For Fountain Pen folks

[Carlos]

Richard has worked on some of mine.

There is a flash of a pen show in that vid. There is a major pen show the same weekend as the Chicago Pipe and Tobacco show. Not too many miles apart. A person could do both if he wanted.

 

[puros_bran]

Richard has worked on some of mine.  

There is a flash of a pen show in that vid.  There is a major pen show the same weekend as the Chicago Pipe and Tobacco show.  Not too many miles apart.  A person could do both if he wanted.

Are you telling on yourself?

 

[Carlos]

Richard has worked on some of mine.  

There is a flash of a pen show in that vid.  There is a major pen show the same weekend as the Chicago Pipe and Tobacco show.  Not too many miles apart.  A person could do both if he wanted.

Are you telling on yourself?  

Nope. I think about it. Then I realize it's down by O'Hare and I don't want to deal with the traffic.

 

[Stick]

Several years ago i treated myself to a Parker Sonnet in matt black with gold trim . l loved that pen and used it as my daily writer. Sadly l dropped it and would you believe it, it landed on the nib damaging it beyond my ability to repair it. So, with 2 young children i could never really justify the expense of a new nib until last week. I bought a new one online and fitted it straight away. I have to say that it was like having an old friend back and it hasn't left my side. Reunited at last!

 

[huffelpuff]

I have to say that it was like having an old friend back and it hasn't left my side. Reunited at last!

I have to say David that right there brought a tear to this old geezers eye. There's something special about certain pens and not everybody gets it. Glad you're up and running with your pal again.

Jim

 

[monbla256]

Have been using these two Mont Blancs all week a grey 342 from the early '50s:



and this Corral 216 from 1948, This one's a button filler made in their Danish factory which they closed down in the early '50s and where the Corral pens at that time were made:



Both of them are wonderful tools for writing made when that is what this firm made. :bball:

 

[Stick]

I have to say that it was like having an old friend back and it hasn't left my side. Reunited at last!

I have to say David that right there brought a tear to this old geezers eye. There's something special about certain pens and not everybody gets it. Glad you're up and running with your pal again.

Jim

Yes Jim, lots of memories attached to this pen.  As an example Madame Gondree used it to write a write a few words to me on the back of a post card.  See pic.  



Arlette Gondree is a very special lady.  She is the daughter of George Gondree who owned the first building to be liberated on 6 Jun 1944 in the first action during Op Overlord.  For those who are not familiar with the story, ahead of the landings 3 gliders landed and secured the bridges over the river Orne and the canal north of Caen, Normandy.  It's an incredible story in itself and well worth a read.  Steven E Ambrose captures it perfectly in his book Pegasus Bridge.  Arlette was only about 4 at the time but she says she recalls the night in perfect detail.  Anyway, back in 2005 I took my wife to see the bridges and the places the gliders landed.  Whilst there we had a coffee in the Gondree's Café and amazingly was served by Arlette.  We got chatting and she ended up signing the card for me with my pen.

 

[huffelpuff]

Now that right there was a tale worth the hearing old bean!

 

[huffelpuff]

Michael, those are some real beauties you got there! I get the feeling you're holding out on us though. Inquiring minds and all that.

Jim

 

[Stick]

Now that right there was a tale worth the hearing old bean!

Here you go Jim, managed to find it.  Here's Arlette and me in front of her café...



Interestingly, the chap sat just behind me is ex Special Forces from Op Overlord. He parachuted in in '44 and was that taken with Normandy he vowed to return after the war. That he did and now lives very close to Pegasus Bridge. Arlette explained that, every day, without fail, he turns up for a beer in her café. How cool is that?!

 

[monbla256]

Michael, those are some real beauties you got there! I get the feeling you're holding out on us though. Inquiring minds and all that.

Jim

Not really holding out, just haven't revealed the results of 30+ years of fountain pen collecting and i have over 3 times the number of pens in my collection as opposed to just the 100+ pipes i smoke !! With time you'll see more !! :twisted:

 

[Brewdude]

Now that right there was a tale worth the hearing old bean!

Here you go Jim, managed to find it.  Here's Arlette and me in front of her café...



Interestingly, the chap sat just behind me is ex Special Forces from Op Overlord.  He parachuted in in '44 and was that taken with Normandy he vowed to return after the war.  That he did and now lives very close to Pegasus Bridge.  Arlette explained that, every day, without fail, he turns up for a beer in her café.  How cool is that?!

David mate, that's an extraordinary story and no mistake! What a great experience for you and I'm sure you'll remember it always.

8) 8) 8) 8) 8)


Cheers,

RR

 

[Stick]

Two fine looking pens there Michael. I especially like the colouration on the Corral. Are most of your Mont Blancs?

 

[monbla256]

Two fine looking pens there Michael.  I especially like the colouration on the Corral.  Are most of your Mont Blancs?  

No, out of the over 300 I have, only about 36 are MBs. The rest are mostly late 30's thru early '60s  Parkers, both US and UK models and probably 100 are post war European pens. I've a wide variety of German pens from the late '40s thru '50s. By the mid to late '60s the ballpoint had superceded the fountain pen as a writting tool and many makers began to make pocket jewelery which is where the Mont Blanc firm is today ! I wouldn't have ANY of their pens made after 1960 myself and don't  :twisted: :twisted:

 

[Stick]

Interesting comment regarding the contemporary MBs Michael. I don't know the history of the company as well as you but my impression of them when travelling through airports etc is that they're more an accessory than a serious writing instrument. Pocket Jewellery is a great definition! I suppose a way to test this theory is to remove the 'snow cap' branding. If they still sold 'brandless' it could only be due to their reputation as a writing instrument.
Staying within Europe, what are the German brands you'd recommend?

 

[monbla256]

Gonna use two different pens for the next week one Italian and the other German. First is an Aurora 88 from 1949:



The other a Mont Blanc Miesterstuck 74 from 1959:



What are you guys using ?

 

[huffelpuff]

Very beautiful pens there Michael! The Aurora is a real beauty for sure.

Jim

 

[Stick]

You really do have a great collection Michael. Good to see some earlier MBs too.

As you know I only have my 04 Parker Sonnet, but I use it daily for everything from making notes in my journal to writing letters to friends and family. I believe it beats an email in many ways.

 

[monbla256]

You really do have a great collection Michael.  Good to see some earlier MBs too.

As you know I only have my 04 Parker Sonnet, but I use it daily for everything from making notes in my journal to writing letters to friends and family.  I believe it beats an email in many ways.

You use a good pen and you're corrct, a handwritten letter is WAAAAY better than texting or e-mail.  :twisted: But THAT takes time and EFFORT and BOTH of those are NOT on the list of things important in the 21st century !! Years ago, before the interweb we had Pen Forums and they were done by MAIL with pen and paper and we all got a LOT of info DESPITE the what's now considered primativeness of our methods !! :twisted: :twisted:

 

[Richard Burley]

You use a good pen and you're corrct, a handwritten letter is WAAAAY better than texting or e-mail.  :twisted: But THAT takes time and EFFORT and BOTH of those are NOT on the list of things important in the 21st century !! Years ago, before the interweb we had Pen Forums and they were done by MAIL with pen and paper and we all got a LOT of info DESPITE the what's now considered primativeness of our methods !!  :twisted: :twisted:

(And here, until tripped up by better judgment, I was going to insert a comment regarding smoke signals...)