Has Anyone Heard Of Henry Simpole 2016

[esterbex]

Would it happen to resemble this one?

 

http://fountainpenboard.com/forum/uploads/fpngallery/album_487/gallery_5000_487_815446.jpg

[Truffle Finder]

To quote the Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In [circa 1969/70!]..................

"You bet your sweet bippy!!!"

Yes, that is the same model of pen, but mine is in mottled hard rubber, and there is a BHR ink carrier, and a space for the eye-dropper, which sadly has been lost.

Thanks for posting the picture Esterbex.

Truffle Finder.

[Truffle Finder]

I have some good news.

I had a delve through an 'odds and ends' draw here in the workshop, and found a small glass eye-dropper tube, and then I cut down about a centimetre from the back end of the tube, and then fitted a rubber bulb on that end of the tube.

I am pleased to say that it fits the space for the eye-dropper in the 'Tiny Tot' box.

Truffle Finder.

[saaj]

Had the pleasure of meeting Henry today at his stall at Portobello Market. I learnt a lot from our brief encounter, as I'm a beginner to the practice of collecting pens.

 

Thanks again!

[Truffle Finder]

Thank you 'saaj'! I'm pleased that you enjoyed your visit to Portobello Road.

It turned out to be a terrific day yesterday [business-wise].

Things started off with a couple of French tourists, [the monsieur being a pen collector!] and he asked if he could look at a Waterman's 1930's pen and pencil set, in it's original box! He looked at it carefully, and decided that he wanted to buy it.

The second customer was a gentleman who I see fairly regularly at Portobello, who normally likes to buy Mont Blanc Limited edition pens, so I rarely am able to show him anything, as I rarely get offered those type of pens, but just recently I had bought a Marlene Detreich Ball-point pen, so I called him over, and he was pleased to buy it from me.

Later on, a fairly regular collector friend of mine arrived, and we were able to talk about the pens that he had found since the last time I had seen him, including the ones that he had bought at the London Pen Show.

It was about that time when two young men came along, to look at fountain pens, and both I, and my friend David got talking about the possible pitfalls to avoid when starting to collect pens! Of course I suggested that it would be a good idea to join the Writing Equipment Society, as well as buying an Eye-glass to thoroughly inspect pens before buying them!

Shortly after the two young men left, David and I concluded our business, and then he left my stand, and I assumed that the day was drawing to a close, when a very 'Dapper' dressed French gentleman came along and started looking at my overlaid pens in the display cabinet, and them he asked if he could handle one of them. He then asked me who made them! He was genuinely surprised when I told him that I made them! I then got the whole tray of them out of the cabinet, and he spent quite a time looking at them with his eye-glass.

He told me that he was thinking about buying one for his sister, and 'would I mind if he took a few photographs to send to her?' He then phoned her using his 'miracle of modern living', and presumably was able to show her the images of some of the pens, while he was talking to her!!!

The long and short of it was that she chose the one that she wanted, and he then bought the pen.

He wanted to use his credit card, which meant that I had to take him see my friend further up the road to complete the deal, so my friend Tim looked after my booth while we were away.

When we returned, Tim was just in the process of selling a French Watermans Pen to a gentleman!

So, it was a really good day at Portobello yesterday!

Truffle Finder.

Edited October 23, 2016 by Truffle Finder

[esterbex]

What a lovely winning day! May they continue into perpetuity!🤗🤗🤗

[Truffle Finder]

Last Friday, I had another call from the Film-prop people, asking if there was another day [other than Saturdays] when they could see me with a view to buying another six vintage 1930's fountain pens from me.

I explained that the Admiral Vernon Arcade only opens on Saturdays, so the lady asked me if I could pick six pens out of my stock, and send them off to her. So, I'm pleased to say, that I have just been off to the Post Office, and with the help of Paypal, the transaction has been completed, so that makes this week's business even better than I had previously thought that it would be!

Truffle Finder.

[Beechwood]

We will be looking out for your pens in the hands of stars Henry, do you know in which films they may be seen?

 

I have heard that a film or TV series on Churchill is being made in Edinburgh and one local penman has provided pens for desk scenes - I assume that he provided an Onoto.

 

In case you hadnt seen the photograph, ignoring the Edinburgh gent in the foreground, you were talking to an ernest listener in the background.

Edited October 25, 2016 by Beechwood

[Truffle Finder]

Thank you Beechwood, for posting the photograph, it's a shame that I'm only in the distance!

I believe the name of the film is:- "The darkest days" or "The Dark Days" but I should have listened more carefully! Sorry about that.

Truffle Finder.

[Beechwood]

A clearer pic.

