Nobby’s Nibs – penmaker James Marshall
I live in a small market town in Bedfordshire with my wife, Gail. I’ve always had an interest in making things with wood and in my childhood, I picked up many useful tips from my Grandfather, a cabinet maker, and I love the fact that I am still using some of his tools today. Making pens is something that came about quite by chance. A few days before my 40th birthday I was diagnosed with a genetic heart condition that needed correcting by open heart surgery. This forced a change of career and a rethink of my old hobbies and pastimes and I decided to rekindle an interest in woodturning.
As my skills grew, friends and family encouraged me to start selling some of my pens in order to fund my hobby, and probably because they all had so many of my pens themselves! Before I could venture in to selling on online marketplaces, I needed a name. I’ve had the nickname “Nobby” for many years and my wife jokingly came up with the name “Nobbys Nibs” and it seems to have stuck. To my delight, my pens have been bought by people all around the world including Australia, America and most of Europe. I have since returned to part-time work, but, still find the time to indulge my passion for woodturning in my small garden workshop.
Although I specialise in making pens from wood & acrylic, I also make other things such as bowls, candlesticks, lamps, shaving razor handles and decorative items.