The lost pens

Ugh. Losing pens stinks. But to paraphrase the saying, "If you haven't lost a pen...then you probably haven't been collecting long enough!" The challenge is that they are small items that are used, not just stored, and when you're out and about sometimes the worst can happen.

I've been fortunate to have lost only a few, but I still mourn their loss.  Later in life, in moments of weakness (and if the deal is right), I may try and restore them to my pen stable.

Parker 88 in matte navy
A late '80's, early '90's brass tube with a gold-plated, stainless steel nib. It looks like a souped up Vector, and while it wouldn't be something I would be attracted to if it were released now by a pen company, I thought it was pretty special when I was a student. I believe it may have been obtained at the Buy and Sell Shop in Madison, WI.

This pen was lost, I believe, when it was left behind in a university classroom in Houston in the late '90's. 

The next two pens were lost together in the early 2000's. They were in a pen case in my bag that didn't get zipped up all of the way. I was running late to a meeting and moving at a jogging pace and the bounce of my pace knocked the pens out. What I wouldn't give to have skipped that, now, meaningless meeting!

Montblanc 144 
A pivotal pen in my life. It was given to me by The Love of My Life as a Christmas present after we had dated only a few months. While I already knew that she was The One, this pen made this even more abundantly clear.

This pen is a little different than the Montblanc norm. It's a little smaller, it has slip on cap, and it uses a cartridge/converter, but it was a sweet little pen!

Waterman Preface in Blue
Another lacquer over brass tube, but with a nicer (than the Parker 88) nib made of 18k gold. This pen was purchased on June 21, 1999 at Le Stylo D'Or (62 Avenue des temes) in Paris on our honeymoon.


Finally, my grandmother gave me a fountain pen from her writing desk in the mid '80's. As a teenager, I was already fascinated by these writing instruments, but was, unfortunately, ignorant of how they worked. I brought the pen home, promptly filled it with the ink I had at hand, couldn't get it to work, thought it was broken, and threw it away. It ended up that I filled it with India ink and clogged it up myself. My grandmother lived until she was 99 years old (about thirty years after she gifted me this pen) and I wish that she would have waited a few more years before giving me this piece of history. I don't even know what it was--a Sheaffer Balance? A Parker Challenger? I wish I knew! 


I sometimes wonder where all of these pens ended up. Are they still be used and enjoyed? Although I wish I had never lost them (and can't believe I actually threw one away!), I certainly hope so!

Lessons from Yo Yo Ma

Yo Yo Ma. Brilliant, thoughtful, and profound. Such a joy to hear, be around, and perform with. Here are some lessons from an opportunity to play in the orchestra with him as the soloist:

1. If two people have sympathy for one another, they can play well together. 
2. Musicians are all a little crazy. He invited us to "all be crazy together!"
3. Music from Dvorak's time period had to be led from the bass. The bass creates the earth so others can swim on the surface or soar through the sky. This can't happen without the bass.
4. He told the orchestra, "Don't be afraid of covering me up!" This creates an important tension between the soloist and the orchestra.
5. Connection is more important than music. The music is just a tool. This connection exists both between performers, and between the performers and the audience. Everyone in the hall could sense his generosity of spirit.
6. He transcends technique. His body does what his mind hears, and that doesn't always look like what the method books model.
7. The work has to be done before the connection can happen, and he has done this work.

Lessons from Australia and Being Part of a Strong Team

I spent three weeks on tour in Australia with an excellent chamber orchestra. The group plays together with great intensity almost constantly, and I (along with a number of other musicians) were brought in to augment their numbers so they would be able to perform some larger scale works.

It was interesting to observe how highly functioning they were as an ensemble--both musically and interpersonally, and I came back with some thoughts I wanted to remember and apply:

1. Keep seeking excellence. Always be growing and pushing yourself.
2. Read. Readers are leaders.
3. When needed, get out of the way and forgive others when they don't.
4. Seek/accept constructive feedback.
5. Use sarcasm sparingly. People are often more sensitive than one may think. 
6. We're all trying. Recognize and acknowledge that, even when something doesn't meet your expectations.
7. Exercise. Imagine you were given a vehicle to drive when you turned 16. How well would you take care of that car if that were the only one you could ever have? Take care of yourself.
8. Work with purpose.
9. Try and be around people who feel the same (or close to it) as you.
10. Be a part of a strong team and work to develop it.
11. Keep growing. Aspire.

Wahl Eversharp Gold Seal Pen

This pen is difficult to find information on as it doesn't appear to have been either advertised or cataloged by Wahl Eversharp. Here's what I've been able to find out from sources on www.fountainpennetwork.com and from Richard Binder's site:

• The pen is known as the Eversharp Gold Seal Pen, and it was produced between the Doric and Skyline models. Somewhere around 1939-1941?
• One of the last models to carry the Gold Seal emblem.
• They were produced in two sizes. This one appears to have been the longer of the two, though this is not a very large pen.
• They came in two colors: Dubonnet Red (burgundy) and black. This pen has a visualated section.
• They cost $5.00 new.
• Richard Binder's example has EVERSHARP MADE IN U.S.A. Mine has WAHL EVERSHARP MADE IN USA on the barrel.

