You have seen matchbooks before and you likely have one or two books in your home for emergency use, lighting candles, or even for that celebratory cigar. A matchbook is a small paper folder that holds up to a couple rows of matches and a striking surface. It is not unusual to find a blank matchbook cover but more often than not, the cover will be printed with a logo, artwork, or advertisements. Phillumeny: the …
This is a 1932 Meteore (Pullman) #1 BF in Black Hard Rubber over a brass lining. Unsigned cap and barrel, other than “PATENT” on clip. Correct “D & D Paris 18 Cts 1” nib (Demley & Degan were the founders of La Plume d’Or, the French company which licensed the Pullman technology). This high quality, rare and famous pen, which opens and closes by pushing up & pulling down the barrel, which opens and closes the …
Is if safe to post the cap on my vintage pen? Some vintage pens are pretty robust. It depends on the material and design of the pen. Some cap lips are very thin and delicate, and posting it can make it more prone to cracks and breaks. Other caps have reinforced cap lips with cap bands and those can handle posting a little better. If you’re unsure, it’s best to not post, or post very …
This 1932 Pullman is a Pullman #2 BF in Octagonal Double-laminated gold-filled. Clip signed “Patent” and “Pullman.” Center of cap in “Checkerboard” pattern, the rest of the pen in “Barley” pattern. Nib signed “Pullman 14 CTS F” (fine, extra-flexible). Very high quality and very rare! Opens and closes by pushing up & pulling down the barrel, which opens and closes the hinged crown on the non-removable cap. Knurled blind-cap. Few were made, fewer survived as folks …
I need a pen that will last me through a lot of long writing sessions. What’s the best one? Eyedropper-filled pens usually have a large ink capacity, relative to cartridge/converter fillers. Some piston-fillers hold a lot of ink, and a lot of vacuum-fillers (i.e. Parker, Conid) have a great ink capacity that can last quite awhile. If you must refill on the go, eye droppers might be the most tricky, and vacuum-fillers are fairly easy …
This 1920 Mabie Todd is a “Jackdaw” Toledo lever-filler in Damascened-inlay overlay on Woodgrain Hard Rubber. Damascening is the art of hand inlaying different metals into one another, typically, 24K gold or fine silver hammered into a darkly oxidized steel background, to produce intricate patterns and designs. The English term comes from a perceived resemblance to the rich tapestry patterns of damask silk. Often called “Toledo” because much of the art comes from Toledo, Spain, a …
What do I do about a crack in the threads of my vintage Waterman pen? Vintage pens (and modern pens) can develop cracks in their lifetime of use. With a vintage pen, It depends where the crack is and how large it is. Assuming it’s on the thread of the section, you may be able to glue it closed and that might help it last a little longer. It may also be possible to have it …
This 1900 Aikin Lambert is the “Poinsettia” #2 eyedropper-fill straight-sided in repousse gold-filled “Poinsettia on hand hammered background” pattern (very rare). Aiken Lambert was a NYC based manufacturer founded in 1864. They started making pens in the late 1880s, all high quality. They supplied gold nibs to Waterman who, in 1915 acquired the company to ensure their continued supply. A wonderful example, with an unengraved barrel indicia and no brassing evident anywhere. Extra-fine, semi-flexible nib. Tiny …
The gold color seems to be wearing off the ring on the cap of my vintage pen. Can I polish it to bring it back? This is called brassing. It’s not tarnished but is actually the gold plating wearing off, as you notice, and showing the brass underneath. It cannot really be fixed easily unless you want to have the part replaced or restored by a professional.
Currently Inked – July 29, 2017 Aurora 88 Satin – Stub – Diamine Cerise Visconti Carbon Dream – OS – Montblanc Blue Hour Aurora Optima – Italic – Diamine Wild Strawberry Pelikan Souverän M400 – BB Stub – Toucan Aqua
