Good Day to you All

I have also finally found time to stop lurking and to make a proper introduction.

My name is Jim and I live in Newcastle, Australia about 100 miles north of Sydney on the Pacific Coast.

I have recently developed an interest in vintage fountain pens after some years as a passionate collector of vintage woodcased pencils.

I am not sure if my evolution to pen lover from pencil lover makes me less or more boring to the general public but there it is.

After several months of buying every pen I could find in the first rush of addiction I am now in the process of reading and thinking a bit more and refining my interests. Although at this early stage my categories are anything but fixed I am enjoying fiddling with some Esterbrook Js and CHs and some low rent Sheaffers I have acquired to practice restoration.

I am constantly amazed by the ingenuity of the inventors of the vintage filling systems. How clever was the person that invented the "snorkel" or the "eye dropper"?

I am also very impressed with what I have read and seen about the vintage Pelikan range. I acquired my first one this week ( a shiny little 120 with a broad calligraphy nib) and have been using it to death. Poor wee thing. Again, what a great filling system, a whole day's writing on a single fill.

I have found that other than the small number of specialty retailers in Sydney and Melbourne the pen collecting community here seems a bit scattered. If anyone can give me details of any existing Australian collector clubs or shows I would be really obliged.

Well, pleased to meet you all and I hope to chat to a number of you in the near future.

Kind Regards
Jim G

Welcome to FPN!


I have a 120 with a nib marked M, but which writes much closer to F. What a great workhorse pen! It's in my pocket most workdays in the week. Now if only they came in Oblique Broad...

Thank you Joel for your warm welcome. As I have said, I am loving the broad nib on the 120.

I have been trolling through Richard Binder's excellent writings on specialised (or "Binderised") nibs. How wonderful to have your very own verb - to binder...

Anyway, I would be surprised if Mr Binder couldn't create a marvel in oblique broadness for you.

Just a thought.
All the best

Welcome, Jimg!

Enjoy FPN!

Judybug

Hi Jim,

Nice to have another upside down person around

Regards,
Ruaidhrí

Welcome to FPN. Several others from "downunder" are members here as well.

Hello Jim and welcome!