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Supreme Court Justice Souters Fountain Pen and Ink...


GeGeLan

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Bah!

So if you have a lot of ink,

You should get a Yink, I think.

 

- Dr Suess

 

Always looking for pens by Baird-North, Charles Ingersoll, and nibs marked "CHI"

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Here is a copy of his resignation letter. From his signature, it looks like he uses a broad nib?

 

It seems to me that Mr. Justice Souter uses a nib which is too broad for the size of his handwriting - his loops are filled.

 

Perhaps in retirement, we will be favored with more of his thoughts and opinion, though his writings will no longer be binding on the rest of us. I wish him well.

 

Ray

Atlanta, Georgia

 

Pilot Namiki Vanishing Point with Richard Binder ItaliFine 0.9mm/F Nib

Faber Castell's Porsche Design with Gold & Stainless Mesh in Binderized CI Broad nib

Visconti LE Divina Proporzione in Gold with Binderized CI nib

David Oscarson Valhalla in gray (Thor) with Broad Binderized CI nib

Michel Perchin LE Blue Serpent (reviewed) with Binderized CI nib

Montblanc 149 in Medium Binderized CI nib

Montblanc Pope Julius II 888 Edition (reviewed) in Bold Binderized CI nib

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Check the index for Souter, sub-heading "eccentricities". They include his use of the fountain pen.

 

What use of a fountain pen is eccentric? I think not, practical yes, eccentric no.

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Here is a copy of his resignation letter. From his signature, it looks like he uses a broad nib?

 

It seems to me that Mr. Justice Souter uses a nib which is too broad for the size of his handwriting - his loops are filled.

 

Perhaps in retirement, we will be favored with more of his thoughts and opinion, though his writings will no longer be binding on the rest of us. I wish him well.

 

I am far from any expert but I have written with a few Estie nibs and that one looks like it has "issues". It's got some vertical/horizontal line variations the usual

Estie nib doesn't have and the underscore of his name is decidedly thinner than the rest of the writing of his signature. Maybe his nib is about wore slap out.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

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Actually, what that looks like more than anything else is that the signature (possibly as a security measure) has been scanned at substantially lower resolution than the rest of the letter. Yes, he's using a nib that's on the broad side (probably either a stub or italic), but the line variations in the letters (to my eye) looks like an artifact of low-resolution scanning.

Does not always write loving messages.

Does not always foot up columns correctly.

Does not always sign big checks.

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I read 'The Nine" by Jeffrey Toobin last year. The section about Justice Souter intrtigued me,especially his use of an FP for writing briefs and such. SOOOO I wrote and asked him. This was on July 23rd. Didn't hear from him until Sept 29th. He leaves Washington when the Court isn't in session. To make a short story long He wrote"I a have an old Esterbrook from forty or fifty years ago,and I hope it will hold out as long as I do." The stationery that the note was typed on has a watermark of Fairfax if that anyone.

 

An old Esterbrook. How Yankee-ish of him. Frugal and sensible. I'll miss having him there.

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I read 'The Nine" by Jeffrey Toobin last year. The section about Justice Souter intrtigued me,especially his use of an FP for writing briefs and such. SOOOO I wrote and asked him. This was on July 23rd. Didn't hear from him until Sept 29th. He leaves Washington when the Court isn't in session. To make a short story long He wrote"I a have an old Esterbrook from forty or fifty years ago,and I hope it will hold out as long as I do." The stationery that the note was typed on has a watermark of Fairfax if that anyone.

 

 

 

FPN is an amazing network of unique individuals. We came up with the answer to this question faster than the CIA could have!

 

This is true... I'm so glad I joined this forum! Best place to get any pen info your heart desires!!!! Thanks, everyone!!!!!

Loving Mont Blanc and everything fountain pen!!!!!!!!

 

One of the few, the proud... 14 year-old FPN'ers!!!!!! ;)

 

MY FOUNTAIN PENS: Montblanc Boheme Bleu (M), Montblanc 145 (M), Waterman Phileas (M), Jinhao X450 (M), Parker Vector (M), Parker 15 (M), Sheaffer Cartridge Pen (M)

MY INKS: Parker Quink Blue, Private Reserve Midnight Blues, Montblanc Black

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Perhaps we could take up a collection for a $50 J and a 9668 nib and send it to Souter for an emergency replacement for when/if he writes his memoirs

 

I will be persuing an idea along these lines and will (of course) report back any devleopemnts.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

Edited by OcalaFlGuy
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He is using a broad italic, and the scanning is low quality. I also venture to say age has affected his penmanship

The voice of this guitar of mine, at the awakening of the morning, wants to sing its joy;

I sing to your volcanoes, to your meadows and flowers, that are like mementos of the greatest of my loves;

If I am to die away from you, may they say I am sleeping, and bring me back home.

http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/7260/postminipo0.pnghttp://img356.imageshack.us/img356/8703/letterminizk9.png

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He's not THAT old, especially for the recent Court---Certainly younger than most of the recent retirees/deaths on the court. He's about 69, I think.... Younger than about half of the current justices. Stephens, Ginsburg, and Kennedy are older, I think, and Breyer, Scalia, and Thomas are all rough contemporaries. Only Alito and Roberts are substantially younger, I think.

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He's not THAT old, especially for the recent Court---Certainly younger than most of the recent retirees/deaths on the court. He's about 69, I think.... Younger than about half of the current justices. Stephens, Ginsburg, and Kennedy are older, I think, and Breyer, Scalia, and Thomas are all rough contemporaries. Only Alito and Roberts are substantially younger, I think.

