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It Started Out Innocently Enough..


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It started out innocently enough--a small coral fountain pen spied while walking around Staples, it wasn't anything special but it called out to me. Next thing I know, a Lamy Safari mysteriously finds its way into my shopping cart whilst on Amazon. Who knew you could even buy them online! One thing leads to another, and suddenly I've found that Goulet Pens and Jet Pens (and a host of others) have made their way onto my toolbar in Safari, all marked as "favourites." Does this obsession know no bounds?

 

Apparently not, as I've now succumbed to this thing they call "vintage"--and suddenly I'm swept past the point of no return. All sorts of *new pens* are mine for the taking (or should I say bidding). It's not much longer until I fall head over heels into this delirium and begin fantasizing about ordering a custom pen from a bespoke artisan. Oh, doesn't that sound fancy--bespoke, artisan, custom!! I swear, it all started innocently enough...how was I to know I was slowly being lead down some endless dark rabbit hole?

 

---

 

In all seriousness, once in a while I'll glance around my desk in shock, and wonder how one or two pens multiplied into fourteen. Thank heaven I don't have other obsessions...I'm not counting books, they're educational! :)

 

Anyone else have similar experiences?

μὴ ζήτει τὰ γινόμενα γίνεσθαι ὡς θέλεις, ἀλλὰ θέλε τὰ γινόμενα ὡς γίνεται

καὶεὐροήσεις. - Epictetus

 

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I was thinking exactly the same thing just yesterday...

 

I ordered a Italix Parsons Essential last week, and whilst waiting for it to arrive decided to buy a TWSBI on Saturday..........I am now waiting for 3 more pens to arrive from eBay as well as the original Italix, and had to physically stop myself from pressing the button on a Model 19 from Franklin-Christoph last night!

 

Fun isn't it!

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14? Thats not a number. Now, 100, thats a fine number.

 

Me? Nearly there, 82 now... And 20+ bottles of ink...

 

What can I say other than - welcome, glad to have you around!

A lifelong FP user...

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I'm not to gweimer1's level. Yet.

Year one was low budget -- mostly under $25. The second year I got bit by the vintage bug. And had 51 fever on top of that. And the Estie accumulation virus. Oh, and swearing up down and sideways that I didn't want a Parker Vacumatic, that I didn't like the Art Deco look? Apparently I lied.... :blush:

Three plus years and roughly 80 pens. And I've seriously cut back -- only bought three this year (so far). Really. Plus the gifted to me Jinhao 599.

Inks, on the other hand.... :rolleyes:

As Sasha Royale says: Enjoy the madness.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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It was a year ago. I just needed a better daily pen for writing.

 

200 pens later...

 

200! Art thou a drug dealer?!

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Having gone down a similar path with another hobby, this is the honeymoon phase that leads to the acquisition phase. Enjoy it while it lasts and hopefully your bank account holds up!

 

In my other hobby, I eventually came to the conclusion I couldn't try everything, I had a lot of good stuff, and I should really try out everything I have before ordering more. I'm not there (yet) with fountain pens...

"I need solitary hours at a desk with good paper and a fountain pen like some people need a pill for their health." ~ Orhan Pamuk

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It started out innocently enough--Thank heaven I don't have other obsessions...I'm not counting books, they're educational! :)

 

Anyone else have similar experiences?

 

Um, from a book junkie, fountain pens can be educational, as well.

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Indeed. It happened the same way with me. At 24 (?) now. I haven't gone down the vintage rabbit hole yet, but I feel it coming on. Most likely, the DC pen show.

Edited by foamy
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It's a familiar tale.

 

I spotted a Mabie Todd Jackdaw in a charity shop; £5. Of course it had to be fixed, so I had it fixed and the repairer said it was very nice.

 

Now I have a considerable stock of tools, two boxes of dead pen carcases, about 25 or a little more Mabie Todds and thirty others all of them old. I have sold at least 150 pens in the past year, most of them Mabie Todds and a few Onotos. I spend most of my time restoring pens these days which makes me wonder - just as we do about portable phones and computers - what I did before!

 

Cob

fpn_1428963683__6s.jpg “The pen of the British Empire” fpn_1423349537__swan_sign_is.jpg


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I was thinking exactly the same thing just yesterday...

 

I ordered a Italix Parsons Essential last week, and whilst waiting for it to arrive decided to buy a TWSBI on Saturday..........I am now waiting for 3 more pens to arrive from eBay as well as the original Italix, and had to physically stop myself from pressing the button on a Model 19 from Franklin-Christoph last night!

 

Fun isn't it!

 

Don't stop before you get the F-C! Once you get the F-C 19, you'll never go back!

 

14? Thats not a number. Now, 100, thats a fine number.

 

Me? Nearly there, 82 now... And 20+ bottles of ink...

 

What can I say other than - welcome, glad to have you around!

 

I'm going the opposite way. Had a lot of pens. Most rarely saw any use. Now, I've whittled them down to a precious few that I really treasure. I am now down to about 17.

Franklin-Christoph, Italix, and Pilot pens are the best!
Iroshizuku, Diamine, and Waterman inks are my favorites!

Apica, Rhodia, and Clairefontaine make great paper!

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One day, you started hearing voices ? So, you decided that the proper

home for your psychosis is our throng of fountain pen enthusiasts ?

Thank you. I accept.

Auf freiem Grund mit freiem Volke stehn.
Zum Augenblicke dürft ich sagen:
Verweile doch, du bist so schön !

