======================================================================== Nib Noise * Volume 7 Number 8 ======================================================================== Welcome to Nib Noise. This 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 To subscribe or unsubscribe, please visit the Free Email Newsletter page on our site: http://www.richardspens.com/?page=nibnoise ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** It's the Dawning of Aurora! *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ We are pleased to welcome Aurora to our stable of new pens. Dick Krane of Kenro Industries cut some red tape for us and got us up and running very quickly -- thanks, Dick! We already have our first stock of Optimas, Talentums, and Ipsilons (regular and Deluxe); and there's more on the boat, heading here from Italy. (We'll be adding 88s as well as additional variants of the models we already have.) Come visit our Aurora page: http://www.richardspens.com/?newp=aur ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** The Ohio Show Is Almost Here! *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The 14th Annual Ohio Pen Show is coming NEXT WEEKEND (November 6-9)! Barbara and I will be on hand for all the festivities -- where will YOU be? With Weekenders' events cranking up on Thursday (30 tables) and running all day Friday (160 tables), and two full public days on the weekend, this year's show will be the ideal way to take your mind off the financial news. As always, there will be exciting new products and more vintage pens than you can take in; this show is one of the grand old vintage festivals, and it's really not to be missed. In case you haven't already made your reservation, Terry and his minions will be happy to sell you a Weekend Pass when you walk in the door on Thursday, so you needn't miss out on the wine and cheese party -- or the special vintage auction! (There will also be the regular full auction on Saturday.) For much more information, visit the show's Web site: http://www.ohiopenshow.com/ If this will be your first-ever pen show, be sure to read my pen show virgin's guide: http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref_info/firstshow.htm We'll have a selection of pens from the companies we represent: Aurora, Bexley, Classic Pens Inc., Conway Stewart, Pelikan, and Pilot/Namiki. Most of the pens we have at shows are offered at DISCOUNTED SHOW PRICES, with their nibs checked and smoothed -- and you save shipping costs, too. Talk about INSTANT GRATIFICATION! I'll have a stock of my preground Pelikan M200 and Pilot Vanishint Point specialty nibs. If you don't have a pen to go with your new nib, Barbara will be happy to fit your nib with a new M200 or Vanishing Point pen body in your choice of colors. As always, I'll be regrinding and tweaking nibs while you wait. We use a list, like your favorite restaurant, so you can enjoy the rest of the show while you await your turn. (But we don't have those little buzzy hockey pucks...) Bring a pen, and share a little time with friends at my table while I jazz up your writing experience. PLEASE READ OUR "TABLE TALK" FAQ TO LEARN HOW WE OPERATE AT A SHOW: http://www.richardspens.com/?page=tabletalk If you have pens that need repairs other than nib work, we'll be happy to save you some shipping costs by collecting them at the show and bringing them home to my studio -- or you can hand them to Ron Zorn of Main Street Pens, one of the best repair guys I know, and have them fixed right there. Ron's table will be right next to ours. We look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones. We hope to see you there. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Pens Coming In: New Pens Have Arrived *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pelikan's newest M215 version, called Orthogon, is here in stock. We also have all three of the earlier M215s for the completist in you, and we can also supply individual M215 nibs! http://www.richardspens.com/?newp=pel+m215 Also, the bright new Pilot Custom 74 clear demonstrators have come in, and they're selling fast. This is understandable because they're lovely pens, neither monstrous nor tiny. And they're fitted with Pilot's reliable large-capacity pump converter. http://www.richardspens.com/?newp=nam+custom74 It turns out that we were indeed reading the Pilot catalog right, and we now have Vanishing Points in the new Gunmetal Gray color. It's a great color; restrained yet brilliant, gleaming with Pilot's subtle metallic sheen. Pair a Gunmetal VP with a Chrome VP, and you've got all you need to mark your students' quiz answers right or wrong -- or tote up your double-entry bookkeeping -- or just look remarkably techno-cool. http://www.richardspens.com/?newp=nam+vp ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Pens Going Out: RichardsPens.com Waves Farewell to Signum *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Empire Pens, the U.S. importer for Signum pens, has changed its strategy and will now selling these excellent Italian pens directly to customers instead of working through dealers. We've closed out our entire Signum stock, and we wish Empire Pens the greatest of success in its new venture. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Bexley's 2009 Owner's Club Pens Will Be Here Soon *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I've been talking with Howard Levy about the 2009 Owner's Club pens. I can't tell you yet what they'll be like, but I've seen them, and I think they're terrific -- they're definitely something different and exciting! When Bexley releases photos, we'll send out a special edition of Nib Noise to let you know where you can see them. If you're already a registered Bexley owner, you'll be receiving your Owner's Club certificate soon. If you own Bexley pens that you haven't registered, I recommend that you register them *immediately* so you'll be on the Owner's Club list this year. If you don't yet own even one Bexley pen, what are you waiting for? In addition to the standard Bexley lineup, there are still a very small number of 2008 Owner's Club pens. Choose your pen, make your purchase, and register the pen yesterday! http://www.richardspens.com/?newp=bex Remember, when your certificate arrives, you'll need to decide on nib size, color, and issue number -- and PLACE YOUR ORDER WITH US, NOT WITH BEXLEY (which doesn't accept orders directly), as soon as you can for the best chance of securing the issue number you'd like. The Owner's Club series is a guaranteed sellout; the only reason there are still some 2008 pens remaining is that they were also Bexley's 15th Anniversary issue, and more were made than usual. