This book, another by Jim Marshall, is small but a gem. It's part of the Miller's Collectors Guide series and was published in 1999. It contains a price guide to the various items discussed and that is obviously well out of date but otherwise it remains completely relevant.
In a mere 64 pages the various subjects cannot be covered in any great depth but it is an excellent introductory volume. As well as fountain pens, mechanical pencils, dip pens, inkwells and other desktop items are covered.
This little book can be picked up online for as little as 17p! Very well written with splendid illustrations. Not an essential but very interesting and entertaining.
Cyril (June 22nd, 2021)
I have that, and this one as well due to my divergence into 19th-century gold dip pens and paraphernalia.
IMG_3077.jpg
For Francophones, *the* Waterman book is André Mora's:
https://www.amazon.fr/Waterman-125-d.../dp/B01HGKYZN4
I don't have the book, but I saw the fantastic exhibition of Waterman pens at Mora Stylos to celebrate the company's anniversary. He has more prototype CFs and Man 100s than you can shake a whole plantation of sticks at.
Deb (March 24th, 2020)
I have Collectible Dip Pens too, Fred. A lovely book and there is more to dip pens than I ever imgined!
sgphoto, I have a copy of The Book of Fountain Pens by Schneider and Fischler. It isn't really one of my favourites. It's quite old, of course and times have moved on. There's a concentration on overlay pens and that isn't where my interest lies. There is a section on pen repair that is best ignored. That said, it's a well produced book and there are pens there that you will not see elsewhere.
sgphoto (March 24th, 2020)
Thanks, Deb. I'm laying in a supply of pen books for the isolation period. Fortunately, reading about a subject I'm interested in is almost as good as doing it and certainly increases my knowledge at less cost than making a pen buying mistake.
Cheers.
Sg
Deb (March 26th, 2020)
The Swan Pen, Mabie Todd in England 1880 - 1960
This, the latest of Stephen Hull's scholarly pen works, is a big book by any standards. It is large format, has 12 chapters, nearly 400 pages, over 1000 illustrations and 8 appendices. It's expensive, of course, at £65 plus postage. I paid a little more for the signed, limited edition. I don't do limited edition pens but this book is the exception!
This is my bible among pen books. Mabie Todd pens and pencils have always been my main interest. This book was long anticipated and Stephen has made a superb job of it. I'll never be in doubt about the date of a Swan pen again.
SchaumburgSwan (April 2nd, 2020), sgphoto (March 26th, 2020)
Similarly, the "bible" for my Conklin crescent fountain pens is The Conklin Legacy, by Alfonso Mur. I believe he sold all 300 English-language copies at the 2013 Ohio Pen show where he introduced it. It is 326 big illustrated pages of goodness, with details that enable me to determine manufacture years and "correctness" of Conklins that come into my possession. I suspect there is a Spanish-language edition, too.
ISBN: 978-84-616-5960-9
That's a splendid book, Fred. I didn't know it existed until this moment.
Two contacts printed in the back of the book:
Another art-work, this time by Andy Russell on the Conway Stewart Dinkie. As you may know Dinkies come in the most glorious array of colour patterns and they are beautifully photographed here, actual size. Photos by Andy himself. Certainly the most beautiful pen book that I have. I think it's still available, £65 plus postage.
sgphoto (March 28th, 2020)
Does anybody know if there is a book about ink as well? With all brands, bottles, advertising, and so on?
Linger (March 29th, 2020)
This book will be familiar to many. Until his sudden and untimely death Frank was active in the USENET fountain pen group, as was I. We had several interesting discussions, often about his well-known hatred of the Onoto shut-off valve. He could be gruff, especially with those questions which had been answered many times before, but he was always helpful and generous with information.
Though some of his methods are frowned upon today and this book has been superseded as a repair manual, it remains a fascinating snapshot of things as they were in the early days of this hobby. Frank's personality shines through on every page.
Jon Szanto (April 1st, 2020), sgphoto (March 29th, 2020)
Good day at the mailbox.
azkid (April 1st, 2020)
Collectible Fountain Pens is a great resource - an oldie but a goodie!
sgphoto (April 1st, 2020)
Www.booksaboutpens.com
Discusses but does not sell pen books. Let's you see what's out there.
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