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Thread: Researching the history of internet FP forums

  1. #61
    Senior Member carlos.q's Avatar
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    Default Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums

    Another early contender was iKonPen. I haven't been able to find out when it first appeared but this is the way that it looked back on October 9, 1999:

    iKonPen1999oct9.png

    Three things about this site:

    First of all, there are no "y"s in the text. I don't believe it was like this originally so apparently this seems to be a glitch in the Wayback software.

    Second, there is a "iKonTalk" section that apparently led to a connected bulletin board system. I haven't been able to find a copy of that BBS page. However this "webpage-BBS combo" will become popular for future websites... including FPG.

    Third, the site had an onboard magazine known as "iKonZine" for reviews and essays:

    iKonZine1999oct9.png
    Last edited by carlos.q; June 8th, 2020 at 01:55 PM.

  2. #62
    Senior Member carlos.q's Avatar
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    Default Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums

    iKonPen did not have a long life. This is a view of the site on December 3, 2000:

    IKP2000dic03.png

  3. #63
    Senior Member carlos.q's Avatar
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    Default Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums

    Another early FP Bulletin Board was Penlovers. This is the way it looked way back on August 31, 2000:

    PL2000aug31.jpg

  4. #64
    Senior Member carlos.q's Avatar
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    Default Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums

    Four years later (July 2, 2004) the Penlovers site looked liked this:

    PL2004jul2.jpg

  5. #65
    Senior Member silverlifter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums

    I would so love to be able to click on that link to the Omas Paragon in Arco Bronze to see what the asking price was in 2004...

    # edit: found the page the following day on the Wayback Machine, but the individual threads are not archived, so I am none the wiser...
    Last edited by silverlifter; June 28th, 2020 at 03:43 PM.
    Vintage. Cursive italic. Iron gall.

  6. #66
    Senior Member carlos.q's Avatar
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    Default Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums

    No matter the forum one thing is constant thru the years: "Is this Montblanc fake?"

  7. #67
    Senior Member guyy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums

    Quote Originally Posted by carlos.q View Post
    Another early FP Bulletin Board was Penlovers. This is the way it looked way back on August 31, 2000:

    PL2000aug31.jpg
    Lots of familiar names there.

  8. #68
    Senior Member silverlifter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums

    Quote Originally Posted by carlos.q View Post
    No matter the forum one thing is constant thru the years: "Is this Montblanc fake?"
    Heh. Or this one:

    Breaking in pens a myth?

    Posted by simon on June 7, 2004, 10:43 am

    Is the notion of breaking in a pen a fallacy? I am aware that nib units need to be 'fully whetted', that some manufacturing glue deposit may need flushing out, that some nibs re-setting on the feeds etc; but surely the iridium tip is almost diamond hard and unlikely to adjust much with gentle use on the round. Would it not be fairer to say that it is the pen user who needs a breaking in period with the pen? That it is we who adjust to the pen's own nuances/idiosyncrasies etc. I think that it is more likely that we subconciously tweak our angle, pressure, grip, style etc to the particular pen we using. Any thoughts?
    Vintage. Cursive italic. Iron gall.

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  10. #69
    Senior Member carlos.q's Avatar
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    Default Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums

    The Lion & Pen website was an important pen hangout back in 2005. This is the way it looked on October 26, 2005:

    LP2005Boct26.png


    According to some, it was the heated arguments in the final two forums at the bottom of the page ("Hot Buttons") that caused the site to shut down.


    LP2005Aoct26.png

  11. #70
    Senior Member Deb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums

    Fond memories of that board. Thank you, carlos.q
    Regards,
    Deb
    My Blog

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  13. #71
    Senior Member Freddie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums

    925.jpg
    Thanks for the stroll down memory lane.

    Fred

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  15. #72
    Senior Member carlos.q's Avatar
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    Default Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums

    Another early fountain pen forum was Rambling Snail Fountain Pen Citizenry (RSFPC). This site was up from April 2, 2003 to August 2006, so just a bit over 3 years.

    Note that the Wayback Machine did not capture RSFPC's logo in this April 15, 2003 capture:

    RSFPC2003Apr15.png


    Some time later RSFPC had incorporated BBS features. This is the way it looked back in July 8, 2005:

    RSFPC2005July8.png


    Note the announcement for "a new online pen magazine and forum, named Lion & Pen" in the first post above.

    A year later Rambling Snail was in trouble.... and up for sale. This is the view from August 9, 2006:

    RSFPC2006Aug8.png

    Nobody ever bought the site. RSFPC, like many others, is now part of FP internet history.

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  17. #73
    Senior Member Frank's Avatar
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    Default Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums

    Did anyone mention TFPC Yet??

    The Fountain Pen Community was run by Yours Truly from 2008 till 2015.
    My goal was to keep it active-and use it as a marketing tool for my (new then) retail venture.

    The site is "inactive". I decided later in 2015 to close it to new posts to keep costs at a minimum.
    I also stopped paying for a private URL as well, but you can still access it thru the host provider

    www.thefountainpencommunity.activeboard.com

    My Facebook Community Page pays tribute to this old forum.
    I do not advertise Fed Pens deals on that Facebook Page, and I prefer contributors also not to be retail advertisers.
    You are free to join either one- there is a WEALTH of information at the old forum above!
    (You do not have to register, and you do not get spam or messages. No one is allowed to post- not even me.
    That is how I avoid anything more than an "archive fee" from the host/Activeboard)

    Happy Hunting! Join the Facebook "Fountain Pen Community" Page.
    Share your love of pens- pics, info, stories welcome!

