Seeing we have wandered so far off course, this is a fantastic version:
Seeing we have wandered so far off course, this is a fantastic version:
Vintage. Cursive italic. Iron gall.
TSherbs (September 25th, 2021)
I rather liked this take on the Odyssey:
I find the idea of "imaginary cats" quite intriguing, my two real ones are weird enough!
The only pen I can remember from school is an Osmiroid. Not that I remember much about it, I think it was an object of desire, though not as desirable as a Parker, which by the time I got one had become a mere utilitarian object to me.
What got me here is this. I had been contacted (emailed) by an old girlfriend about 55 years after the event. (And I DO mean event!). She was a young librarian back then, and I was at art school with her best friend, who was going out with my best friend.
There is a longer story but I'll spare you that. One day I received a beautifully written letter in the mailbox. It was from the librarian's 'friend' and was a just full of newsy fun, plus sweet little drawings thrown in. Just full of handwritten, handmade character. The old girlfriend had given her friend my address. I had to reply by pen of course, so I bought a cheap Shaeffer at the local office suppiers because like most, I've been dealing with keyboards and felt-tips for many years. That Shaeffer did the job initially, but like most things in life I've never been satisfied with the basic item. An inveterate 'fiddler'.
I picked up a couple of pens at charity shops and worked on them a bit. Got a couple online.
Then on a phone-call, in passing, I mentioned my enthusiasm for old pens to my ol' step-mum. Irene had been a distinguished educationalist and Headmistress. (We're rather proud of her M.B.E). Well, a couple of weeks later came a little parcel of old pens. Her and my dad's old pens, which I treasure, particularly my father's Rotring 'Artist' (he was an Artist) and the beautiful Shaeffer set presented to Step-mum on 'the occasion'.
Hooked then. By the pen.
My favorite lit prof, after we met in his office in the course of an essay writing class, gave me his fountain pen, an Osmiroid 65 with a medium italic nib.
It was a cranky monster, leaky with a scratchy nib that took lots of practice to produce a legible script. But I used it to write my first book of poems.
When I thanked him for it, much later, he apologized and confessed that he hated it.
I spent time on the Fountain Pen Network, but the robo censor function drove me nuts.
Got interested in restoring Esterbrook and found this and other forums for advice. I bought a pen from Deb before she stopped posting.
Hi 🙋🏻*♂️. Probably a similar story to Eachan's ….early years at boarding school in England, dip pens with italic nibs and inkwells until we were allowed to get a fountain pen.
Then a Platignum Silverline italic/ the hooded Platignum cartridge pen / an Osmiroid 64….all of which by some strange magic I still have and which still work well !!!
F.P s interspersed with the ubiquitous ballpoint until later someone gave me an Osmiroid with its 'copperplate' nib unit. Which fascinated me but wasn’t very good ….. a big gap of travelling around the world being a hippie until settling somewhat.
Then trying the ‘copperplate nib again and wondering if there was a better type of flex nib…..another big gap working til giving that up…
And discovering Mauricio's site , Vintage pens.com , buying a lovely flexible Blackbird and launching into collecting pens on a ridiculous scale.
Onwards and upwards obsessively til I could do the gorgeous cursive he does…….
Haven’t looked back.
I love pre war bchr…and my main love is early Mabie Todd and Waterman pens.
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