======================================================================== Nib Noise * Volume 10 Number 8 * November 2011 [Updated as noted below] ======================================================================== A MAJOR WINTER STORM STRUCK NEW ENGLAND ON OCTOBER 29-30. THE NASHUA PEN SPA IS WITHOUT POWER OR PHONE SERVICE. WE CANNOT RECEIVE OR RESPOND TO EMAIL AT THIS TIME, NOR CAN WE ACKNOWLEDGE PURCHASES. AS SOON AS WE ARE ABLE TO RESUME OUR NORMAL SERVICE, WE WILL POST NOTICES ON OUR SITE, ON FACEBOOK, AND ON TWITTER. PLEASE NOTE, WE WILL BE DELAYING THE NOVEMBER "PEN SHOW" TRAY AND DON'S CIGAR BOX PEN CASES UNTIL THE EVENING OF TUES- DAY, NOVEMBER 8. ======================================================================== Welcome to Nib Noise. 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/?info=nibnoise ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** For the Wearin’ o’ the Green! *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pelikan’s newest color is here! The M600-sized Green o’ Green has arrived at the Nashua Pen Spa, and it’s available now. This is not just a rerelease of the M620 Berlin! http://www.richardspens.com/?pens=pel+m600 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Trays 'n' Things *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [This article was added on November 8.] The storm is over, we have power and heat, and we just rolled into the Nashua Pen Spa at lunch time today, after a weekend at the Ohio Pen Show. As always, it was a fantastic show: lots of cool pens, lots of interesting people, and the auctions. Oh, yes, the auctions! I brought home two large goodie bags filled with pens I bought in the auctions. These pens will be showing up on our monthly Pen Show tray over the next few months, but in the meantime we have the tray I told you about a week ago, viz.: Once again -- as we do every month -- we've put together a tray of exciting restored pens for your delectation. Among the coolest pens this month is a "Bexwell." This is a Bexley Submariner Grande in the very desirable but no longer available Blue Pearl, with hand made custom trim of Damascus steel by David Broadwell. David's own custom pens start well into four figures; this is your chance to own a piece of his work for far less than that. This pen came from my personal collection. It's up there now, ready for your delectation! http://www.richardspens.com/?pens=vint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** And There Are The Boxes! *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [This article was added on November 8.] While some stores have had their Christmas inventory out for months, Don chose to wait until today to unveil a new set of cigar box pen chests, which make a great gift for your favorite pen collector...even if that happens to be yourself :) Anyway, even if you aren't in the market for one, go check out the page, because on is perhaps the most stunning chest he's had the pleasure of turning into a fountain pen vault: A triple-decker Upmann with a furniture-grade finish. If you're interest- ed, grab it, because no doubt the diehard customers who like the upscale chests will jump on this like flies on...Albert Pujols' bat. http://www.richardspens.com/?acc=boxes ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** We’re Building a List of Pen Clubs! *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pen collecting is a lot more fun when you share your passion with others. We have a new page listing pen clubs that we know. There’s probably a club near you. If there is, and it’s not listed on our page, please let us know about it. If not, maybe you should start one! http://www.richardspens.com/?info=clubs ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Last Month's Special Auction for the Dogs *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A big "thank you" to those who bid on our special auction last month. We were able to donate $200.00 to Greyhound Placement Service of New Hampshire for the care of retired racing greyhounds while they await adoption. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** It's Time for the Ohio Show! *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The 16th Annual Ohio Pen Show is coming THIS WEEKEND (November 3-6)! 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 make up your Holiday wish list. As always, there will be exciting new products and more vintage pens than you can take in, as well as two fabulous auctions for those who stay all weekend. This show is one of the grandest 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 "Parts and Found Pens" auction! (There will also be the regular full auction on Saturday, of course. And the spectacular poolside Dessert Party before the Saturday auction.) For much more information, including photos of the auction lots for both Thursday and Saturday, 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/?shows=firstshow We'll have a selection of pens from the companies we represent: Bexley, Edison, Gate City Pen, Namiki/Pilot, Onoto, and Pelikan. 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! 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...) PLEASE READ OUR "TABLE TALK" FAQ TO LEARN HOW WE OPERATE AT A SHOW: http://www.richardspens.com/?info=shows 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, one of the best repair guys I know, and have them fixed right there. To find Ron, just look for the Main Street Pens traffic light! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Shipping Notes for November and December *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Ohio show will naturally disrupt our shipping schedule a little. We will ship on November 2, the Wednesday before the show, and then our next shipping date will be Saturday, November 12. December is fast approaching. Our last shipping day before Christmas will be Wednesday, December 21. But that's not soon enough to get packages delivered before Christmas; for Christmas delivery, we recommend you place your order before December 14. We'll be closed between Christmas and New Year's day. We'll acknowledge purchases made during that time, and our first shipping day in 2012 will be Wednesday, January 4. