The
Pentrace Report: Midland Pen Show, Lichfield, England
- 21st-22nd June 2008
It
is not often one sees the launch of a new pen show in
the United Kingdom, and moreover one which deliberately
aims to be different to what has gone before. Such a
show is the brand new Midland Pen Show, which took place
in Lichfield, England over the weekend 21st-22nd June
2008. As Pentrace's roving reporter in the UK, I was
fortunate enough to be invited to cover the event..
Read
Stuart's previous articles
The
Pentrace Report: WES Birmingham (England) Meeting, 8
March 2008
The
Pelikan 500NN Fountain Pen – A User Review
The
Conway Stewart Churchill ‘Red Ripple’ Fountain
Pen
On the Trail of Tolkien Series:
Part
1: JRR Tolkien: A boy, the man and his books
Part
2: Tolkien's Inspirations in Birmingham Locations
Part
3: In the Land of Mordor, where the Shadows Lie…
|
|
Krone
Galileo Limited Edition
The Krone Galileo writing instrument honors
the achievements of Galileo, a mathematician, astronomer
and inventor.
Krone
presents Galileo, an exceptional writing instrument. |
A
Renaissance Pen: The Stipula Da Vinci Infinity Limited
Edition
Of course, the Da Vinci design is not unique
to the Infinity LE; in fact it is available at lower
prices in several different materials and colours, and
in two sizes with different clip designs. But the version
I fell in love with at first sight was the Infinity,
thanks to the fascinating Stylophiles review and Bill
Riepl’s alluring photographs of the pen therein.
I knew I had to buy one, but what chance was there of
finding a new pen from a limited edition of only 188
which had already been available for two years?
A
review of the Stipula Da Vinci Infinity LE by Stuart
Williams, photos © Bill Riepl used by permission
of Mr. Riepl. |
|
Review
FILCAO Desiree and Alexander pens
Friends and pen users were asking for the features
and pen designs they want to have in their pocket. Many
ideas and suggestions were presented to FILCAO and Franco
was very pleased to listen and liked the ideas.
The
last five years of developing FILCAO pen have produced
a series of classic designs in the deco style of the
1920's and 30's with flat tops and taper balance shapes.
The remarkable success of the classic-style COLUMBIA,
ATLANTICA, SYLVIA, NEW LEADER and ROXY have the designs
and features that pen users feel are the most comfortable
in their hands and affordable so they can have more
choices...
.
|
|
Pentrace
welcomes FILCAO as our newest Sponsor
A familiar name to Pentracers, many of us have been using
FILCAO pens for the last few years with great satisfaction.
FILCAO
is a family-run business based in the small Northern
Italian town of Settimo Torinese, near Turin, in the
industrial North-West of the Country.
FILCAO
started manufacturing fountain pens in the late 1960s.
After 43 years the company is still run by its founder,
Franco Grisolia, who loves and collects pens and can
still be seen, at times, working the lathes, fashioning
a new prototype pen out of a rod of cured celluloid
or acrylic resin. The current product lineup is vast:
over 200 different pen models, in metal, celluloid or
acrylic resin. In addition to fountain pens, there are
mechanical pencils, roller ball pens and ballpoint pens.
FILCAO
was the chosen manufacturer of the 2004
Pentrace Limited Edition fountain pen which was
such an immediate success, the entire edition was sold
out in a matter of hours after introduction. |
Krone
TYRANNOSAURUS REX Limited Edition
Tyrannosaurus Rex was the supreme carnivore
of its era and represented the highest evolution of
predatory dinosaurs. The name means “tyrant lizard
king” and there has never been a land predator
of its size, speed and power before or after its existence.
Krone
presents Tyrannosaurus Rex, an exceptional writing instrument. |
Friday
Night
Well, there we were at the Last Chance restaurant
(no grease just good eats) on Friday night. There was
me, Bubba, Joe Bob and the Italian Babe chomping down
on all you can eat catfish. I looked around and surveyed
the situation. Over in the corner was Tommy the tattoo
man sitting with a blue haired lady. Off to the side
I could see Chuckles the clown making balloon figures
for the little kids. Up front Jim Paul and the Texas
Boys were knocking out some Willie Nelson tunes. Even
though we had a full house something just didn’t
seem right. It was like something was missing..
A
new story from Will Thorpe.
|
General
George Armstrong Custer
A generation after the Battle of the Little Bighorn,
Teddy Roosevelt’s reflection on how to approach
life perfectly captured the ethos of General George Armstrong
Custer. Custer was and is a bigger-than-life American
war hero who lost his life in one of the most famous battles
in American history. He was a controversial figure in
life and continues to be one in
death.
|
|
The
Stylus 2007 Pen Annual Volume II
The Stylus 2007 Pen Annual Volume II is praised
as an "encyclopedia of pens", a must have
for pen lovers and collectors. This is a showcase of
70 pen companies, their histories and latest products
with retailers even using this as a sales tool. For
pen collectors, this is the ultimate “candy store”
magazine where you can visit to view your favorite pen
products and start building your wish list for next
year.
|
|
| Pentrace
welcomes THINK as our newest Sponsor THINK
about it
THINK fountain pens and roller ball pens are a combination
of beautiful materials, excellent design and solid construction
all rolled into a very attractive retail price. Mounted
with quality Schmidt steel nibs and roller ball refills
they are inexpensive enough to treat your vanity with
multiple choices to fit changing moods or simply for
“the pen color of choice for the day”
Read the recent Pentrace
review of THINK pens.
