Results 1 to 20 of 20

Thread: New to the Pen World, but I'm Admittedly Addicted...

  1. #1
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
    Location
    Houston
    Posts
    22
    Thanks
    6
    Thanked 18 Times in 9 Posts
    Rep Power
    0

    Post New to the Pen World, but I'm Admittedly Addicted...

    Hey everyone!

    As the title suggests, I'm early on in my pen-addict journey as late last year I inherited a couple really nice pens (one of which I've been too scared to ink) and, after doing research and becoming enamored with the history, beauty, engineering, and everything else that goes into these things, I subsequently purchased the collection of a man who passed away after collecting for 40+ years (in July of this year) and was officially hooked. Then I bought several different inks...and a Rhodia notebook...and a couple boxes for pens...and a Murano glass pen....and now am looking at how to restore pens.

    Also, in the past few weeks I've purchased a few lots of pens from local estate sales, but have realized I can't even identify a lot of them. Some of them may be identifiable, but there is little to no information on them...so hopefully you guys won't get tired of me asking questions in one form or another (whether it be for restoration, pen identification, or whatever else may pop up). I'm looking forward to soaking up all the knowledge you guys are willing to offer and have already had a high learning curve as I've been reading the archived threads on this site. Happy to be here!

    James

  2. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to moonamongus For This Useful Post:

    Chuck Naill (September 15th, 2020), manoeuver (September 15th, 2020), NumberSix (September 17th, 2020)

  3. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    3,118
    Thanks
    874
    Thanked 2,528 Times in 1,299 Posts
    Rep Power
    13

    Default Re: New to the Pen World, but I'm Admittedly Addicted...



    Please post photos of your unidentified pens, there are tons of knowledgeable people on here (not me) who could no doubt figure out what they are.

  4. #3
    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    11,404
    Thanks
    6,876
    Thanked 10,367 Times in 3,978 Posts
    Rep Power
    24

    Default Re: New to the Pen World, but I'm Admittedly Addicted...

    Welcome.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

  5. #4
    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Carlisle, Pennsylvania USA
    Posts
    4,909
    Thanks
    1,396
    Thanked 6,390 Times in 2,505 Posts
    Rep Power
    18

    Default Re: New to the Pen World, but I'm Admittedly Addicted...

    James, I’d say you dove into the deep end! A whole collection as starters!

  6. #5
    Senior Member manoeuver's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Near Midwest, US
    Posts
    1,594
    Thanks
    1,227
    Thanked 1,081 Times in 555 Posts
    Rep Power
    15

    Default Re: New to the Pen World, but I'm Admittedly Addicted...

    woah. whoa. yes, post photes, we'll have some fun.

  7. #6
    Senior Member jar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Deep South Texas
    Posts
    4,045
    Thanks
    479
    Thanked 3,712 Times in 1,610 Posts
    Rep Power
    18

    Default Re: New to the Pen World, but I'm Admittedly Addicted...

    Welcome home. Pull up a stump but don't set a spell. Instead get the hence to Dromgoole's on Rice Blvd.

  8. #7
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
    Location
    Houston
    Posts
    22
    Thanks
    6
    Thanked 18 Times in 9 Posts
    Rep Power
    0

    Post Re: New to the Pen World, but I'm Admittedly Addicted...

    Quote Originally Posted by FredRydr View Post
    James, I’d say you dove into the deep end! A whole collection as starters!
    I most certainly did dive right in! My intent was to get a few pens to start, just didn't think it would be 40+ all at once. The opportunity and value was too good to pass up and as a result I've got all sorts of interesting stuff (the man whose collection I was fortunate enough to acquire was an engineer who loved the technical aspects of just about everything, according to his wife). After cataloguing and researching all of those pens/pencils and learning even more about them, the bug bit me HARD and now I've got pens everywhere. My wife has an affinity for writing instruments as well, and already did prior to meeting me, so she's actually encouraging this behavior.

    Thanks for the warm welcome, everybody!

    James

  9. The Following User Says Thank You to moonamongus For This Useful Post:

    manoeuver (September 16th, 2020)

  10. #8
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
    Location
    Houston
    Posts
    22
    Thanks
    6
    Thanked 18 Times in 9 Posts
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Re: New to the Pen World, but I'm Admittedly Addicted...