 

In descending order of age:

Stevens (89)

Ginsburg (76)

Scalia (73)

Kennedy (72 - he turns 73 in a week or so)

Breyer (70)

Souter (69)

Thomas (61)

Alito (59)

Roberts (54)

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I suspect any of them can afford to buy several fountain pens should they choose to. While sending Mr. Souter a backup pen is a nice idea perhaps it would be more productive to consider sending a pen to one of the others like Thomas or Roberts to seed the pool as it were. That would keep at least one member of the court as an owner if not a user and perhaps if it's used the idea will spread.

Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

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Perhaps I'm overly pessimistic but I can't see alot of promise of success in this day of digitized instant everything in sending a FP "cold call" to

someone who hasn't already at least expressed an interest in them. Seems to me most likely a waste of a perfectly good pen. The other Justices

have already had "the luxury" of some constant exposure to Pendom with one of their peers using one. If that hasn't already picqued their interest,

getting a pen in the mail isn't likely to either.

 

I'd rather Justice Souter be filling his grocery list out with it than have it collect dust in Kennedy's bottom desk drawer.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

Edited by OcalaFlGuy
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You could be correct. On the other hand, any one of them might not have the interest to go out and take the time to get a FP but if one arrived and were available with no work required might wonder just what it is that "old Souter" sees in these things and give it a try, especially if it had a nice, short, introductory note included with it.

 

I'm just saying if money was to be spent on a pen why not use it to try to make a convert rather than to preach to the choir?

Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

-----

Common sense isn't "right wing" unless you are too far to the left.

-----

www.ebookgab.com for all readers of ebooks

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They DO have Fahrney's only a few blocks away from the Court. If we send one of them a pen, won't we be enabling them?

 

Scalia's such a wonderful curmudgeon that I'd be surprised if he used a horrible Bic. Or Stephens, who can certainly remember the golden age of FPs.

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Anybody who has read Tobin's The Nine probably recalls that the issue of Justice Souter using a fountain pen comes up many times in the book. And, Fahrney's is close by. Maybe Fahrney's should send him a pen as a retirement gift and a thank you for all the free advertising. I'll be in the store next week. I'll see what they think about this idea!

 

MP

Edited by ampatb
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After Souter's retirement, it certainly won't be an issue for him, but aren't there rather strict Federal regulations on what gifts those in public office (especially office for life, like Supreme Court Justice) can accept? I seem to recall that the President and First Lady are forbidden to accept anything from foreign givers, regardless of value or utility -- the gifts aren't returned, however; instead, they're put into a sort of "coventry" storage.

 

Sending a pen to Kennedy or Scalia might seem like a nifty idea -- but it seems it would bear checking if they'd even be permitted to accept and use it...

Does not always write loving messages.

Does not always foot up columns correctly.

Does not always sign big checks.

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After Souter's retirement, it certainly won't be an issue for him, but aren't there rather strict Federal regulations on what gifts those in public office (especially office for life, like Supreme Court Justice) can accept? I seem to recall that the President and First Lady are forbidden to accept anything from foreign givers, regardless of value or utility -- the gifts aren't returned, however; instead, they're put into a sort of "coventry" storage.

 

Sending a pen to Kennedy or Scalia might seem like a nifty idea -- but it seems it would bear checking if they'd even be permitted to accept and use it...

 

They're allowed gifts, provided they disclose. Interestingly enough, Souter's annual declaration usually read "none", according to Toobin's book.

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  • 4 months later...

QUOTE (ZeissIkon @ Jul 14 2009, 10:15 AM) After Souter's retirement, it certainly won't be an issue for him, but aren't there rather strict Federal regulations on what gifts those in public office (especially office for life, like Supreme Court Justice) can accept? I seem to recall that the President and First Lady are forbidden to accept anything from foreign givers, regardless of value or utility -- the gifts aren't returned, however; instead, they're put into a sort of "coventry" storage.

 

Sending a pen to Kennedy or Scalia might seem like a nifty idea -- but it seems it would bear checking if they'd even be permitted to accept and use it...

 

They're allowed gifts, provided they disclose. Interestingly enough, Souter's annual declaration usually read "none", according to Toobin's book.

 

In reply to all the above, which I had followed with interest, I received an email from one of my snail friends who said the following...........and gave permission for me to post it here...........

 

 

Hi all. I can't remember which pen list, but earlier this year, there was a posting about Justice David Souter and fountain pens. Specifically, it was stated that he uses a fountain pen to write his decisions in longhand. If I remember correctly, the information came from a letter from someone at the Supreme Court. I also remember there was some discussion of what pen he might use. In any event, Friday night, I ran into Justice (former Justice?) Souter at a local grocery store. He was NH Attorney General when I was in the Legislature. So, I know him enough to say hello. I mentioned that I needed to speak with him about fountain pens. He was somewhat surprised. I told him about the internet discussion about his decision writing with a fountain pen. He said it was untrue, completely false. He has never written a decision with a fountain pen. He does use a fountain pen for personal writing. He also said it cleared up a mystery - he didn't know why he was getting letters asking about fountain pens. So, now we know from the source! Peter Hildreth By the way, I did get to show him my "survivor pen" - a modern Conklin orange (lava swirl) pen. Perhaps he will be interested in the Boston Pen Show next year!

Each day is the start of the rest of your life!

Make it count!!!

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