THINK pens are available at your favorite pen dealer
or
Fountain
Pen Hospital
|
Pentrace
is happy to welcome Nakaya Fountain Pen Co as a new
sponsor.
Nakaya pens have been a popular topic on Pentrace
since introduced a few years ago by Russ Stutler on
Pentrace East.
The Nakaya theme is “For Your Hand Only”
as Nakaya produces hand made pens from hand shaping
of hard rubber to decoration and the final shaping of
the nib choice exactly to the owner’s writing
hand.
More
than a few Pentracers have actually visited Nakaya offices
in Tokyo, Japan in their travels and provided us with
their interesting reports. Pentrace appreciates the
support from Mr. Toshiya Nakata, President of Nakaya
and we look forward to their announcements of their
newest products.
|
|
Governess
on a Sheep Station in the Outback - Episode 5
[posted 06/25/2006]
A short story in seven parts by Chris Chalmers
about her very early and short time as a governess on
a sheep station in far western Queensland in the very
early 60s - it doesn't mention pens - but is a good
read!!
Read
the Previous Episode:
Episode
I [posted 05/12/2006]
Episode 2 [posted 05/20/2006]
Episode
3 [posted 05/27/2006]
Episode
4 [posted 06/09/2006]
|
The
Da Vinci Code limited edition pen by TIBALDI
On May 19th 2006 Sony Pictures brought Dan
Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, one of the most popular
and controversial novels of our generation, to the big
screen.
Anticipating
the huge success of what will most likely be the media
event of this century, Aquila Brands entered into an
exclusive license agreement with Sony Pictures to launch,
simultaneously with the release of the movie, the one
and only official collection of The Da Vinci Code luxury
writing instruments, signaling the re-birth of the prestigious
TIBALDI brand ninety years after its establishment. |
|
Dateline
KANAZAWA Part III
A Japanese Journal by Stan Klemanowicz. This
is the second of four articles based on the journal
posted to the message board by Stan.
Part
I
Part
II
|
|
Parker
Flighters
Oh, you say, a Parker 61 Flighter. Well, maybe.
But it could also be a Parker 65 Flighter. And that's
what this article is all about: Parker's long pattern
of producing pen models that are very closely matched.
Some replaced a previous model. Others, like the 65,
co-existed with its mate. And this pattern of pairs
started with the 61/65, as fair as I can tell...
Dan
Carmell examines the Parker Flighter range |
|
The
Roots of my Fountain Pen Bug
KCkc on the early days of collecting and where
to shop in Hong Kong! |
|
Review:
Fountain Pens of the World, 2005 Edition
FPOTW. Pretty much every pen collector past
the “newbie” stage recognizes that five-letter
abbreviation as a shorthand way of identifying Andreas
Lambrou’s compendious Fountain Pens of the World.
First published in 1995, this 448-page coffee-table-size
tome is recognized as one of the indispensable books
that form the foundation of any serious collector’s
library.
|
|
"When
You Can't Just Walk Away" XX
Concluding
our weekly series by Myra Love.
Read
Previous Chapters
|
Marlon
Brando Tahiti Musume ( Tahitian Maiden )
The art of Maki-e holds a fascination for many
Pentrace readers and over the years we have examined
many different aspects and techniques of this Japanese
form of decoration which dates back to the 8th Century.
In general, much of the maki-e work applied to fountain
pens has featured intricate renderings of wildlife,
traditional Japanese scenes or flowers, but Classic
Pens have taken a unique approach by featuring aspects
of French Polynesia in honor of the late Marlon Brando
in a new Limited Edition maki-e fountain pen to be launched
at the Washington DC Show in August.
|
Care
and Feeding: How to Replace a Pen Sac
Updated
- Richard Binder's definitive article on re- saccing
a fountain pen.
|
Legend
A
short article for Father's Day by Lynn Brant.
|
Stylo
gurus
Trevor Butterworth investigates the apparent
paradox of the resurgence of the fountain pen in the
age of digital communications. This article originally
appeared in the May 7 2005 issue of FTmagazine, the
supplement to the Financial Times.
|
|
|
Parker
“51” by David and Mark Shepherd
Without reservation, this book now stands as
the definitive reference source on the Parker “51”
the world’s most successful fountain pen.
|
|
Krone
Limited Edition Albert Einstein
Theme pen for the 2005 Chicago Pen Show
Also featuring at the 2005 Chicago Show..