 

The seller had some bargains, with a 'make me an offer sign'. Never easy but he didnt look like he would take offence if you bid too low.

Edited October 25, 2016 by Beechwood

[esterbex]

The Truffle looks caught midst-bargain. Too bad we can't see the object of desire.....

[Truffle Finder]

I think that I must be the World's worst when it comes to remembering people's names!

About this time last year, I received an E-mail from a couple who wanted to check that I was still occupying my stand at Portobello Road Market on Saturdays, as they were due to come over here, and they were planning to see me.

Sadly their names didn't 'ring any bells', so I had no alternative but to admit that I really didn't know who they were! Although I did say that I would be very pleased to see them!

They did write back, and explained that we had met about 15 to 20years ago at the Los Angeles Pen Shows, and that they both liked the broad and Italic nibbed pens that I often seemed to have in my stock, whenever we had met in the past. Then the penny dropped!!!

When they came over last year, they tried several vintage pens, and both of them left me having bought two pens which had lovely broad nibs.

This week, I had an E-mail from them again, and it would appear that they are coming this Saturday, and I'm hoping that I will be able to show them some pens with similarly 'delicious' nibs!

Truffle Finder.

[Truffle Finder]

Today seemed to be another good day up at Portobello Road Market.

I am pleased to report that my two friends from Southern California arrived by about 10.00am, but not before a Canadian gentleman was standing by my booth trying out various vintage pens which had caught his eye! So they went away for a little while, and came back after the man had gone away, having bought two pens which he took a fancy to!

When they returned, I handed them several broad, and italic nabbed vintage pens, and they both enjoyed trying them all, and they settled with a Parker 45, [with a hugely broad italic nib in it!] and a Burgundy and bronze patterned Canadian Watermans pen from the 1930's, [also enhanced with a broad italic nib].

We agreed on a price for the two pens, and then they left.

Another gentleman arrived a little while later, telling me that he had been recommended to come and see me, by a dealer right at the top of Portobello Road, and he tried several pens, before deciding to buy a lapis blue 'no name' fountain pen, which I have had amongst my stock for quite a while, [but it had got a delicious nib in it!] Anyway, we settled on a good price for it, and it will now be winging it's way to the USA very soon!

Truffle Finder.

[Z-Tab]

I recently picked up one of the Conway Stewart Centenary pens and I love the size. I was wondering if the other Conway Stewart pens that have Simpole overlays are similar in size, especially the Wembley and William Morris.

[Truffle Finder]

Interesting post Z Tab!

I'm afraid I do not have any of the C/S Centenary pens available to measure, but I can tall you about the 'Wembley' overlaid pen. It was commissioned by Conway Stewart several years ago, and Glen Jones 'Christened' it the Chatsworth pen, and sadly it was launched just prior to the financial 'crash' in about 2,008, but then the market in LE pens dropped, and it never really recovered. I have no idea why the people selling them have changed the name to the Wembley Pen, but there you have it. I do still have a few of them in stock, as I personally think that it was the best overlay that I did for Conway Stewart. It measures 15.75 cms with the cap on the pen. The fine filigree design is quite different to any of the other overlays that I have done before.

The William Morris pen is altogether a much longer pen, measuring 19 cms, with the cap on. I certainly would not want to post the cap when using the pen!

Truffle Finder.

[Ghost Plane]

You...have...Chatsworth...in...stock...and...NEVER...SAID...A...WORD????

 

Insert sound of teeth gnashing and grinding.

 

Ahem. <takes deep breath> Pictures, colors and nib availability as in IBs that might also be hiding in said stock?

 

I know better than to PM (send you a private message). But REALLY!

[esterbex]

I echo GP's sentiments.I'll take any colour, and IB too!

[Truffle Finder]

Excuse me Ghost Plane, and Esterbex, but when I said that I have some 'in stock', I should have said that because they were so difficult to have cast, I had to increase the numbers to absorb the number of 'mis-cast' overlays, for Conway Stewart.

I still have them, but they need the Hall-Markings doing, and then the base-pens making up.

Before placing any orders, I must make it clear that I didn't like the gaudy colours when Conway Stewart were making theirs up, and even if I could do it, I wouldn't!!! I personally think that such a fine filigree pattern should only be on a black pen.

So, Ghost Plane, if you decide to send me a PM, I promise I will answer it!

Truffle Finder.

[esterbex]

I don't care about the colour, but I would like a CS nib.

[Z-Tab]

Glad that my inquiry seems to have led to a couple of potential sales!

 

My Centenary vermeil measures in at ~14.9cm, so not quite as large as the Chatsworth, but a miniature next to the 19cm Willam Morris!