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/1142...?ref=bookmarks

    Thank You for posting this page! I'm always looking to help grow this "Community"!

    Best Regards,
    Frank
    Last edited by Frank; July 8th, 2020 at 07:45 PM.
    "When, in the course of writing events, it becomes self-evident that not all pens are created equal" (Federalist Frank)

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  19. #74
    Senior Member Frank's Avatar
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    Default Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums

    I saw some chatter about it on prior pages..
    that was back in the prior DWL days...
    Again- still there for those who wish to check out the reference pages.
    Also Active thru a Facebook page maintained by me today...

    Thank You!
    Frank
    "When, in the course of writing events, it becomes self-evident that not all pens are created equal" (Federalist Frank)

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  20. #75
    Senior Member carlos.q's Avatar
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    Default Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums

    One of the nicest aspects of this trip down internet's memory lane is that sometimes you can find some very interesting information. For example, after Freddie's post (#71) I decided to check out some of the websites mentioned. The first one I looked for was inkblotters.com, a site that belonged to Len Provisor. Len is a friendly guy that currently hangs out at the Pentrace site.

    Inkblotters was online apparently from the year 2000 to 2008. This was not an FP forum but a sales site for... you guessed it... ink blotters!

    inkblotters.png


    I was instantly fascinated by the Montblanc biplane shown on the site. But the coolest part was that there was an explanation as to the history of, not only the plane, but also of the Montblanc image:

    M O N T B L A N C
    1922 LVG C VI
    Luft-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft mbH


    In the early 1920s a new marketing department was established by Montblanc under the direction of Grete Gross a prominent artist and designer from the Baltic region who went by the nickname Gre-Gro. With swept back black hair she was a tall imposing figure and had a self-assured demeanor. She was greatly responsible for the Montblanc stratospheric launch to world fame through her ingenious advertising. Her design and creativity borrowed heavily from the then popular Bauhaus art style. Grete Gross created a new image for Montblanc with exciting posters, advertising literature, special displays for stores and shop windows.

    The goal of this new advertising was to create something entirely different than any other company, a new image that would make a strong impression on the public. Grete Gross was even responsible for the special design typography for the Montblanc name which has influenced their advertising to this day.

    The most important of international trade events was the 1922 Leipzig Trade Fair and Montblanc wanted to present something novel showing great technological improvements. At this time in the 1920s Montblanc had more writing instrument products than ever before and the Leipzig Fair was a superb occasion to present this broad selection of products. During the period 1910-1924 a wide variety of Montblanc and Rouge et Noir-pens were produced. Soon the Montblanc name became so popular that the Rouge et Noir was discontinued in 1921. However the Montblanc Italian factory continued to produce Rouge et Noir until 1923.

    This “Doppeldecker” aircraft was designed by Grete Gross as part of this aggressive advertising campaign to capture the public attention. The MONTBLANC “Doppeldecker” biplane was flown over the crowds of visitors attending the Leipzig Fair and created quite a sensation. This was an event that attracted great crowds of people to see the exhibits of manufactures in many areas of industry from household to industrial products. Another company that also used this LVG aircraft for aerial advertising using illuminated under wing letters was the famous Trumpf chocolate manufacturer.

    The LVG C VI was built by the Luft-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft mbH of Berlin-Johannisthal as a high altitude observation aircraft. Powered by a powerful 240 hp Benz BzIVu. engine this allowed the aircraft to climb to great altitude. A conversion as early as 1919 enclosed the large rear two-passenger compartment making this a light “Limousine” for inter-city travel. Curiously, passengers preferred the open cockpit experience so not too many enclosed cabin LVG were produced. Soon the LVG was the aircraft preferred by DLR or Deutsche Luftreederei, the largest of the many German companies formed in the immediate post-war period providing mail and passenger transport service. Today the forerunner of DLR is known as Lufthansa Airlines.

    Besides the sensational “Doppeldecker” Montblanc created a team of seven luxury Steyr touring automobiles decorated with a giant Montblanc pen on the roof and the star logo on the hub caps. These Montblanc vehicles and the biplane would create quite a sensation wherever they traveled.



    Thanks to Len for this amazing research!

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  22. #76
    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
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    Default Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums

    Carlos,

    Montblanc provided its boutiques with scale models of that airplane for display purposes about 10-15 years ago.. I tried to get one from when I had a good friend heading the former headquarters for North America in New Jersey, but none were available. Then I pleaded with the King of Prussia boutique for theirs, but the assistant manager had already promised it to her young son. One day, someone will be cleaning house and set one out for $1 at a yard sale.

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    Default Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums

    You've done so well, did you find this one already?

    https://community.fpc.ink/


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    carlos.q (July 10th, 2020)

  26. #78
    Senior Member carlos.q's Avatar
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    Default Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums

    Quote Originally Posted by kazoolaw View Post
    You've done so well, did you find this one already?

    https://community.fpc.ink/

    Thank you! No I hadn't seen this forum before. It seems to be a rather modern forum with a regional focus. Am I correct?

    I guess it's time for me to update my (very old) thread on fountain pen forums around the world:

    https://fpgeeks.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-3788.html

  27. #79
    Senior Member Freddie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums

    Carlos some more of Len Provisor blotters.....and if you purchased any or all of his models..you couldn't go wrong....For me the gem is the N.A.Mustang...
    615.jpg

    Fred

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  29. #80
    Senior Member carlos.q's Avatar
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    Default Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums

    Thank you Freddie. I've been in contact with Len regarding this thead. He is a very friendly guy.

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