Think
|
|
Pen
Doctor:
 Richard
Binder answers questions on Parker “51”:
Who’s On First?, Front-End Disassembly and Reassembly
of the “51”
Previous
Pen Doctor Columns.
Email
the Pen Doctor with your
question.
|
|
My
meeting with the Pen God
Last
June, quite by chance, I discovered that Mr Nagahara
of Sailor Pens was coming to the UK to hold a pen clinic
at Websters Penshop at the Bluewater shopping centre
in Kent. I have to admit that when I first discovered
that Mr Nagahara was coming to the UK and that I would
have a chance to meet him I was as excited as a six-year
old on Christmas Eve...
Faisel Sadiq reports.
|
|
The
Pentrace 2004 LE
Bill Riepl reviews the 2004 LE and gives it
the thumbs up. |
|
Over
on Pentrace East
The
2005 Pen Trading Show in Tokyo
Tokyo has two fountain pen shows each year.
One is the event sponsored by the club "Fuente"
in October (which I unfortunately missed last October
due to a schedule conflict) and the other is the "Pen
Trading Show in Tokyo" and is sponsored by the
Pen Collectors of Japan. This is held every March in
a room near Shirokanedai station. This year's Show was
held on March 12 and 13.
Russ Stutler reports. |
|
The
Prince Protean Pen
Ever since I learned that Mark Twain once
used a Prince Protean pen, I have been trying to find
one. I’d be willing to pay several thousand dollars
for one, but even if you had a million to spend it would
be doubtful you could find one of these very early pens.
And by early, I mean one of the first fountain pens
manufactured in the United States. ....
Previous
columns by Ron Dutcher. |
|
The
2004 Pentrace Limited Edition fountain pen
Our Limited Edition sold out within 3 hours of the announcement
on the message board.
The
Pentrace LEs have been shipped! Already we have over
100 expressions of interest in the 2005 Pentrace Limited
Edition FP.
Further
updates as they happen.
|
Parker
Jotter 50th Anniversary
Parker recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of the
best selling Parker Jotter with three special Jubilee
anniversary editions.
In 1946 Kenneth Parker wrote a letter to Time magazine
stating that he resented the notion that the Parker Pen
Co. was napping because it didn't have a product in the
exploding ballpoint pen market. Unknown was the fact that
Parker had been researching and developing ballpoint pen
since the 1940’s. |
|
The 2004
Pentrace Halloween Short Story Contest
He never gave a second thought why the pen
was at the yard sale amidst the cast off debris of what
must have been a dirt poor family. “How much?”
he said...
By some ghoulish Pentracers
|
|
The
Marco Aurelio Street Pen Meeting
Dario Giorgi reports on an extraordinary range
of vintage pens displayed at a meeting in Marco Aurelio
street, not far from the Colosseum in Rome.
Read
Dario's previous article:
Dario
and Sara visit Tuscany and the Florence Pen Show
|
|
A
Visit to the Tilburg Pen Show 2004
Michael
Richter reports on the 2004 show from Tilburg in the
Netherlands
Read
Michael's previous articles:
Galerie
Jansen inks - Part I
Galerie
Jansen Tinten - Teil 1 (German language
version)
Private
Reserve Pastel Inks
Pelikan
Ink Colors
Private
Reserve Inks |
|
| |
|
“Daddy-O”: Krone
takes a look back at the 1950s
Daddy-O is a cool new collection from Krone
that is reminiscent of my mother’s 1960 kitchen
linoleum floor and the curvaceous design elements of
that time. This was the first time I was able to recall
great looking and genuine fake marble and stone laid
into plastics...
By Len Provisor
|
|
Sheaffer Secretary
— Not Just Red Radite!
Somewhere around 1923 Sheaffer introduced a
new line of pens — the “Secretary”. Sheaffer
saw the need to have a pen that was not guaranteed that
could be marketed at a lower price. The name Secretary
also suggests that Sheaffer was addressing the need
of secretaries...
By Roger Wooten
|
|
Try
our NEW RSS Feed!
We
now have an RSS feed up and running. The logo's below
link to the RSS file. For these to work, you need to
have an RSS reader for your computer, or are using an
online feed reader. Check this
link for a basic explanation of how RSS works.
|
Pentrace
Photo Competition
All
the entries for the competition can now be viewed at
the above link. The images are being sent to our judges
Terry Clark and Eddy McDonald for review and critique,
with a view to nominating a winner. There is still time
to get your entries in!
|
|
Parker 100 —
an Evolution and a Revolution in Design
When I first saw the new Parker 100 last year
I had mixed feelings. The Parker “51” has
been one of my favorite writing instrument for many
years and this new visitor appeared to have an attitude...
Len Provisor reports.
|
|
The Fountain Pen
Hospital LE, by Stipula
Since 1947, FPH has been serving the pen community.
They've done it again, with a great Limited Edition
pen by Stipula.
