I've used fountain pens on and off for the past 10 years, but I recently started getting more interested in collecting them and learning about their history.
I started with a Sheaffer in college (intrigued by one of my Profs who used one) and am now finishing up a PhD, so I have been rather too poor to purchase as many as I'd like. While writing the dissertation, I enjoyed taking breaks and writing with my pens by hand, a luxury while most of my time was in front of the computer!

My favorite pen is my Aurora 88 (modern) and my most recent is a Parker 51. I like fine nibs, although the Aurora is a medium and I really haven't explored that much else yet.

I'm interested in the Namiki vanishing point and vintage Sheaffer pens.

ARZ

Welcome! I believe you'll find this a wonderful place as I have. Our ink reviews are amazing! And you can't go wrong with a Vanishing Point, VP as they'll be referred to.

Hello ARZ and welcome to the FPN! I too like vintage Sheaffer fountain pens. Since I tend to love things that are superlative, the Snorkel is one of my favorite vintage pens. You can easily find them at pen shows and with places like Fountain Pen Hospital in New York City, its hard not to go there and spend a few hours just looking around, and enjoying the place.

Hi ARZ and welcome to FPN!

I love vintage Sheaffers myself so I applaud your interests! Well, since you live in The Big Apple, you have a few stores there that actually sell vintage pens, a luxury in that most pen stores only sell modern pens. I visited Fountain Pen Hospital (near City Hall) and Berliner Pen (near the Flatiron bldg) and saw some nice vintage pens for sale. The Art Brown store (in the diamond district) had some too. Lots of choices!

Hi arz

Good information on Sheaffers on Jim Mamoulides' site, www.penhero.com , and on David Nishimura's, www.vintagepens.com . That's just to start with. Don't miss the bookmarks at Penhero. They will distract you from your dissertation for longer than will be healthy.

I agree with Maja about FP shops in NYC, where I spent a few very happy days. I particularly liked the speakeasy atmosphere of locating Berliner pen.

What's the dissertation about? I've just retired from teaching medieval EngLit, and am happily amusing myself with a little light medieval Latin now.

All the best

Michael

Welcome ARZ.

Congrats on the soon to be completed PHD. 9

Your VP and vintage Shaeffer interest will be copiously fed on this board, so enjoy!

Thank you all for the warm welcome.

I've visited some of the stores you mention, but have not yet made it to the Fountain Pen Hospital--just the website.

I have distributed my dissertation (17 C Spanish lit), but now am devoting my time pre-defense to job applications and teaching, so I will probably still be lurking on the site rather than actively participating for a while longer.

There's a great deal to learn about here and I'm slowly making my way through the site.

ARZ

Hello and welcome to FPN. I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself, so just make yourself at home and get to know everyone and how things work. Looking forward to getting to know you better.

Yeah, I was expecting a regular store and when I saw that it was in an office building (and not on the ground floor), I was sort of puzzled...but the service from Bernie was friendly and I didn't feel uncomfortable in the smallish office at all.