Sep

13

Keeping up with the Jones’ Vanishing Points

Filed Under Wiki Updates | Leave a Comment

Some of you are probably very familiar with the Vanishing Point history guide that has been compiled, through an enormous amount of work, by Carmen Rivera of RiveraPens.com.  It was by far and long, the most comprehensive and detailed list of Vanishing Points on the internet.  While doing some research today, however, I was surprised to find that the site’s domain name had expired and the domain taken over by a squatter.

Because this pains me greatly, and the work she had done was amazing, I found a cached version of the timeline table and have added it to the Namiki Vanishing Point article in the wiki to make sure that the information is still available.  I also lifted a couple pictures of pens from the pages.  I say this, only because I have tried unsuccessfully to contact Carmen to mirror this data, so it isn’t being used with permission, and I want to make sure that is clear for the sake of disclosure.  Hopefully they don’t mind!  I make no claim to that information, I didn’t create it, and I copy it here to make sure it isn’t lost forever.  Hopefully their site will come back up, and I will try further to keep an official up to date mirror here.

Sep

11

And you thought you had expensive pens!

Filed Under Pens | 1 Comment

I just had to share this clip. Eight made each year of this Mont Blanc pen. Heirloom indeed!

London Jewelers features the Montblanc $160,000 fountain pen. 4,810 diamonds set in a platinum case. Only eight are made. A close look at this unusual writing instrument.

Sep

11

The Michigan Pen Show – September 7th & 8th, 2007

Filed Under Pen Shows | Leave a Comment

Written by: Maryann Zucker

Maryann Zucker is owner and operator of PenstopOnline and Empire Writing Instruments, Ltd. They will be hosting the NY/NJ Pen Show later this month, September 28th through the 30th. For more information on the NY/NJ Pen Show, see our event calendar, or visit http://www.nycpenshow.com

As a show promoter, I look at a show a little differently than if I were an attendee. My husband Steve and I host the New York City, now NY/NJ, Pen Show. We have been hosting that show since September 2001 until present. We are also the owners and operators of PenstopOnline and Empire Writing Instruments, Ltd., home of Signum Pens.

Now, that said I am an avid pen collector and have been collecting pens for more years than I would like to admit. We started attending pen shows in the mid 90’s after our boys were in college. On a visit to one of them in Boston, we ran into an advertisement for the Boston Pen Show. Up to that point I had no idea there were shows like this and the rest is history. Read more

Sep

9

Where To Find Repair Supplies

Filed Under Article | Leave a Comment

This will be a short little entry today. Sometimes it can be tough finding just the right stuff to repair those old pens you find in wayward drawers around the world. Many of you will be very familiar with these sites. For those not so well acquainted, I thought it would be worthwhile to share some of my favorite sites for pen repair supplies.

Woodbin

Marty at the Woodbin is a great guy to deal with. Always very prompt and pleasant to deal with. They do operate out of Canada, but shipping rates are among the most reasonable I’ve ever seen. They do, however, lack an ordering system, and correspondence is handled through e-mail. I normally use PayPal with them, and have yet to have a single issue. Out of anyone, they probably have some of the most competitive prices on the Net. Read more

Sep

6

Contest Update and More

Filed Under Site News | Leave a Comment

As you might have noticed, there have been some changes on deck. Congratulations to Rachel Ayers and John Shackelford for their entries in the logo design contest. You can see their handiwork here and in the wiki now. This is the first part of what will be a gradual theme evolution, to give Penpedia more of its own identity, rather than a canned layout. No, I have no clue where it’s going yet, but I think it will look good. I’m clever, after all.

I also updated our navigation some. Wiki links are now immediately to the left, so you can jump right in there. Plus there are more of them now, to facilitate easier finding of information. The top nav bar was also rearranged to accommodate the altered side navigation. Nothing major, but it is different onw. The user profiles have all been updated, and now have more fields and areas to put neat little info about yourselves. I am happy to hear ideas for additional fields, so feel free to use our contact form to send those recommendations our way.

Stay tuned, as we will also have reports from the Michigan pen show in a few days in case you weren’t able to go. Should be neat. I’m also arranging for news from the NY/NJ show as well. Good stuff!