Len Provisor reports.
|
|
2004 Washington, D.C.
Fountain Pen SUPERSHOW
The 2004 SuperShow is history. Read what you
missed here, with lots of photos.
Len Provisor reports.
|
|
Over
on Pentrace East
The
Maruzen Limited Edition Parker Duofold Rashin
I went to the Maruzen Department store in Nihonbashi
this afternoon and saw a new pen there that was so interesting
it merited an article. It is made by Parker for Maruzen
to commemorate Maruzen's 135 year anniversary.
Russ Stutler reports.
Also
from Pentrace East:
The
Amazing All-angle Sailor Trident
2004
Pen Trading Show in Tokyo
The
6th Annual Mitsukoshi World Fountain Pen Fair |
|
Nakaya
visit the 2004 Chicago Pen Show
Len Provisor meets the Nakaya team on their
first U.S. visit.
Read
Len's previous reports
|
|
A
Review of the 2004 Chicago Pen Show
Wayne Samardzich presents a 'guy in the
street' review of the 2004 Chicago show. |
|
A
75 For Dad
Dan Carmell brings us the story of a special
matching Parker 75 set. |
|
The
Making of the Loiminchay SNOW
A discussion on the inspiration behind the creation
of the SNOW and the intricate process of the decoration
by Patrick Chu |
|
The
London Pen Show 2003
Our roving European reporter Miroslav Tischler
visits yet another Pen Show. This time it's London -
from last October.
Check
some more of Miro's reports from US and
European pen shows last year.
|
|
Advice
for less Experienced Show Goers
Don Lavin, one of the organizers of the Chicago
Pen Show, provides some expert advice for the first time
pen show attendee. |
|
SUN
TZU The Art of War
Len Provisor reviews the latest limited
edition from Krone, the concept, planning, design and
strategy of which took a year and a half to develop .
|
|
The
Pen Collector and His Wife
by Paul G. Neilan.
(Based on The Fisherman and His Wife, by The Brothers
Grimm)
also
read:
Slippery
When Wet
Poetry
from Pentracer Paul Neilan, recently
published by the East on Central group. |
Pentrace
Photo Contest
Behind every lens is a masterpiece just waiting to
happen.
Novice, newbie or pro…it is simply a combination
of variables that will all fall in place one day with
just the right settings, the right light and the right
pen or pens. Either you know exactly what you are doing
or you’ve had a lucky day. Let’s find out... |
Knoblauch
Pen and Paper Show Oct 2003
Thomas Neureither brings us details of
an interesting week at "Knoblauch`s" which is
located in Heidelberg, Germany approximately 54 miles
(90 kilometers) south of Frankfurt. |
|
Aldo
It
was the North Texas Pen Collectors annual one day show
of 2001. The crowd had been pretty good in the morning
but now it was late afternoon and the rush was slowing
down. I was sitting at my table half asleep paying no
particular attention to anything. Suddenly I saw the
eyes...
Will
Thorpe recounts the story of Aldo.
Previous
articles by Will Thorpe. |
|
Saint
Patrick- Krone Limited Edition
"This is a significantly large fountain
pen with an extraordinarily brilliant decoration that
commands an immediate presence. The barrel is a luminescent,
brilliant colored painting in the fashion of 15th Century
engrossed illuminations that are found on rare biblical
documents and books. Each pen is hand painted over the
hand turned ebonite barrel material. The brilliant transparency
of the painting re-creates the glowing stained glass
from the cathedrals of the period".
Len
Provisor reviews the Saint Patrick LE. |
|
The
FILCAO Columbia – The Gem of the Ocean
A Writer’s Pen designed by Richard Binder
for FILCAO of Settimo Torinese Columbia, the Gem of the
Ocean is a modern pen with its roots in the past.
Len Provisor introduces a unique example
of transatlantic cooperation. |
|
The
Colonel's Parker
The Colonel pounded his keyboard in livid rage,
broken keys flying everywhere as alien beeps and squawks
emitted from the computer's speakers. DO NOT SHOOT THE
MONITOR! Do NOT shoot the monitor! O.K... O.K... o.k….
The cause of the Colonel's rage had wafted up out of
the ether just seconds ago. The stark black letters
on the screen mocked the Colonel's perseverance, mocked
his concentration, his intellect, mocked his very manhood:
AUCTION CLOSED
YOU WERE OUTBID
David
Mason brings us a tale of auctions and sniping! |
The
Beats All Story: A Cautionary Tale
Those who read Jerry Heifferon's
recent Pentrace article, “Starting
A Vintage Pen Collection: A User’s Approach
were startled to learn that he owns the only surviving
example of a Beats All fountain pen. Based on certified
e-mail, no fewer than six of you demanded to know the
true and accurate Beats All story. Well, there are thousands
of fountain pen stories begging to be told, but none more
tragicomical or comitragical than this one. Read on if
you dare. |
Pentrace
Message Board hits 250,000 posting
Pentracer Fran DeRespinis posted the quarter
of a millionth post on the board and won a Signum Orione
donated by Maryann and Steve Zucker of Empire Pens, U.S.
distributors of Signum writing instruments. and a six
pack of ink donated by Private Reserve.