    Quote Originally Posted by manoeuver View Post
    woah. whoa. yes, post photes, we'll have some fun.
    I most definitely will! My photography skills won't do most of these beautiful pens justice, but I'll do my best.

  11. #9
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
    Location
    Houston
    Posts
    22
    Thanks
    6
    Thanked 18 Times in 9 Posts
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Re: New to the Pen World, but I'm Admittedly Addicted...

    Quote Originally Posted by jar View Post
    Welcome home. Pull up a stump but don't set a spell. Instead get the hence to Dromgoole's on Rice Blvd.
    Actually, I've visited there once just to browse (before the entire collection purchase occurred). Will probably go back at some point, but it's a solid 1.5 hour round trip drive from my home and I've got my first child arriving some time this week!

  12. #10
    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Carlisle, Pennsylvania USA
    Posts
    4,909
    Thanks
    1,396
    Thanked 6,390 Times in 2,505 Posts
    Rep Power
    18

    Default Re: New to the Pen World, but I'm Admittedly Addicted...

    Quote Originally Posted by moonamongus View Post
    ...My wife has an affinity for writing instruments as well, and already did prior to meeting me, so she's actually encouraging this behavior....
    An enabler, too! (BTDT)

  13. #11
    Junior Member Hawker800's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Posts
    20
    Thanks
    104
    Thanked 32 Times in 12 Posts
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Re: New to the Pen World, but I'm Admittedly Addicted...


  14. #12
    Senior Member azkid's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Colorado, USA
    Posts
    2,016
    Thanks
    3,725
    Thanked 1,703 Times in 822 Posts
    Rep Power
    9

    Default Re: New to the Pen World, but I'm Admittedly Addicted...

    Welcome from Colorado. Sounds like you went all in there. Happy to help ID if I can but others here know lots more than I do.

  15. #13
    Senior Member jar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Deep South Texas
    Posts
    4,045
    Thanks
    479
    Thanked 3,712 Times in 1,610 Posts
    Rep Power
    18

    Default Re: New to the Pen World, but I'm Admittedly Addicted...

    Quote Originally Posted by moonamongus View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by jar View Post
    Welcome home. Pull up a stump but don't set a spell. Instead get the hence to Dromgoole's on Rice Blvd.
    Actually, I've visited there once just to browse (before the entire collection purchase occurred). Will probably go back at some point, but it's a solid 1.5 hour round trip drive from my home and I've got my first child arriving some time this week!
    They are truly good folk and once you get a break from the first child (say in two or three decades) head over there. Bring what you can't identify and I bet they will rattle off names faster than you can write.

  16. #14
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
    Posts
    24
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 11 Times in 9 Posts
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Re: New to the Pen World, but I'm Admittedly Addicted...

    Welcome from Dallas

  17. #15
    Senior Member Mags's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Saskatoon, Canada
    Posts
    1,237
    Thanks
    365
    Thanked 500 Times in 294 Posts
    Rep Power
    13

    Default Re: New to the Pen World, but I'm Admittedly Addicted...

    Welcome from Saskatoon, Canada. Full immersion in to the pursuit or hobby is an excellent way to fully commit to a new passion. Good for you.

    The next challenge with 40, 50 or more pens is what to do to display them or store them or insure them. Do share how you tackle these challenges along with restoration, use and acquisition as you enjoy the fountain pen hobby. Perhaps your wife’s affinity for writing instruments is due to some creative writing ability and she can create some rhymes or poems about the journey that will chronicle your journey and entertain us as we read some writing should you choose to share a sample.
    Mags or Rob Maguire MB 149, 147, 146,144, Mozart, Boehme, Sailor Realo, Aurora Optima, Churchmen Prescriptor and Parson's Essential, Parker 51 1.3 mm stub, Parker Vacumatic 1939 OB Can, TWSBI's (540,580, Mini and Vac 700), Pelikan M 1000/800 Demonstrator 600/200 demoM/200 OBB, Visconti Rembrandts (2), Lamy, Cross, Watermans, Pilots, Sheaffer's, Omas 360 LE 84/360, GvFC, Esterbrooks J and SJ, Bexley Jitterbug, Taccia, Eversharp 1952 flex, Edison Herald, Franklin Christoph Piper.

  18. #16
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
    Location
    Houston
    Posts
    22
    Thanks
    6
    Thanked 18 Times in 9 Posts
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Re: New to the Pen World, but I'm Admittedly Addicted...

