!

1. Sign the pledge to plant a tree during the month of April for an additional entry into the drawing (just note in the handwritten message #Pledge)
2. Buy something or Donate to the Arbor Day for another entry (note on the handwritten message #donation)

Prizes:

Five winners will get to choose from the Bamboo Tray, Bamboo Tornado or Hamsa Tornado. You can only win once.

Contest entry ends Monday April 30th at 8 am CDT. We will compile all the entries and randomly  choose 5 winners that will be announced via social media Monday 4/30 in theafternoon. Winners will be contacted via the site they entered through (FB, IG, or TW).

For decades NASA has sent orbiters and rovers to gather intelligence that will help us learn about Mars and the ability to land a manned mission. The latest Tornado Popper, Mission to Mars recognizes the imagination that first started in the pulp comics of the 30s – 40s to the reality it has become less than a century later. This Tornado barrel is printed with graphics reflective of the future rocket that will launch this mission complete with logo top disc and numbered top ring. Pick up one of these collectible rollerballs (numbered edition of 730) because they’re going to blast off in 10…9…8…

They are shipping to retailers today (1-8-18) and will be in stores later this week to early next week (Jan 10th-15th). Email Sales@retro51.com for help finding a dealer.

Why 730 pieces? This is significant for the number of days it would take to make a round trip from Earth to Mars and back.

This coming Friday, November 3rd, is National Fountain Pen Day. In honor of this special day for penthusiasts, we will be giving a Tornado Fountain Pen away every day this week (and two on Friday). Here is how to enter the contest:

1. Take a photo of any Retro51 pen (fountain, rollerball, ballpoint or pencil) you are currently using and hand write Fountain Pen Day 2017 next to it.
2. Post this image either on our Facebook page, on Twitter (tagging us @Retro1951), or on Instagram (also tagging us @Retro1951) .
3.  One entry per person, per day (one day = from noon till 11:59 am the following day – central time). The photo must be different for each day/entry. You can enter once daily with up to five chances to win. You may only win once.
   

We will randomly select a winner everyday at noon (CST) and post the name on our social media sites. Each day starts a fresh drawing.

Prize:

The winner will get to choose between the  Black Acrylic, Orange, Peacock, Black Cherry Classic lacquers or the Lincoln. Nibs available in Fine, Medium and Broad.

Good luck and thanks for entering!

DAY 1 Winner:

Day 2 Winner:

Day 3 Winner:

Day 4 Winner:

Day 5 Winner:

A big THANK YOU to everyone who took part in this fun week’s event. We’ll do this again next year. Until then… Life is too short to carry an Ugly Pen!® (Pass it on).

Just some of the entries…

We can’t tell you what your future will bring, but we know cool stuff awaits you! The Zodiac twist-top rollerball is decorated with all twelve (western) zodiac signs that is complimented with matte black nickel accents. The stealth style and smooth writer can be utilized for several tasks, but more importantly, it will be a catalyst to capture your dreams. Each Zodiac comes packaged in a matching tube and is numbered on the top ring. Act fast though because only 812 were made and it will sell out.