In little over three years, the volume of posts has increased
to an amazing 15,000 a month! |
Maki-e,
an art for the soul - The Danitrio Maki-e Collection
An extraordinary book. Author Bernard Lyn assembles
for the first time definitive examples and explanations
of this ancient art form with over 100 lavish illustrations
of skilled artisans and their creations in life-size and
over-size graphics.To any avid pen collector it would
serve as a valid and qualified source of information relative
to Maki-e arts and the Japanese history of pen making.
Len Provisor reviews a new addition to
the Maki-e literature. |
|
The
Pelikan Reference
There is a wealth of information published on
the internet on Pelikan fountain pens. In order to facilitate
easy access to this information, Philip Leong
has compiled a list of links to all of the information
that he has been able to find. |
|
The
Gift
A short story from the fountain pen of
Jimmy Tom. |
|
PCA
PENnant Magazine Summer 2003 - A review
Len Provisor reviews
the PENnant Magazine. The Winter issue is currently at
the printers and due to be posted shortly. |
|
It’s
All Academic: The Columbus Academia by Yamazaki
KC
Dockal (KCat) considers "another green pen"
- The Academia - made for the Italian pen company, Columbus,
by Japanese pen maker Yamazaki.
Read
KCat's previous article:
A
“User-Friendly Interface” A review of the
CGB 2500 |
|
What
Material is Best for Flex Nibs?
Antonios Zavaliangos, Pentracer
and Associate Professor in Materials Science and Engineering
at Drexel University, Philadelphia, brings us a technical
insight into the composition of flex nibs. |
|
Pentrace
Store Now Open
This is just a start, with more items to come
in the near future.
The purpose of this store is to enable our Pentrace friends
to enjoy a gift with a friendly reminder of "the
site for fountain pens that write"
Your patronage is greatly appreciated as 100% of the proceeds
will go directly to the maintenance and support of the
Pentrace web site. |
|
“La
penna mai in panne” (The pen that never fails)
The story of the amazing Pen-Co 53
The Rossi brothers started manufacturing fountain pens
in the 1930s in Sandrigo, a small town near Vicenza,
in the North East of Italy. Giovanni Abrate
on the Pen-Co 53.
Also
read Giovanni's previous articles
The
‘51s of Settimo
LUS
: Umberto Legnani’s family shop
The
2003 Miami Pen Show
The
2003 Atlanta Pen Show |
|
Stylus
Magazine – Dec/Jan 2004 - A review
Len Provisor reviews
the second issue of Stylus Magazine. |
|
The
Reasons I Turn Replicas--An Essay!
"One day, I want to own a lathe and turn beautiful
writing instruments." Chris Thompson
made this promise to himself 35 years ago when he received
a beautiful hand made pen as a gift. His hobby and passion
has tuned into quite a busy production. Today Chris and
his wife Julie often exhibit at many U.S. pen shows and
are well known among vintage and modern pen collectors.
Chris produces faithful reproductions of classic pens
from the Golden Years and now introduces his own newly
designed Thompson Pens. |
|
Pentrace
Christmas Poetry Contest
The entries for the competition are now on line for
your enjoyment!
|
|
New
in the Box - Part II
A new pen related detective story from
Jerry Heifferon, concludes this week!
New
in the Box - Part I
Read
Jerry's previous article:
Starting a Vintage Pen Collection: A User’s Approach
|
|
A
Tale of Christmas
Richard Binder brings us an unabashedly
sentimental fable set in the time and place of the author’s
childhood, presented for the reader’s edification
and, it is hoped, pleasure.
Read
Richard's previous reports
Trip
Report: The 2003 Ohio Pen Show
Providence
Art Club Pen Fair
Chicago
Pen Show 2003 Report
Washington
DC Pen Show 2003 Report
Your First Pen Show
|
|
My
Montblanc 149s - 1952 to 1990’s
Lex Villines explains his Montblanc vintage
collection.
Also
read
Collector
Profiles - Lex Villines
When
is it really too far gone? |
|
Pen
Haven Grows
Pen Haven celebrated their Grand Opening of its
new expanded store (same location as the old store) on
Friday, September 5, and continued on Saturday and Sunday
September 6-7, at 3730 Howard Avenue, Kensington, Maryland
on the celebrated “Antique Row.” |
|
Nib
Grinding Experiences
Wim Geeraets explains how he worked on
the nib of his Edson. He also supplies some detailed information
on micro-abrasives, like mylar (ILF and MFF) and MicroMesh
which will make a useful reference. |
|
The
Halloween Scary Stories 2003
Marc D Smith and Ron Dutcher
bring us some suitably chilling pen stories!
Want more?
