Hello From Darwin, Australia

[Legrosbisson]

My work colleagues have begun to pretend not to notice the latest-to-be-rotated fountain pen I take to meetings, to minimise the chance that I may derail a carefully-planned agenda with a disquisition on fine v. broad nibs, or why an ink-stained hand is a noble thing. A few months ago I began googling ever more obscure FP-related chains of thought, and I probably should delete all my internet browser history in case men in white coats arrive at my front door.

 

Google corralled me often towards FPN webpages, which contain much of the best material on all things FP. I feel rather oppressed by email, texts, and other forms of electronic communication, so I did not immediately become a member. But it is difficult not to read other members' threads, without feeling like an evesdropper or loiterer, and so now I have joined.

 

I'm a left-hander who nevertheless took up fountain pens at school and became quite attached to them, to say the least: nowadays I'm prepared to walk half an office floor, down some stairs, and across another half-floor in order to use a FP to sign some inconsequential paperwork, rather than accept a conveniently-proferred ballpoint. During a Chemistry lab class in my tenth or eleventh year of school, my best friend spilled something like acetate on my plastic Osmiroid, which dissolved before my eyes into a left-hand nib floating in a puddle of viscous blue.

 

This was in the mid 1970s, for me the era of the weighty and relatively less vulnerable Sheaffer Targa. Somehow I managed to be able to afford one, and I have always since had one of these to hand.

 

Just as the American motor car corporations Ford and General Motors had factories in Australia, so had Sheaffer and, I'm pretty sure, Parker. Australians seemed then (to an unsophisticated teenager living in Perth, one of the most remote cities in the world) to be either Ford-lovers or Holden(General Motors)-lovers, just as the Pepsi and Coca-cola dichotomy still divides people. A similar gulf may exist between those who favour Sheaffers and those who favour Parkers, at least in Australia. I'd like to suggest that the Parker 51, with its "lustralloy" or gold cap on relatively drab coloured shaft, is remiscent of General Motors family cars of the 1950s - including I feel German Opels and British Vauxhauls - their lustrous pressed chrome contrasting with rounded and relatively drab paintwork; and that the Sheaffer Targa, say one in brown laquer, would have initialled the design specifications of many 1970s Fords.

 

Regrettably I have lost a few Sheaffer Targas, and have had to do without until chancing to see a replacement languishing dustily, its original price-sticker unaffected by inflation, in the back corner-cabinet of a country newsagency. What great finds they were!

 

Not long after leaving University and receiving a salary for the first time, I spent more than I could afford on a Rotring stylograph. I wasn't then aware of the long history of the stylograph as an everyday writer, and in my ignorance assumed the shiny steel pen represented some new technology! I still have it, though the ill-fitting cap and the rest of the pen hide from me in separate un-sorted boxes somewhere.

 

But for internet blogs, collectors' sites and other quick-sand into which the potentially obsessive are drawn, I would have continued through life with perhaps three or four fountain pens at most: a Sheaffer Targa; a Rotring, and one or two miscellaneous ones bought opportunistically, at sales in bigger cities or at duty free stores.

 

But while under the influence of the intranet, over a relatively short period, I have accumulated around 20 fountain pens, mostly via e-Bay though none of them so notable that fakery is likely. A Hindu deity might be able to justify having so many, but I have only one writing hand. I think the great appeal of fountain pens is the storytelling which can revolve about them. The learned explanations to be found on this network, of capillary action, technological development, great founding pen makers, the market strategies of notable national pen companies, and more, enable these endangered implements to tell quite fascinating tales.

[1point1mm]

Greetings and Legrosbisson! "20 fountain pens" later, one can never have too many. Enjoy!

[Chris Chalmers]

from the little Island at the opposite end of this Country! Just 20 pens...........phah! Wait til you dream pens, and have drawers full of bottles of ink.............and want nothing but the best writing paper - in every colour then you will have crossed the Divide from where we can no longer return but I digress..........Welcome to you and your 20 pens - and it is refreshing to have such a wonderfully long and interesting introduction - do you have time to write snails????

 

Edited to add that I didn't mean to be negative in any way - my humour has no manners!

I have watched for years, this Holden - Ford thing, and neither of my particular likes are Parker or Sheaffer........although I do have some of each. :blink:

Edited September 12, 2010 by Chris Chalmers

[Legrosbisson]

Thank you both, for your warm welcome.

 

I should write letters, but I don't. Perhaps a different pen for every line might be a game to stir the interest.