While this is a nice pen, it is certainly not the built at the same quality level as other world class pens being produced at that time as the body feels somewhat insubstantial and it is a bit plain.

However, the nib is excellent, and a very fine writer. It produces a nice, wet, smooth, reliable line.

When I got it I had to install a sac and reinstall the pressure bar (which meant I had to remove the lever the pin). The pressure bar was a pain to do, but it worked out well.

Gold Seal

Eversharp Made in USA 14k

Engraved initials: C.O.S.

Elephant Ink Blotter

I like to keep some blotting paper stashed inside my favorite notebook (Rhodia webnotebook) to keep things from getting messy, but it's always nice to have a dedicated blotter at your desk. Here's an attractive old glass elephant ink blotter at an antique store purchased for $25.

Apparently these are Depression era blotters that were made beginning in 1931. These blotters were made by the Houze Glass Company and have THEW-31 marked on them. The elephant appears to be the most frequently found, but they can also be found as sailboats, ponies, and scotty dogs.

THEW-31

Similar in size to the J. Herbin blotter

Top view

Ground bottom

It looks like these were made by putting together two separate halves, then grinding down the bottom a bit. Unfortunately, the bottom is still far from being flat, which is a disadvantage when using the blotter because the blotter can rock side to side as well as back and forth.

I thought that the clips that hold the paper in place would get in the way, but they don't bother me. It doesn't feel like you want to rock all the way to the clips when in use.

After the blotting has occurred

Despite the lack of a flat bottom, and the clips, it works just fine (when the paper is attached to the blotter, it tends to even out the bottom). While the J. Herbin seems to be a little less fussy to use, I'm happy to keep and use this at one of my desks.

Replacement clips can be found at http://www.pendemonium.com/blotters.htm

P.S. It appears that these are often found sans clips. While you could fashion your own (or maybe even use a rubberband), you can also get a set for $5.00 that look just like the originals.

Platinum President Review

Here is the Platinum President in black with rhodium trim (purchased on Massdrop.com for $189, which was a good price. This model sells at penchalet.com for $260). I generally favor a "European medium" nib, so I bought this one with a bold nib thinking that this would approximate my preferred nib size.

Platinum is a pen brand that has flown under the radar for me, and when it's crossed my attention I've had the impression (whether fairly or not) that they are the weakest of Japanese "Big Three". The only Platinum pen I'd ever used was a Preppy that came free with a bottle of Noodler's ink, which actually wrote well enough for a dirt-cheap pen. It was fun to see and try Platinum's flagship pen, and overall, I'm favorably impressed with it. My initial impression is that this is an art deco inspired MB 146-lite.

The packaging is unremarkable. A simple outer package, a brown and fuzzy inner box. The contents include an instruction sheet and warranty card (written mostly in Japanese), a cartridge of black ink, and a converter. There was no cartridge converter included.

Outer box

Funky inner box

Box contents

Box contents II

Instructions

Instructions II

Warranty card

Included cartridge

Tag

Art deco clip

Clip profile

I really do like the step detail on this pen clip.

Band "President"

Band "Japan"

Band "Platinum"

Nib 18K Bold

Nib/feed profile

Feed

Nib and Section

Platinum President (top) Montblanc 146 (bottom)

As you can see, the President and the Montblanc 146 are very similar. I don't know who originally designed this iconic pen style, but I would consider the President as a Montblanc Meisterstück inspired design. While they do look very similar, there are a number of differences. The President is a C/C filler (not piston), has more rounded ends, and lacks the iconic white peak. There is also a different feel to the pen. The President simply feels less substantial that the 146. I don't know enough about manufacturing or "precious resin" grades to know why. There is a noticeable difference between the pens when screwing on the caps. While the MB screws on smoothly and assuredly, the President can feel like the threads are in danger of being stripped if the cap is not centered exactly over the pen.

Taken apart

Taken apart II

Writing sample

How does it write? Very well. As can be seen in the writing sample, the President bold nib is slightly wider than the medium-nibbed Montblanc. I had seen reviews stating that Platinum pens tended towards "feedback" on the page, and was afraid that may be code for a poorly polished, rough feeling nib. On the contrary, this pen writes quite smoothly, reliably, and with a nice, wet line. Additionally, I really like the size, weight, and balance of this pen. A winner!

More Old Notebooks!

Well seek and ye shall find.

Happy to come across two cool notebooks today.

Field Notes, Wm. Cameron & Co., Julius Hyman & Company, with a Pilot Falcon

The first "farmers' and ranchers' memo book" is from 1958-59 and was made for Wm. Cameron & Co. William Cameron has a fascinating history, and his family donated the land for Cameron Park in Waco, TX. There's even an antique store in Waco called Cameron Trading Company that used to be his home and business headquarters. The notebook measures 5 3/8" x 3 1/8".

Cover

Inside cover

Top bound, unlined paper

Inside back cover: "Every month make some improvement to increase the value of your farm."

Back cover

Notebook number two is from Julius Hyman & Company from Denver, CO, and is from January, 1951. It's a small notebook at only 4 1/4" x 2 3/8". It's also top-bound, and the pages are perforated for easy tear-out.

Cover

My favorite thing about this notebook is imagining someone handwriting this parting note at the end of each notebook.