The
Halloween Scary Stories 2002 |
Marilyn
Monroe - Krone Limited Edition
The
name, the myth and the legend. Len Provisor
reviews the latest Krone Limited Edition dedicated to
the memory of Marilyn Monroe. |
|
Fountain
Pen Hospital unveils OMAS Boutique
The first OMAS Boutique in the U.S. was unveiled at Fountain
Pen Hospital on Oct 9th.- a special display featuring
OMAS writing instruments and products. |
|
Tilburg
Pen Show 2003
Saturday September 27 was Tilburg pen show day. Or actually
afternoon, since the show is open for the general public
from 13:00 to 17:00. So it’s a smaller show, with
less than 20 tables. Most dealers were from the Netherlands,
Germany and Belgium, so it was not suprising to see a
strong focus on European pens. Surprise, surprise! Johan
Thole reports. |
|
Discovered
: Shakespeare’s Sonnet to a Fountain Pen
This
article, originally submitted to the Zoss list, is reprinted
here with slight editorial changes. It raises interesting
questions about whether William Shakespeare had, or
made plans to have, a fountain pen. The sonnet in question,
if it is indeed Shakespeare's, would be grounds for
pre-emptively concluding that he was fountain-pen capable.
I'm sure that both pen aficionados and Shakespeare scholars
will want to weigh in.
By Bernard Glassman |
Pelikan
100/100LE - a comparison
Felipe Jordão compares two pens, the
vintage Pelikan 100 and the modern “Originals
of their Time” re-issues of the same. He also
discusses a custom nib unit that can be added to the
modern pen to essentially transform it into a ‘new’
vintage pen.
Read
Felipe's previous article:
The
Pelikan Toledo
|
|
Pelikan
History - Part IV
The concluding article of
a four part series by Rick Propas that traces the history
of Pelikan, focussing on the years of pen production,
1929-present. (see "Pentrace
online Pelikan Chat" below)
Pelikan
History - Part I
Pelikan
History - Part II
Pelikan
History - Part III |
|
What I Learned at the 2003 New York Pen Show
Mark Van Blargan reports on the NYC Pen
Show.
Read Mark's previous articles
Pelikan
M700 Series
Why
Pelikan?
Welcoming a New Member to Our Obsession, or Acting as
a Tour Guide at the DC Pen Show |
|
The
2003 New York City Pen Show
Jimmie Cockburn reports on the NYC Pen
Show.
A
slide show of images from the show are also available
here, courtesy of Maryann Zucker. |
|
Stylus
Magazine at the 2003 NYC Pen Show
Len Provisor on an exciting new pen magazine
making it's debut at the NYC show this week. |
|
Signum
Pens
David
Leibowitz has been using the Signum Orione and DDP pens
quite a bit recently and passes his findings on to us
in this latest review. Photographs by David Isaacson. |
|
Fountain
Pen Ink Part II - A review of Michael Richter's Ink Sampler
Donal
Higgins reviews the second part of Michael's Richter's
ink sampler which is available now and covers 79 different
inks from 10 brands. |
|
Writing
Instruments Manufactured in Israel : Part II - Other
Brands
Israel
ben-Sinai, dedicated pen collector from Israel and member
of the Israel Pen Club, PCA and WES presents the story
of his research and collections of writing instruments
made in Palestine and Israel.
Writing
Instruments Manufactured in Israel : Part I - Katab |
|
Mabie
in America - Writing Instruments from 1843 - 1941
Len
Provisor reviews the CD from author David Moak which
presents what is arguably the most authoritative history
to date of this well known pen maker, the family of
John Mabie, and their business associations. |
|
Over
on Pentrace East
Russ Stutler
on Japanese Yatate. A yatate (pronounced
yah-tah-teh ) is a Japanese portable writing set. Yatates
have been around since the Kamakura period (1185-1333).
They contain a traditional Japanese bamboo brush and an
inkwell filled with cotton that has been soaked in liquid
sumi ink .
Yatate literally means "arrow stand." |
|
It's
a long, sad story..
Have
you ever noticed all the pens in advertisements and icons
where a signature is required? Where do all these pens
come from? Do the ad agencies have some they use all the
time? Every
year, thousands of pens come to New York and L.A. hoping
to make it big -- as a professional pen model.
These pens, some of them not more than 14 or 15 years
old, come from the heartland of America, from places
like Iowa, and Indiana, and Illinois, and other states
that begin with "I" -- like Wisconsin. But
the truth, unlike the pens, is not pretty.
Few make it. |
Slippery
When Wet
Poetry
from Pentracer Paul Neilan, recently
published by the East on Central group. |
Lord
of the Rings Drabble Competition 2003
Lords
and Ladies of all the lands of Middle-Earth, may it please
you, your humble dwarven scribe Fari Splitquill presents
for your enjoyment the results of Stuart Williams’
Great 2003 Lord of the Rings Drabble Competition.
