Greetings from an old timer!!

[navajo jack]

I am reaching retirement age (but won't say what that is). I grew up with

fountain pens and remember when the nuns would sell you Esterbrooks for

$.50 I had a small grey one! I started collecting about 1990. You could

still find them at flea markets but you could see the end of that coming. Would

I have loved to have started 10-15 years sooner!!!

In my home growing up, fountain pens were not something you spent a lot of money on! My Father had a fondness for Parker 21s, and would go through them like wildfire! Never would he consider buying a 51 and taking good care of it.

And, I, of course, had my Esterbrook.

Then, in 1955, for High School graduation, I received a Sheaffer Snorkel!!

I had never seen in my possession, such a luxurious object. It wrote beautifully!!

And it had 14K nib!!!!!!!!! jees, I couldn't get over it!! I still have it today, and

it still writes great. After I learned the arcane subject of pen repair, I completely overhauled that Snorkel point gaskets and all!!

Then came the ballpoints. Remember the Reynolds Rocket??? I went back to

fountain pens in grad school. They sold Pelikans in the McGill Univ. bookstore and

I took all my notes with 120s, I had a stable full of them, with spare removable

point sections and all.

I love Pelikans, and Watermans too, They write so soft!! Alas,I have progressed

to greater sophistication in my collecting. But I still use that Snorkel once in a while!!!!!

John DiFederico aka navajo jack

[Ann Finley]

Welcome! Gosh, you've given up on using your Esterbrook and Pelikan 120s--not to mention your Snorkel? I'm still using my Copper Esterbrook I bought in 1953 and it didn't need a new sac until last year! If you'd like to sell me an extra nib for my 120, let me know!

 

I'm sure you'll enjoy FPN, good to see you here!

 

Best, Ann

[Bill D]

Welcome the board, Navajo Jack It will be interesting to hear more about your experiences with different pens over the years. I hope you enjoy it here

 

Bill

[navajo jack]

Ann, thank you for your kind words. Re Pelikan 120 nibs: In the 70s

Pelikan changed the design, making those nibs hard to find. I did find some in a store, and the owner was only to happy to sell them for a pittance. I didn't like/have those 70s 120s so I sold them all to Fountain Pen Hosp. NYC. The CURRENT 120 nibs will fit the old 120s

(circa 50s-60s). That put ME back in business with my old 120s. Which

do you have?

nj

[southpaw]

Hello and welcome to FPN! That's some FP history you've got there. It's great that you've got quite a few pens with personal history to them! Do tell us more about your collection and, if you get time, post some pics. See you around.

[Slush99]

Welcome!