 

I was becoming aware of inks and papers, and thought I might spend a day comparing different kinds at one of the large pen stores in Singapore, which I'm likely to go to or through sometime soonish.

[tanalasta]

Welcome to FPN!!! Whilst we might no vehemently discuss Holden v Ford, we certainly discuss Fountain Pens and you'll find many Australians on here who share a love for writing with fountain pens.

 

Mind you, you may find your collection growing further past 20 as a result of participating in these forums.

 

And find better value than is available from a duty free store or eBay.

 

 

 

[Pen Nut]

Hello & welcome to you... the symptoms you have shared with us are all instantly recognised on here. Your stepping into this forum is a natural progression to . . . erm somewhere else !

[DAYoung]

Fantastic introduction, Legrosbisson, and welcome to FPN from a Melburnian.

 

Your work colleagues don't realise the rewarding preoccupation they're missing.

 

(I didn't say addiction. Just preoccupation. We can stop whenever we like. Really. Stop looking at me like that.)

Edited September 12, 2010 by DAYoung

[Guest Pjay]

G'day, Legrosbisson and

 

Such a well written intro would indicate a person who's not drunk too many Darwin stubbies!

For the benefit of our cousins across the Pacific, a 'Darwin stubby' was a bottle of about two litres of foul tasting beer

[ozwill45]

Welcome from North Queensland.

 

I love Darwin, such a wonderful big Town

[Yuki Onitsura]

A warm and fluffy welcome from (currently sunny) Sydney =)

 

Yuki

[kathleen]

Welcome, Members will definitely enable a growing penchant for wonderful writing instruments, inks and paper. This site is the clubhouse for pen junkies, we are all addicted here. But that is not all, be sure your check the CHATTER forum there are many non pen related topics there, such as art, music, education, travels, bicycling, ......

I enjoyed your introduction and am pleased that you wish to join in the discourse.

[Legrosbisson]

Whgat a warm crew! I'm conscious that the fountain pen craze is truly international, and a bit worried what our international cousins might think about antipoean gathers-around.

 

I'd like to ask for thoughts on something that has been troubling me. The Chinese seem to have gone mad about FPs, and good on them for it. But hat about the Russians? Why after the Battle of Kursk and general super power-dom, do we see such miserable offerings from the ex-USSR? Surely Dostoevsky would share the general FPN attitude towards ballpoints?

[JB Perth]

Welcome to FPN from Jim in Perth. I've been buying cheap Chinese pens on e-bay and find them value for money...I have bought 8 but gave two away to friends. Mostly they seem to write reasonably smooth....JB

[PAKMAN]

Hello and Welcome to FPN! Being raised as a Ford/Coke kind of guy I seem to have veered to the dark side of late drinking Mt. Dew and driving a Jeep! My first fountian pen was a Sheaffer school pen back in the 70's and many in my pen case are Sheaffers (including a Targa) but of late I seem to have veered more toward the Parker world with modern and vintage undertones. Also a raft of Germans and a few Italians have found their way in.

 

So be warned, while this is the most wonderful place imaginable for conversation on the wonders and joys of Fountain Pens, it can lead to the need for many more pen cases to hold your new posessions! And don't get me started on inks! 60 bottles and counting...

[Guest Pjay]

Don't be embarrassed about a bit of parochialism, Legrosbisson.

Check out the responses to 'the Swede has joined'

[Twoodi]

Hello Legrosbisson and welcome from Brisbane! Fantastic into - thanks very much for the time and effort it would have taken - very appreciated

 

Also, if you check out the Miscellaneous Section and then the Clubs forum you will see a post or two about the Melbourne Pen Show in November. I won't be able to go but it looks fantastic and many Aussies from here will be attending I'm sure I know it is a little way from Darwin but just thought you might be interested.

[Legrosbisson]

Jim there is a Hero pen which reproduces the nib and shape of the Sheaffer Touchbown: like a Sheaffer snorkel, except without the snorkel. It has a rounded, wrap-around nib with bites taken out of the sides.

 

Do you have one of these Heros? I'm wondering what a very fine-nibbed version might feel like.

 

Welcome to FPN from Jim in Perth. I've been buying cheap Chinese pens on e-bay and find them value for money...I have bought 8 but gave two away to friends. Mostly they seem to write reasonably smooth....JB

[RayMan]

Nice introduction. Welcome.

[777]

Welcome to the fountain pen network! It's good to have you here with us! Very fun to read introduction.

 

Regards,

777

[hari317]

Welcome to FPN, Legrosbisson! A very nice introduction and yes we too had the Sheaffer and Parker user camps in the 50s-60s.