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Little Secret In Little Rock: The Vanness Pen Shop

Mauricio

By Mauricio
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rmullins Near Mint

rmullins

Posted
Posted

I love brick and mortars, and would rather get my stuff from them. Supporting local and all that. I only do the 'online' thing when I can't find what I want locally. Living in Clarksville AR, that is pretty much everything. Not a lot of stuff here for us snobs. ;)

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pencils+pens Extremely Rare

pencils+pens

Posted
Posted

They also sell on eBay as PenGeek1938.

 

Not so long ago, they had an auction for Visconti Traveling Ink Pots with a BIN of about $50. I have wanted one of these for a long time and that price is about $25 less than I have seen elsewhere. One thing in the listing threw me off. It said to list which model ink pot you wanted when you ordered. So I ordered. I wrote as part of the order that I thought the ink pots were universal. I then listed the pens I wanted to use the ink pot with and asked them to pick the right one.

 

I got an answer back that these ink pots were threaded for specific Visconti pens. Then they apologized to me for the mixup which I thought was my fault. Then they offered to order me the universal ink pot at the same price. Of course I said yes. It took a while to get, which I was expecting. Every few days I would get an email apologizing for the delay. Then it shipped. I got tracking notices etc. Everything went fine.

 

I think that is remarkable service for something that was due to my stupidity and/or lack of knowledge about what I was buying.

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vannesspen Rare

vannesspen

Posted
Posted

They also sell on eBay as PenGeek1938.

 

Not so long ago, they had an auction for Visconti Traveling Ink Pots with a BIN of about $50. I have wanted one of these for a long time and that price is about $25 less than I have seen elsewhere. One thing in the listing threw me off. It said to list which model ink pot you wanted when you ordered. So I ordered. I wrote as part of the order that I thought the ink pots were universal. I then listed the pens I wanted to use the ink pot with and asked them to pick the right one.

 

I got an answer back that these ink pots were threaded for specific Visconti pens. Then they apologized to me for the mixup which I thought was my fault. Then they offered to order me the universal ink pot at the same price. Of course I said yes. It took a while to get, which I was expecting. Every few days I would get an email apologizing for the delay. Then it shipped. I got tracking notices etc. Everything went fine.

 

I think that is remarkable service for something that was due to my stupidity and/or lack of knowledge about what I was buying.

We changed our listing after that- We had several people confused- The older Visconti ink pots were made for particular pens- in several brands- I guess we need to keep the universals all the time- but for older stuff the ebay thing made sense...

vanness1938@sbcglobal.net

http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae327/VintagePen/vanness.jpg
Selling fountain pens, ink, paper & related items since 1938

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  • 8 months later...
AustinMalone1999 Mint

AustinMalone1999

Posted
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If they go out of business any time soon I will probably cry. The service is so great. It is almost like you are among family when you go inside.

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esterbex Collectors Item

esterbex

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If they go out of business any time soon I will probably cry. The service is so great. It is almost like you are among family when you go inside.

Bite your tongue! I only see them getting better and busier from my point of view....don't prime the pumps just yet! :P

God is seldom early, never late, and always on time.

~~Larry Brown

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SyntheticEvil13 NOS (New Old Stock)

SyntheticEvil13

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The next time I'm even near Little Rock I'm going to have to make a stop by there.

Richard...Lord of the Obvious

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  • 6 months later...
Joe Penmanship NOS (New Old Stock)

Joe Penmanship

Posted
Posted

This is what I love about FPN. Being able to run a search on pens in a certain locale and having a shop like this pop up with so many great reviews.

 

I am leaving warm Southern California to spend Thanksgiving in cold Little Rock this week. I was wondering what on earth I would do with myself after consuming far too much holiday bounty.

 

And now I know. I will be visiting Vanness this week. Hope they will be open.

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Skyppere Vintage

Skyppere

Posted
Posted

the picture is so small but they all look like guys. I contacted them a while back and I thought a woman replied. No matter... I was looking for some Akkerman ink in the small bottles and they

were so great about getting them to me. I am a convert for SURE! Big fan here.

skyppere

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esterbex Collectors Item

esterbex

Posted
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the picture is so small but they all look like guys. I contacted them a while back and I thought a woman replied. No matter... I was looking for some Akkerman ink in the small bottles and they

were so great about getting them to me. I am a convert for SURE! Big fan here.

skyppere

You most likely spoke with Lisa Vanness....So no, they're not all guys. ;)

God is seldom early, never late, and always on time.

~~Larry Brown

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esterbex Collectors Item

esterbex

Posted
Posted

This is what I love about FPN. Being able to run a search on pens in a certain locale and having a shop like this pop up with so many great reviews.

 

I am leaving warm Southern California to spend Thanksgiving in cold Little Rock this week. I was wondering what on earth I would do with myself after consuming far too much holiday bounty.

 

And now I know. I will be visiting Vanness this week. Hope they will be open.

Not so cold by our standards, but certainly cool for you....I hope you get to visit as well!

God is seldom early, never late, and always on time.

~~Larry Brown

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Truffle Finder Collectors Item

Truffle Finder

Posted
Posted

I never knew that there was a thread on here all about the Vanness shop!

Over the last few years, I have had the absolute pleasure of participating in a 'Trunk Sale' at the shop, on the day before the Little Rock pen show weekend, and I am hoping to do it again in March of next year.

I'm looking forward to it.