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nothing quite like starting from the low end of things...

familiar tale - yikes - I wish :lol:

That did take time - mostly by "trading up" and restoration.

 

And Mabie Todds can be found at very moderate prices - and occasionally an Onoto. I have one I carry every day at present that was not at all expensive. Of course I had to rebuild it.. It is not a fancy looking job, but it's a very nice pen to write with.

 

Cob

Edited by Cob

fpn_1428963683__6s.jpg “The pen of the British Empire” fpn_1423349537__swan_sign_is.jpg


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That did take time - mostly by "trading up" and restoration.

 

And Mabie Todds can be found at very moderate prices - and occasionally an Onoto. I have one I carry every day at present that was not at all expensive. Of course I had to rebuild it.. It is not a fancy looking job, but it's a very nice pen to write with.

 

Cob

you understand that while I noted this with humor, it was actually focusing on an enthusiast who has an eye for history, it IS building something important.

Edited by pen2paper
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you understand that while I noted this with humor, it was actually focusing on an enthusiast who has an eye for history, is is building something important.

 

I love the history of fountain pen manufacture. Sadly there is a huge dearth of information. Two examples: Mabie Todd England's records were apparently destroyed when the headquarters was flattened by bombing in 1940; and I have been told that following the company's closure in 1975, Conway Stewart's records were lost as well. As for Mabie Todd USA, well the company finally shut down in 1941, s I have no idea there; perhaps David Moak knows? And many are keenly awaiting Mr Stephen Hull's Onoto book; since De La Rue still exists and moved the Onoto plant to Scotland early on, perhaps records have survived there?

 

On the other hand every now and then someone turns up with some strange example which prompts wonderful exchanges of information and opinion which to me at least, is greatly entertaining and interesting too.

 

Cob

fpn_1428963683__6s.jpg “The pen of the British Empire” fpn_1423349537__swan_sign_is.jpg


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Papermates aren't THAT expensive... :lticaptd:

 

LOL! Nice....and neither are Esterbrooks. Nor some nice Parkers, if you have the time and patience!

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I love the history of fountain pen manufacture. Sadly there is a huge dearth of information. Two examples: Mabie Todd England's records were apparently destroyed when the headquarters was flattened by bombing in 1940; and I have been told that following the company's closure in 1975, Conway Stewart's records were lost as well. As for Mabie Todd USA, well the company finally shut down in 1941, s I have no idea there; perhaps David Moak knows? And many are keenly awaiting Mr Stephen Hull's Onoto book; since De La Rue still exists and moved the Onoto plant to Scotland early on, perhaps records have survived there?

 

On the other hand every now and then someone turns up with some strange example which prompts wonderful exchanges of information and opinion which to me at least, is greatly entertaining and interesting too.

 

Cob

there are brief "moments" when information surfaces, and one must take notice, or that flash is gone. If you look carefully back in FPN history, there was such a flicker. I'm sure you'll see me urging that this be captured, engaged, and documented. A gentleman posted, With a photo of himself as the young(est) man seen in the photo, apprentice as I recall (?) the youngest and likely last living Onoto-De-La-Rue Employee, with stories to share. My then circumstances were across an ocean, overwhelmed in eldercare, and illnesses. So I could only briefly point to importance. Then he was gone. Either thinking lack of historical appreciation, or physically passed off the scene.

 

I have one non-pen related experience. A person posted a very tentative inquiry about a collection inheritance. Typically a few wrongly leaped to think the person sought evaluation to rid themselves of objects into hard cash. Not always so. In this case a tentative inquiry, with my listening ear for details, suddenly realized that a relative was holding This significant historical collection, until the inheritor "was Ready" for the responsibility. I was privileged to open the boxes of a 70 year old collection. It was a teaching collection, and as such mounted to preserve though using non-archival materials of that period. Very little damage. I suggested documenting in original condition, then transferring to safe materials. Note; The Objects, while stellar examples, were Not the treasure trove. The original collector was one of the Founders of the 70 year society, and Kept Everything. I mean to state: Everything. Scrapbooks, correspondence, reports and objects from each convention, clubs, meetings, advances in knowledge, and organization, even the convention programs and matchbooks. News-clippings, Advertisements. ALL of the History was there. I'd been hunting these very things for 20 years. (This Was the history of my locale)/ It blew my mind seeing the objects of my 20 years effort in one collection. I swiftly moved to aid the person to assess the scope, and once I was sure the person was not "flash in the pan" interest, I relinquished my position as historian, as this person, the Founder's grandchild, who interest was now in full bloom - was Ready. I sort of shudder to think of an Object Only accumulator Dealer happening upon the Major 70 year old full history, and possibly casting that aside the essential history ephemera as trash, and offering cash value for the objects. Last year, the 70th Anniversary of the National Society was presented by This very Founder's Grandchild - current historian, using the entire collection's rich history. It was entirely The, Timing.

 

Sorry this is long, (dull/boring to many), but I See that you have similar aim, to flesh out the (lost/missing) history. I wish you well in your endeavor.

 

There are still many serious collectors out there, though busy, would I'm sure enjoy helping you. Wayback machine may help see old research. Mostly US based, but that does give dated backround to some of the UK history.

Also, UK has old trade journal(s) similar to US, which though slow to study through, can reveal business transactions, as well as advertisements.

Please do share : )

p2p (non-expert enthusiast).

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