There are more pens to do before I call it a day, but I’m really chuffed over the three pens i just played with. Here they are next to their writing samples, all ready to go home.

These pens are, from left to right, a Fairchild retractable dip pen from about the time of the Franco-Prussian War; a Mabie, Todd & Bard “Swan Pen” from 10 or 15 years later; and a Mabie, Todd & Co. Swan from perhaps a bit later yet. All are lovely examples of the penmaking arts of a century and a quarter past. And they all write remarkably nicely, too. The Fairchild’s needle-pointed flexible nib was bent sharply to the left about a millimeter from the tip; the first Swan’s feed had warped away form the underside of the wonderful stub nib, and the second Swan’s feed had warped away from top side of that pen’s bent and cracked nib. All are well and happy now, except that I didn’t weld the cracks in the second Swan’s nib…

Finish reading this post »

Goooooooood Morning, just a few days for Madrid Pen Show, we are excited counting the hours for the Show. Everything is ready, and I need to say that this year we have had more dealers requesting for table that we can handle.

We are having 38 dealers in the room, 4 from USA, 4 from UK, 3 from France, 1 from Belgium, 1 from the Netherlands, 1 from Italy, 1 from Israel, 1 from Brazil, 1 from Argentina and the rest are from several parts of Spain…

Finish reading this post »

Today was Jim’s first day back in the barrel studio since Barbara and I returned from the Ohio Pen Show. He brought with him a fascinating pen — at least it’s fascinating to me. You may have figured out that I like retractable safeties. The pen Jim brought me is a safety, and it might look pretty ordinary.

But it’s really not very ordinary at all. It’s a Lilliputian pen, quite literally — not only is it tiny, but it’s also a VIALA LILLIPUT pen (made by France’s Gold Starry). Its nib is an 18K stub, and the overlay is solid gold as well. (There are “bugs” on both pieces.) But really, how tiny is it? Take a look at it in comparison with a Whytwarth sterling silver overlay safety…

Finish reading this post »

I’ve received an email from an Esterbrook fan, lauding my choice to include an Estie as co-Miss January. This is part of why I do these sorts of things, but dagnabbit, I do wish sales would pick up. Ain’t paid my bills yet, y’know.

FWIW, here’s a list of all 12 months.

January: Waterman’s Emblem Doctor’s Pen, Esterbrook SJ Nurse’s Pen

February: Targa 1019 “Vintage” by Sheaffer

March: Waterman’s Patrician…

Finish reading this post »

…but nobody seems to be listening.
A couple of weeks ago, a European friend wrote to propose a trade, two pens to travel west in exchange for one to go the other way. it took me about two picoseconds to decide that I liked the proposed swap, and I told my friend as much. The pens from Europe arrived in due course, one a full-overlay GF Sheaffer’s Sel-Filler Nº 2 ringtop and the other a mottled hard rubber French safety with no remains of any imprint that might identify its maker.

The Sheaffer I will restore and sell. I didn’t know what I’d do with the safety, but when I looked it over I found that it wasn’t in salable condition, so Door Number One was closed. Part it out? The cork was no problem; I recork safeties on a regular basis. The thing that killed this one was the nib. Imprinted GARANTI 18 Cts, it could have been very nice had it not been bent up and then down again (the classic “knees” shape) and cracked for a couple of millimeters from the breather hole toward the base…

Finish reading this post »

Hi Pen Fans.

I’m very excited to be attending the Columbus Pen Show this weekend.

I will have the new Tuxedo Series, the newly designed Glenmont, along with all of my other pen models there.

I hope to meet more of my clients live.

Also, there is a new development at Edison…

Finish reading this post »

If you’re looking around for the perfect 2009 wall calendar, look no further. Our 2009 calendar is now available in our CafePress shop…

Finish reading this post »

The “newest” revolution in smoothness is the Waverley nib, invented in 1864 by Duncan Cameron and a fixture of the Waverley pens made by MacNiven & Cameron, Ltd, well into the 20th century. All else being equal, a Waverley nib is smoother than an ordinary nib the same size.

Sheaffer discovered the Waverley effect in the 1930s, and the Waverley design’s success onLifetime Balance pens led to the upturned tip of the famous Triumph conical nib, introduced in 1942.

Beginning this month at the Ohio Pen Show, [Richard Binder's] preground extra-fine Pelikan nibs will be Waverleys, and [he'll] be incorporating the Waverley design in other ways over the next few months.

Info on the Ohio Pen Show

The 14th Annual Ohio Pen Show is coming next weekend (November 6-9)! Barbara and I will be on hand for all the festivities — where will you be?

Finish reading this post »

It always surprises me, but I continue to receive emails with the basic question, “Why would I want to bother with a fountain pen?” Here’s my basic answer…

Finish reading this post »