Truffle Finder. :) :excl:

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esterbex Collectors Item

esterbex

Posted
Posted

I never knew that there was a thread on here all about the Vanness shop!

Over the last few years, I have had the absolute pleasure of participating in a 'Trunk Sale' at the shop, on the day before the Little Rock pen show weekend, and I am hoping to do it again in March of next year.

I'm looking forward to it.

Truffle Finder. :) :excl:

Whilst I'm sure they will be glad to receive you in March as well, the pen show is at the end of Feb.... ;)

(Feb 27-28, 2015 to be precise).

God is seldom early, never late, and always on time.

~~Larry Brown

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Joe Penmanship NOS (New Old Stock)

Joe Penmanship

Posted
Posted

Well, I made it to Little Rock (not so cold), and I finally made it to Vanness Pens (and cake decorating) shop.

 

Its a great store, no doubt. The proprietor was incredibly patient with my two young ones who were getting their first proper pens. She let them try umpteen different instruments and nibs without getting flustered, which is most impressive as an eight year-old and a six year-old in a pen shop... well, it's tantamount to bulls and china.

 

The selection was varied and surprisingly well representative of all necessary brands. And a Black Friday sale of 20% off was not too shabby either. (For those of you non-Americans out there, Black Friday is a strange term for the supposed biggest shopping day of the year here, the day after our Thanksgiving holiday. Typically, retailers are "in the black" at the end of the sale day -- they made a good profit.)

 

Alas, I did not find the Omas I was looking for. But I got out with a lot of Rhodia, some Kon-Peki and my kid's first pens.

 

Highly recommended if you make it to Little Rock!

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______Zaphod_Beeblebrox Vintage

______Zaphod_Beeblebrox

Posted
Posted

This is a great shop, Mike and Lisa have taken great care of me. I am not local and have only talked to them via the phone or email but they have treated me like I have been a longtime local customer.

 

They are the only Onoto dealer in the USA as far as I know and I have purchased three pens from them, along with ink etc.

 

I look forward to one day driving down and checking out their shop in person.

 

I wish there was a store like this near me, but then I would probably be in trouble because I would be there constantly and buying too many pens and inks etc.

 

I recommend checking them out.

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vannesspen Rare

vannesspen

Posted
Posted

This is a great shop, Mike and Lisa have taken great care of me. I am not local and have only talked to them via the phone or email but they have treated me like I have been a longtime local customer.

 

They are the only Onoto dealer in the USA as far as I know and I have purchased three pens from them, along with ink etc.

 

I look forward to one day driving down and checking out their shop in person.

 

I wish there was a store like this near me, but then I would probably be in trouble because I would be there constantly and buying too many pens and inks etc.

 

I recommend checking them out.

Awww - thanks for the positive feedback- we are currently the only US Onoto Dealer; they are among my FAVORITE pens personally. Not sure why they aren't more popular among the masses.

vanness1938@sbcglobal.net

http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae327/VintagePen/vanness.jpg
Selling fountain pens, ink, paper & related items since 1938

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vannesspen Rare

vannesspen

Posted
Posted

Well, I made it to Little Rock (not so cold), and I finally made it to Vanness Pens (and cake decorating) shop.

 

Its a great store, no doubt. The proprietor was incredibly patient with my two young ones who were getting their first proper pens. She let them try umpteen different instruments and nibs without getting flustered, which is most impressive as an eight year-old and a six year-old in a pen shop... well, it's tantamount to bulls and china.

 

The selection was varied and surprisingly well representative of all necessary brands. And a Black Friday sale of 20% off was not too shabby either. (For those of you non-Americans out there, Black Friday is a strange term for the supposed biggest shopping day of the year here, the day after our Thanksgiving holiday. Typically, retailers are "in the black" at the end of the sale day -- they made a good profit.)

 

Alas, I did not find the Omas I was looking for. But I got out with a lot of Rhodia, some Kon-Peki and my kid's first pens.

 

Highly recommended if you make it to Little Rock!

We love training up the next generation of pen people; we started our grandson on fountain pens by the time he was eight; now, the youngest grandkids are a little young (5 months and 3 weeks). Unfortunately this time of year its hard to stay completely stocked. Thanks for visiting us!

vanness1938@sbcglobal.net

http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae327/VintagePen/vanness.jpg
Selling fountain pens, ink, paper & related items since 1938

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Truffle Finder Collectors Item

Truffle Finder

Posted
Posted

Onoto, [Historically, as well as nowadays!] was always considered to be the 'Rolls Royce' of British fountain Pens, and their main market was to supplying the 'Professional Classes' [Doctors, Solicitors Etc:] but things changed between the two World Wars, and they produced more varied a selection of writing instruments to cater for a more diverse cross-section of the public, including school children's pens.

The new company is steadily progressing since it was re-started [about ten years ago I think] and I'm sure that it will continue to do so.

Truffle Finder. :)

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vannesspen Rare

vannesspen

Posted
Posted

I never knew that there was a thread on here all about the Vanness shop!

Over the last few years, I have had the absolute pleasure of participating in a 'Trunk Sale' at the shop, on the day before the Little Rock pen show weekend, and I am hoping to do it again in March of next year.

I'm looking forward to it.

Truffle Finder. :) :excl:

February 26 - THE Simpole event of the year :D at VANNESS in little ole Little Rock Arkansas

vanness1938@sbcglobal.net

http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae327/VintagePen/vanness.jpg
Selling fountain pens, ink, paper & related items since 1938

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