We received a gratifying number of entries for the Competition,
and they were a varied and interesting lot. You will be
treated to humour, sorrow, adventure, and drama in these
brief tales. (To remind those of you whose minds it may
have slipped during the terrible events that destroyed
Sauron and the race of Mordor once for all, a drabble
is a short story that is exactly 100 words long, not including
its title.) |
|
Delta
Indigenous People – Native Americans
Len
Provisor reviews a unique LE from Delta, the second
in their series honoring indigenous peoples. This pen
will be featured at the Washington
DC Pen Show in August.
Terry
Clark takes the photos. |
|
A
Visit to the Nakaya Fountain Pen Company
Over at Pentrace
East, Russ Stutler visits the new Headquarters of
the Nakaya Pen Company in Tokyo and manages to get his
hands on a new prototype! |
|
A
Special Product from the Urushi Tree
Fred Whitlock reviews the
Nakaya Wajima-Nuri Shu, which was also mentioned in
Fran and Adam's review
of the Tamenuri.
|
|
The
Nakaya Urushi Wajima-nuri -Tamenuri
Following a wave of posts on the Pentrace Message Board
concerning Nakaya pens, Pentracers Fran DeRespinis and
Adam Frank spoke to Len Provisor about their recent acquisitions,
while David Isaacson provided the photo-montages to illustrate
the article. |
|
Too
Much Excitement
Steve Massey’s voice came floating across the
lawn one hot summer evening. “Hey, Tom,”
it said, “there’s an exhibition game gonna
be over at the ballpark. Grab your mitt, let’s
go!”
“No
thanks,” I hollered back, “I don’t
think I can stand that much excitement tonight.”
I had just come back Stateside from eleven months chasing
Hitler’s armies back to Berlin, and I was still
getting used to being able to loaf around without getting
shot at...
Read
the short story by Richard Binder. |
Israel
Pen Club meeting July 4th 2003
Celebrating the 4th of July with the Golden Age of American
Pens, The IPC met at their newly established venue of
the Moadon or ”social club” in Kibbutz Gaash
half way between Tel Aviv and Netanya, by the blue seas
of the Mediterranean coast, to talk pens, wheel and deal
and just gossip.... |
|
The
Krone General George S. Patton LE
Len Provisor reviews the latest Limited Edition
from Krone which celebrates the often controversial WWII
war hero. Terry Clark takes the photos. |
|
Conway
Stewart Custom Pens
It would appear that one of the favourite methods
employed by Conway Stewart for boosting their sales,
especially during the 30s, was to produce special pens
for commercial companies or stationery retailers. In
the former case they would probably have been give-aways,
while in the latter case they were often imprinted with
names chosen by the retailer and sold as "special
editions".
Jonathan
Donahaye explains.
Read
Jonathan's previous article.
Conway
Stewart Repairs
|
|
An
"Engrossing" Higgins Ink Experience
Robert Leone breaks all the rules and fills a
fountain pen with Higgins Engrossing ink. Find out what
happens! |
|
Pen
Photography - Part III
Terry Clark concludes his series with the
third of his three practical columns. This week the
subjects are "The Beauty Shot", Exposure,
White Balance and the Evil of Flare.
Previous
Pen Photography Columns. |
|
R3
- The Refill Replacement Reference
Richard Binder tabulates some useful data on
which rollerball/ballpoint refill fits which pen. |
R3 |
FAQ
now online!
The FAQ compiled by Burt Janz is now online
- try the link here or the FAQ menu item on the Reference
menu at the top of the page.
New
Biography Pages
The new bio pages are currently in test, with a few
new bios input, the old page is still available here. |
Namiki
2003 Limited Editions
Pentrace presents the Namiki 2003 Limited
Editions that were introduced at the recent Frankfurt
Paperworld exhibit. These Limited Editions will be presented
here exclusively on Pentrace over three weeks. This
week - The Yukari Collection and the Pilot Vanishing
Point Manderin Yellow
The
Emperor Collection and The Nippon Art Collection
(from last week)
The
Yukari Royale Collection (from previous
week) |
|
The
2003 National Stationery Show, New York
Maryann Zucker reports exclusively on what's
hot and what's not from the annual trade show in New York! |
|
The
Signum Orione
Len Provisor tried out the Signum Orione at the
Chicago Pen Show. New to North America, this Italian pen
is creating a lot of interest - find out why. |
|
2003
Chicago Pen Show Review
Maryann Zucker gives the view from behind
the table with a slide show of photos from the show. |
|
2003
Chicago Show mini-review
Terry Clark takes an enthusiastic inventory
of attendees at the show. |
|
Profile:
Sheaffer’s Snorkel
During World War II, the German navy adopted
a device called a Schnorchel (often spelled “Schnorkel”
in English-language writings), which was a tube that
could be extended above the ocean’s surface by
a submerged submarine, allowing the submarine to draw
in fresh air without surfacing. In 1952, Sheaffer’s
Snorkel TM appeared on the market, superseding the very
successful Touchdown TM line.
