======================================================================== Nib Noise Volume 3 Number 10 ======================================================================== Welcome to Nib Noise. This e-newsletter is a joint effort of Richard Binder and Don Fluckinger. We hope you'll enjoy reading this month's issue. PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS NEWSLETTER! For comments or questions, send email to: richard@richardspens.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** New Pens, New Models, New Brands *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you've been at any of the recent pen shows, you may have seen a table display showing the gorgeous line of TACCIA pens. Taccia is a very new company founded by Shu-Jen Lin, and this lady has an eye for beauty and quality. I've given her pens a thorough going-over -- I left one inked, unused, for three solid weeks, and it wrote instantly when I picked it up -- and I am now an authorized Taccia retailer. Check out my selection of Mother of Pearl and Continental models: http://www.richardspens.com/?page=newp_tac.htm As an authorized BEXLEY retailer, I've been choosing models I think will appeal to people who like good-looking pens and like to use them. I have just received my first order of the new Bexley Prometheus. Just the name conjures up superhuman size and great deeds! I can’t promise the deeds, but the Prometheus is a true piston filler of heroic proportions. If you have been waiting for a big, truly beautiful pen that can stare down a Montblanc 149, this is it. Check out the Prometheus and my other Bexley models: http://www.richardspens.com/?page=newp_bex.htm Remember, unless otherwise requested at the time of sale, I dip-test each new pen at no extra charge before shipment, aligning and smoothing the nib and ensuring that it has good flow. If you order a new pen with a customized nib, I will modify the nib and ship the pen immediately instead of putting it into my regular queue. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Have It Your Way with My Pelikans *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I've changed the way I sell PELIKAN. No more am I just a nib guy with a few pens hanging around at the periphery. I now stock the full range of M200 and M150 pen colors -- I even have M250 Blue/Black and Green/Black bodies. I'm offering all of these pens the way Esterbrook used to offer pens: pick a color and pick a nib. (You can choose one of my customized nibs, or you can choose a standard nib; for the M200 I have F, M, B, and BB, and for the M150 I have M and B.) http://www.richardspens.com/?page=newp_pel.htm I will be adding 14K gold M250 nibs to my offering soon; keep an eye on my Pelikan page. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Rarae Aves (Rare Birds) -- Get 'Em While They're Hot! *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Late in December I managed to snag a VERY SMALL number of M150-sized Pelikan pens in solid red and solid green. These li'l birds have silver colored furniture and unplated steel nibs. Like my M150s with black caps and green barrels, they were made for the Italian market -- and they are EXTREMELY RARE. There will NOT be any more when I have sold these, so get yours while you can! http://www.richardspens.com/?page=newp_pel.htm I'll be perfectly happy to customize nibs on these pens, as with any other pen I sell. (My standard customizing charges will apply.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** If It's Saturday, This Must Be 2005! *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you're looking around wondering where's that 2005 calendar you didn't buy, this is it. This year, the pen photos are all new shots of Wahl and Eversharp pens, printed life size in full color and high resolution. If you can't afford a Pearl and Black Oversize roller-clip Equipoise, you can at least gaze longingly at one and think of better times while the March winds are shrieking around the house. Or the office. You decide. http://www.richardspens.com/?page=accessories/calendar.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** I'm Getting "Pads" on the Back! *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The return of my fountain pen friendly pads might be called a roaring success; these great pads have gotte rave reviews. Order yourself a pack today. You'll be in good company -- I got an enthusiastic letter about them by return mail from a member of the Parker family. Yes, *that* Parker family. http://www.richardspens.com/?page=accessories/pads.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Spruce Up Your Dull Office or Den *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Desk looking a little sterile? It could use a Sheaffer Balance coffee mug and mouse pad, you know, or maybe a Parker "51", or... And if you're like me, there's still time to order pen note cards to write your thank-you letters on. Check out all the items in my CafePress shop: http://www.cafepress.com/richardspens/ Ps. If there are other items you'd like to see my designs on, feel free to drop me an email. I'll consider it! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Broad Strokes" by Richard Binder ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The CA ballpoint was a disaster for Eversharp. What did the company to to save itself? They called in Raymond Loewy. Read my profile of the Eversharp Symphony. http://www.richardspens.com/?prof=symphony ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Extra Fine Points" by Don Fluckinger ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Here's one for the Pentrace faithful -- and hey, by the way, if you know of any songs that reference fountain pens in the lyrics, do drop our intrepid columnist an email. http://www.richardspens.com/?page=extrafine/xf0501.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Subscribe to My RSS Feed for Continual Updates *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ RSS means Really Simple Syndication. You can subscribe to my RSS feed by clicking the link on my site's main page: http://www.richardspens.com/?page=main.html If your browser complains that "feed" is not a registered protocol, open your RSS news reader and subscribe to this URL: http://www.richardspens.com/richardspens.rss If you're not already hooked up to RSS and what it can do for you, take a peek at this introductory page: http://www.popcornpopper.com/rsshelp.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ In the Reader's Corner ------------------------------------------------------------------------ My site's Reader's Corner features a monthly pick, a book that I like and think that you might enjoy, too. This month's pick is an essential reference book, brilliantly written and illustrated, that should be on every collector's book shelf: http://www.richardspens.com/?page=acc_txt.htm#readerscorner My monthly pick also appears as a link on my welcome page. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Vintage Pens for Sale ------------------------------------------------------------------------ It's been a hectic holiday season, and I must apologize for not having been able to make time to prepare any new vintage pens this month. I'll be sure to have some extra-secial goodies next time. In the meantime, please give my current vintage pens a look! Pens are graded according to the following condition scale. Within a grade, I use + or - to indicate shades of variation; for example, a pen that is B+ falls into the B grade and shows so little use that it is only marginally not A2. Condition Description A1 Mint (uninked). Shows no signs of use. A2 Mint (inked). As for A1 but may have been dipped or inked. N New Old Stock (NOS). Unsold dealer or manufacturer stock. Not dipped or inked but may show shop wear. B Excellent. All parts original and showing only very slight signs of use. Very slight surface scratching; very minor discoloration or brassing; crisp imprints; no significant dings. C Fine. All parts original. Some discoloration and brassing; light or worn imprints; small dings to metal or scratching on plastic. D Fair. Some parts possibly not original; significant brassing or discoloration; very worn imprints; dings and scratches. Maybe a good writing pen or usable for parts. Esterbrook ---------- Esterbrooks for sale: http://www.richardspens.com/?page=sale_est.htm Parker ------ Parkers for sale: http://www.richardspens.com/?page=sale_pkr.htm Sheaffer -------- Sheaffers for sale: http://www.richardspens.com/?page=sale_she.htm Others ------ Others for sale: http://www.richardspens.com/?page=sale_oth.htm ======================================================================== If you received this newsletter from Richard Binder, you are a subscriber. If not, you can subscribe by sending a mail message to richard@richardspens.com with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line, or by clicking on this link: mailto:richard@richardspens.com?subject=SUBSCRIBE To unsubscribe from this newsletter, send a mail message to richard@richardspens.com with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line, or click on this link: mailto:richard@richardspens.com?subject=UNSUBSCRIBE Note: We will never sell your name or email address. Your privacy is as important to us as it is to you.