    Quote Originally Posted by Mags View Post
    Welcome from Saskatoon, Canada. Full immersion in to the pursuit or hobby is an excellent way to fully commit to a new passion. Good for you.

    The next challenge with 40, 50 or more pens is what to do to display them or store them or insure them. Do share how you tackle these challenges along with restoration, use and acquisition as you enjoy the fountain pen hobby. Perhaps your wife’s affinity for writing instruments is due to some creative writing ability and she can create some rhymes or poems about the journey that will chronicle your journey and entertain us as we read some writing should you choose to share a sample.
    Thank you, I'm happy to be here! About 2-3 weeks after securing that collection, I was extremely fortunate in stumbling upon a local estate sale of a man who was extremely fond of leather goods (Levenger was his favorite). I've never seen anything quite like it, with this entire house stacked full of leather folios and planners, briefcases, luggage, phone and pad cases, etc. He was essentially a leather hoarder. Anyhow, there was a full box of leather pen holders priced at $1 apiece and I snatched about 30 of them including a couple 2-pen vintage Mont Blanc (one burgundy clip and one black one that closes), 3-pen Pelikan, 4-pen red leather Lamy, 5-pen Levenger, 3-pen Franklin Christoph, and multiple other 1-2 pen Cross/Levenger/Taccia/Di Loro holders...so for now the majority of the nicest pen acquisitions are housed in these. The estate sale lady had also put all the pens/pencils in a big tub and I spent an hour digging through it since they were priced at 25 cents each - found an Elysee, some Cross pens (including an all black rollerball which I've yet to identify), a bunch of vintage drafting pencils, a few Parkers, and a Sheaffer calligraphy pen (in my wife's possession now).

    As far as future storage beyond the cases, my sister does resin art and we've talked about her creating some sort of wooden shelves with red/black/gold swirl resin and a vertical pen stand. I'd also like a nice 20+ pen box with a drawer eventually, but so far I've balked at the price of something like that.

    My wife started watching calligraphy vids on YouTube after I got going on this, so perhaps there will be some writing samples to share in the future. Hard to believe I'm starting this journey at almost the exact same time as my son is being born. There will be a lot of documentation going on here shortly. Looking forward to all of it!
    Last edited by moonamongus; September 17th, 2020 at 11:01 AM.

  19. The Following User Says Thank You to moonamongus For This Useful Post:

    azkid (September 17th, 2020)

  20. #17
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
    Posts
    3
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Re: New to the Pen World, but I'm Admittedly Addicted...

    Have I missed a post or haven't you posted any photo yet

    newbee
    Tiny

  21. #18
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
    Location
    Houston
    Posts
    22
    Thanks
    6
    Thanked 18 Times in 9 Posts
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Re: New to the Pen World, but I'm Admittedly Addicted...

    Quote Originally Posted by Tiny View Post
    Have I missed a post or haven't you posted any photo yet

    newbee
    Tiny
    There is a new thread under the "Pens in General" area where there are a few pictures of some of the obscure pens mentioned. I'll add three more today which I'm having a hard time with pinpointing, but wanted to clean them before taking pictures for optimal ID'ing purposes. A lot of the estate pens are in need of a little TLC and I'm doing the best I can with basic room temperature distilled water and polishing pads. The man whose collection I got kept his pens in great shape, so most of those were restored and ready to go right out of the box. After going through the lesser knowns, there will be posts of the "good" stuff. Admittedly, "the collection" as it will be so lovingly referred to for now, was heavy on rollerballs and mechanical pencils, which intrigued the guy since he was an engineer...not sure if the fountain pen enthusiasts will care much about many of them.

  22. The Following User Says Thank You to moonamongus For This Useful Post:

    Tiny (September 19th, 2020)

  23. #19
    Senior Member Wahl's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Spain
    Posts
    1,442
    Thanks
    48
    Thanked 343 Times in 249 Posts
    Rep Power
    12

    Default Re: New to the Pen World, but I'm Admittedly Addicted...


  24. #20
    Senior Member Morgaine's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Posts
    1,073
    Thanks
    635
    Thanked 386 Times in 254 Posts
    Rep Power
    12

    Default Re: New to the Pen World, but I'm Admittedly Addicted...

    Hello and welcome.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •