hi everybody,

just subscribed to FPN - impressive forum of pen-knowledgeable experts!

i was 'bitten' by the addiction more recently (about 6 months), but i must say that i am already in a very serious condition

actually there is though some history in it: growing up in the communist romania, for the kids there was always a moment of intense joy to get one of the chinese pens (hero, mostly), subject of envy among fellow colleagues (i think i should have a couple of these in my drawer back home)... romanian pens proved to be of a consistently very low quality

currently i am the proud owner of about 20 pens, out of which a dupont olympio midnight blue (superb finish) and a parker 100 cobalt black st are the stars of the new generation, whereby a sheaffer pfm, a montblanc 144 and a couple of pelikan are the most representative for the classic choices (which, imho, are even more beautifully crafted than the recent acquisitions)...

right now i am desperately looking for a parker 51, which does not seem to be found in my neighborhood. but i'll keep looking until i find one the antiquars seem to recognize me lately...

best regards,
k

Hello Kronozom, and welcome to FPN! It sounds as if you already have a nice collection going - membership here will only make it grow faster! Good luck on your quest for the Parker 51...

thanks!

i just hope that eventually there will be a community for this matter also in romania... at the time being, it looks pretty 'dry'

Welcome to FPN. You are off to a good start on your collection. Keep looking for that "51."

thanks a lot for your appreciation, i hope it will prove to be a prophecy!

and the 51 will escape me for a while... just for a while!

Kronozom ..... Welcome from the UK. Like you I have only recently joined and the Parker 51 is on my want list too.

I started with Conway Stewarts moved to Watermans and now I have become interested in German pens. So be warned the addiction only gets worse or better depending on how you look at it

Have fun

John

welcome--

penuria, yiterp, thanks for your warm welcome greetings!

i assume that the addiction will only grow 'worse' in the next future

...there are a number of interesting antiquary shops in bucharest, where one can find items from the '20 and '30 (when bucharest was also called 'little paris', during la belle epoque of the city). among these, quite a number of old pens, mostly though not functioning... what's even more unpleasant is that until now i have not found a pen hospital aroung but i'm sure that this will also happen eventually

Welcome to the Fountain Pen Network. I'm happy to see someone from Romania. I have been wanting to get a penpal from Romania for years now. Even though that should be easy with the internet, it hasn't been that easy. Anyway, if you would like to have a penpal from the American West, send me a PM. I would love to write to you (through the regular mail that is. I want to use my fountain pens more).

Talk to you later.

Jason

Welcome, and I hope that you and your country are doing well and making progress. I vividly remember the video of Caucescue meeting his well deserved end. Re your statement

i've been away for a while, but i'm back with great news i've managed to get the long awaited parker 51; well, more accurately, i will have it tomorrow, until now i've seen it only in pictures, but seems to be in a perfect condition! hope it lives up to my high expectations

Jason, thanks for the greetings & would surely enjoy writing you. i'll send you a pm with the contact details


Nihontochicken, same wise, thanks for the greetings. in what matters democracy and corruption, there is certain progress though none with regard to romanian fountain pens. for this, i think i'll stick with the well known brands

Welcome to FPN and congratulations on your first Parker 51. Please post some pictures when it arrives.

From what I've learned here, your 51 will be the beginning of a beautiful fountain pen relationship. I found my 51 on the El in Chicago. I went up and down the car looking for the owner, missed my stop, and no one admitted the pen was theirs. I've had it over 10 years and it is one of the best pens I own. From time to time I think of selling it as the money would be nice. Then I think of how the pen found me, and perhaps I ought not mess with fate. I hope you have as much enjoyment from your 51. They are engineering marvels.

Fair warning: if you are like many people here, the 51 will be your first 51. There will be more. You might not get more 51's, but you will inevitably acquire more pens. Share with us. It's fun to get the vicarious thrills of new pens people have searched long and hard to find.

Hi kronozom and welcome to FPN!

I have relatives who live in the former Yugoslavia and I always wondered if its neighbours produced fountain pens. What are the names of some brands of Romanian pens? Are most of them ones with hooded nibs (like the Parker 51)?

Hope you enjoy browsing through the forums. There's a lot of stuff to read, so if are looking for specific info, try the "search" function in the upper right hand corner (when you are logged in).

Hi ViolinWriter... this sounds like a beautiful love story it appears that this particular pen was created in order for you to have it and ejoy it. selling it would maybe lead to bad karma i will post pictures and thrills upon the arrival of my 51... and i think you're right: it will be only the 1st in a long 51's line

Hi Maja - the Romanian neighbours of Yugoslavia produced fountain pen, though really not inspired ones, or at least that is my memory of them. i recall managing to get ink-blue on the fingers after about 15 minutes of reasonable usage I have been searching for a picture of a romanian pen, a Flaro, have not found yet, will be still searching. the ones with hooded nibs were all from China - a very faithful copy of Parker 51

Hi EventHorizon - thanks for the greetings and the congratulations I strongly hope the 51 will be here tomorrow!

Welcome to the forum. Did you ever get your pen?

sorry for the long break - i managed to get hold of the parker 51! and it is nothing less than what was expected great 'feel good' pen, impecable writing...

in the mean time i have acquired quite a number of further pens, and i will open a thread with my humble collection, looking for advise from the forum...

ps: today i hope i'll get myself a black m800