My Story


Behind the Name

Herons represent patience and the seizing of the small windows of opportunities in life. Virtues that are fundamental in both sourcing and restoring rare and delicate vintage fountain pens.

Mooncakes symbolize completeness and connection, togetherness with friends and family. They are intricate, molded by hand, and saved for special moments of reflection and reunion.

Heron's Mooncake represents my philosophy: that life is best lived when we slow down to appreciate the painstaking craftsmanship and deliberated penmanship in our hands, and enjoy the journey with our friends, family, and community.

Take Pride is the slogan for Heron's Mooncake. Every pen and letter written by me is something made to last and spark emotion. They aren't perfect but will reflect all the experience, skill, and resources I have acquired.

Illustration of a cat wearing glasses on a brown background that the founder feels looks like him if he were born a cat

My Journey

I am Darren, a vintage fountain pen restorer studying under Master Restorer Mark Hoover, an expert on vintage fountain pens from the US and Europe.

I want to create educational and lifestyle content and make vintage pens more accessible to people looking for more sustainable purchases and lower that hurdle of fear when buying vintage fountain pens.

I hope I can widen the option set for writers who are looking for their next grail pen, as what is available on the market today may just pale in comparison to the pens of the past.

Follow me on my pen journey and share a toast with ink.

Based in Maryland, USA

Principles

  • Perfection Over Speed

    Restorations must always meet an ever increasing bar of quality.

  • Integrity Over Profitability

    Transparency in restoration details, condition notes, and writing characteristics.

  • Empower with Education

    Knowledge cannot be gate-kept, vintage is for all to share and love.

My Commitment

I am a steward, not just a seller. In an era where 'restoration' is often a loose term, I commit to transparency and patience. I do not restore for profit, but for preservation. The means is itself the ends, as restoration is an art form that can only be perfected further.

  • To the Pen: I promise to honor the materials and history, using proper tooling to ensure it writes for decades to come.
  • To the Community: I promise to be a resource, not a gatekeeper. I strive to make vintage accessible, lowering the barrier of fear so that anyone can experience the unique joy of a nib and a story held in hand."