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** The Holiday Season Is Upon Us! *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yes, we know that Hallowe'en was only last night and Thanksgiving is almost a month down the pike, but it's time to start thinking about Christmas gifts for the special people in your life. We're an Internet business, so we're especially conscious of the need to be forehanded in making your purchases of pens and accessories. For the gifts you can't be sure of, we offer RichardsPens.com Gift Certificates in any denomination. We're now able to deliver Gift Certificates either in printed form or electronically as PDF files that will look just the same as our printed certificates when you print them on your own system. Electronic Gift Certificates are sent free -- no shipping charges! http://www.richardspens.com/?page=accessories ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** It's Going to Cost More to Be a Pilot... *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ...or at least to be a Pilot user. Pilot has announced that after holding the line for three full years, it will be increasing prices on January 1, 2009. Our price for standard Vanishing Point nibs, for example, will rise from $30.00 to $53.00. My preground specialty nibs will rise accordingly. Save some of that long green by making your Pilot and Namiki purchases this month or next. http://www.richardspens.com/?newp=nam ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Now Available: The 2009 Richard's Pens Calendar Is Here! *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you're looking around for the perfect 2009 wall calendar, look no further. Our 2009 calendar is now available in our CafePress shop. At 11"×17", it's plenty big enough to see from across the room — and there’s room to write some actual useful reminders into each day’s space. The illustrations feature twelve different vintage and modern pens larger than life, styled to look like still-life photos. Here's a link to our calendar page, with more information and a direct one-click link to purchase your own copy. http://www.richardspens.com/?acc=calendar.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Time to Start Dropping Hints About Pen Storage *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pen collectors, sometimes your loved ones would like to get you a pen- related holiday gift but they just have no idea what you want under the tree, because you already seem to have everything. Well, this month Don's cooked up an extra special assortment of gift ideas, wink wink, with an extra selection of economy stacks. Drop a hint with your special someone and see what develops! Hurry, though, they tend to fly off the site. http://www.richardspens.com/?acc=dons_boxes ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** For the Vintage Collector in You *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ This month we have some very, very nice pens for you, including a really pretty black De Luxe (translation: oversize) Hundred Year Pen. If you've ever been shut out before, you know that you have to act fast to beat out Sumgai: http://www.richardspens.com/?newp= ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Broad Strokes" by Richard Binder ------------------------------------------------------------------------ It always surprises me, but I continue to receive emails with the basic question, "Why would I want to bother with a fountain pen?" Here's my basic answer: http://www.richardspens.com/?ttp=whats_point And speaking of reference information, if you're a frequent visitor to our Glossary, you might like to know that the red "taillight" in the middle of the page-top site banner is a shortcut to the Glossary. When you mouse over it, it'll switch on just like one of the menu lights in the light bar, and when you click it, it'll flash blue and send you on your way. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Extra Fine Points" by Don Fluckinger ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The American economy might be in the dumper, but the calendar says it's November, the month in which Americans give thanks for all the blessings they can count. So to boost your spirits, Don lists 10 things for which fountain pen collectors can be thankful. http://www.richardspens.com/?xf=0811 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Pens That Write Right! *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Unless otherwise requested at the time of sale, I tune each new pen or nib at no extra charge before shipment. I fill the pen with Waterman Blue-Black ink and write with it on paper from the same fountain pen friendly pads we sell, adjusting as necessary to bring it up to the RichardsPens.com "factory" standard for smoothness and flow. If you order a new pen with a customized nib, I will modify the nib (for an extra charge) and ship the pen immediately instead of putting it into my regular queue. Remember, we are authorized retailers for Bexley, Classic Pens Inc., Conway Stewart, Namiki and Pilot, Pelikan, and Signum. We don't always have a complete line up on the site, but we can get anything our manufacturers offer -- if you don't see it, just ask! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Subscribe to our RSS Feed *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ RSS means Really Simple Syndication. You can subscribe to our RSS feed by clicking the orange RSS button at the top of any page on our site or by plugging the following URI into your browser or RSS reader: 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 our introductory page: http://www.richardspens.com/?page=rsshelp ======================================================================== If you received this newsletter from Richard Binder, you are a Nib Noise subscriber. If it came from someone else, I invite you to subscribe. To subscribe or unsubscribe, please visit the Free Email Newsletter page on my site: http://www.richardspens.com/?page=nibnoise Note: We will never sell your name or email address. Your privacy is as important to us as it is to you.