Richard Binder profiles a classic. |
|
Herb
Schulz and his Pelikan Toledo Review
Len Provisor recently had the opportunity
for an up close and personal review of the new Pelikan
Toledo, the latest Limited Edition of the 1931 Series.
Fellow Chicago Pen Club member and collector Herb Schulz
favors Pelikan, so he was the obvious choice to visit
next for a Collector Profile and this
Pelikan review |
|
Impressions
from the 2003 Cologne Pen Show
Michael Scharf meets up with the other European
Pentracers to check out the Cologne Pen Show in Germany. |
|
The
ItaliFine -- Inspired by the Fine Nibs of Yesterday
Richard Binder reinvents an old nib design,
and updates it to please modern writers who love line
variation but still need a less exotic nib for some uses. |
|
The
New England Pen Show 2003 Boston
Mark Knight reports from the 2003 New England
Show in Somerville. |
|
The
Visconti Wall Street
"Squaring the Circle" - New 2003 pen
information from Michael Richter's visit to Paperworld
2003. |
|
Collector
Profiles - Roger Cromwell
The
producers and film crew of Home and Garden TV recently
descended upon Roger's shop. Their goal was to feature
Roger Cromwell and Penopoly on their program The Ultimate
Collector, which will be shown on U.S. television sometime
in April or May. Roger talks to Len Provisor about the
filming and his collection. |
|
Twenty
Years
New Pentrace fiction in the form of a short story
by Ross McPhail, "Twenty Years" is a contemporary
situation piece in which a fountain pen plays a pivotal
role |
The
Eversharp Skyline Nib
Jim Mamoulides brings us a photo-essay on Eversharp
Skyline nibs - The Flex, The Stiff, And The Manifold. |
|
The
History of Casein Use In Writing Equipment. - Part 4
David Wells, vintage pen collector and dealer
of primarily British writing instruments presents this
discussion on a delicate material used by several pen
companies in the past.
The
concluding article examines the use of "Ivorine"
by the Parker Pen Company |
|
Pompeian
Brown
George Kovalenko investigates
the mysterious Parker Pompeian Brown Duofold.
|
|
Tebbel’s
"Duofold"
Tim Barker explains the origins of the "Duofold"
name.
|
|
Gaudí
Commemorative Fountain Pens
Kurt Hammerbeck profiles the great Catalonian architect
Antoni Gaudí, the inspiration behind no less
than six different pens from six different companies.
|
|
Who
is Joe Cali?
Maryann Zucker introduces pen designer and collector
Joe Cali, who has become a regular at many pen shows.
|
|
Collector
Profiles - Lex Villines
Len
Provisor continues his series with a profile of Pentrace
repair and refurbishment wizard Lex Villines who is well
known from the message board. |
|
Pelikan
City Series: Chicago
Herb Schulz reviews the latest Pelikan Special Edition
based on the Sovereign 600 series. As a Chicago area resident
and a Pelikan aficionado, Herb is just the right person
to review this pen. |
|
The
History of Casein Use In Writing Equipment. - Part 3
David Wells continues his discussion with details
of Conway Stewart's use on the material, including current
production techniques and a commentary from Conway Stewart
President, Don Yendle. |
|
Collector
Profiles - Roger Wooten
Len
Provisor starts a new series with a profile of Chicago
Pen Club member Roger Wooten. |
|
The
History of Casein Use In Writing Equipment. - Part 2
David Wells continues this discussion on a
delicate material used by several pen companies in the
past. This installment shows how to identify casein
and shows some of the problems associated with it. |
|
Pink
and Purple Inks Part II
Michael
Richter continues his review of Pink and Purple inks.
Click here
for Part I. |
|
Frankfurt
Paperworld 2003
Michael Richter brings us an exclusive report
from one of the largest trade shows in the world. Many
of the pens reviewed here are not yet in production, so
will not be available for a while! |
|
Vintage
Filling Mechanisms - Sac Fillers Part 2
Silviu
continues his series with a look at Lever fillers, Hatchet
fillers and button fillers |
|
The
History of Casein Use In Writing Equipment. - Part 1
David Wells, vintage pen collector and dealer
of primarily British writing instruments presents this
discussion on a delicate material used by several pen
companies in the past. |
|
Elephant
and Coral
Pentracer qman interviews Herman Chan in his
Singapore pen haven |
|
The
Italian clip: a brief review
Dario Giorgi investigates the design of the clip in Italian
pen manufacture. |
|
|
|
|
|
| True
Believer 4
David Mason (aka StubHead) continues his tale of the
unexpected. All characters and events are fictitious,
although some of the pens bear a strong resemblance
to real ones. You have been warned!
Previous
Chapters..
Chapter
XXI of "Roadblock" by Myra Love.
The concluding episode in our Tuesday serial!
Previous chapters..
An
Open Letter: In Remembrance of Katie Hill
Katie's parents share some memories of Katie, who was
tragically killed last year while attending a pen show
|
![[Valid RSS]](ad_images/valid-rss.png){kind=small}