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Mug of Sheaffer School Pens at the Ohio Pen Show *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ We've accumulated entirely too many SHEAFFER SCHOOL PENS. Some are new, some are used, but all are in good condition. We'll have 'em in a mug at the Ohio Pen Show, priced at $5.00 each. These pens all use Sheaffer cartridges; they do not accept converters. Come and help us not bring them back to Nashua. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** REMINDER: The New Dunn Pen Becomes Available on Friday *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ On Friday, November 4, at the Ohio Pen Show, we will introduce the New Dunn Pen. This pen, the third in Gate City Pen's continuing series of vintage-inspired pens, uses the exact same filling system patented in 1920 by Charles Dunn and pioneered by the Dunn-Pen (produced 1921-1924) and featured more recently on the Omas Extra. The New Dunn Pen is made in U.S.A., and it will be available in two styles: the Standard (all black except the Little Red Pump-Handle) and the "Tattler," featuring a transparent barrel so that you can watch the cool pump filler and also be aware of how much ink is available while you're writing the Great Novel. The New Dunn Pen will be available simultaneously on our site; look for it on November 4. The Standard version is priced at $185.00, and the "Tattler" carries a $225.00 sticker. PLEASE NOTE, WE WILL BE ACCEPTING PURCHASES OF THE NEW DUNN PEN ON SCHEDULE DESPITE THE WINTER STORM THAT HAS OTHERWISE THROWN A STICK IN OUR SPOKES! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** The Onoto Heritage: What Goes Around, Comes Around *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The very first Onoto pen, made over 100 years ago, was a one-stroke plunger-filling model, and plunger fillers remained a staple of the Onoto line for decades after that. THE PLUNGER FILLER IS BACK! Onoto has announced a limited edition of 100 pens worldwide, using the exact same filler design, even to the ink shut-off, that made the Onoto name famous. The Onoto Heritage features the same vintage styling that is so elegantly executed on the Overlay No. 1, and it has a Henry Simpole sterling overlay on just the cap only. With no barrel overlay, this is a wonderfully light pen, ideal for writing hour after hour without fatigue. We are hoping to have a Heritage for display at the Ohio Pen Show, and we will be happy to accept orders at that time. If you can't make it to Ohio, watch for the Heritage to appear on our Web site: http://www.richardspens.com/?pens=ono ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Purple Is the New Black *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Well, maybe not, but Purple is definitely the new purple. Pilot has just introduced the Custom 74 in a sweet new purple transparent color that is well suited to both men and women. This makes three cool Custom 74 dermonstrators. We have the Purple in stock -- if you're a Custom 74 fan (or a demonstrator fan), this is your opportunity to grow your collection! But the best part might just be that the Purple is only $160.00, same as our other Custom 74s. http://www.richardspens.com/?pens=nam+custom74 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Pelikan News *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pelikan announced a price rise late last month. It took us by surprise. It takes effect today, November 1. On the other hand, we now have the Blue o' Blue available again. http://www.richardspens.com/?pens=pel+m800 Just to settle any rumors that you might have heard, there really will be a Green o' Green. It will be in the M60 size, and it is scheduled to become available at some time during 2012. We have no further information on it at this time. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Holiday Pen Storage Deals *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DUE TO THE MAJOR WINTER STORM THAT STRUCK NEW ENGLAND THIS WEEKEND, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO PUT UP THE NEW BOX PAGE AT THIS TIME. WE WILL PUT IT UP ON THE EVENING OF TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8. While some stores have had their Christmas inventory out for months, Don chose to wait until today to unveil a new set of cigar box pen chests, which make a great gift for your favorite pen collector...even if that happens to be yourself :) Anyway, even if you aren't in the market for one, go check out the page, because on is perhaps the most stunning chest he's had the pleasure of turning into a fountain pen vault: A triple-decker Upmann with a furniture-grade finish. If you're interest- ed, grab it, because no doubt the diehard customers who like the upscale chests will jump on this like flies on...Albert Pujols' bat. http://www.richardspens.com/?acc=boxes ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Extra Fine Points Not by Don Fluckinger *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Extra-fine nibs are now available for pens from the Edison Pen Company. These nibs are steel only -- no gold -- and we have added them to our Edison page. http://www.richardspens.com/?pens=edi ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** "Broad Strokes" by Richard Binder *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Pen Doctor is back with some new, never-before-issued prescriptions. http://www.richardspens.com/?pendoc=xxiii ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** "Extra Fine Points" by Don Fluckinger *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ This month, Don rides the neutrino train to travel back in time and score some pens to die for. http://www.richardspens.com/?xf=1111 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Try Our Tray *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DUE TO THE MAJOR WINTER STORM THAT STRUCK NEW ENGLAND THIS WEEKEND, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO PUT UP THE TRAY AT THIS TIME. WE WILL PUT IT UP ON THE EVENING OF TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8. Once again -- as we do every month -- we've put together a tray of exciting restored pens for your delectation. Among the coolest pens this month is a "Bexwell." This is a Bexley Submariner Grande in the very desirable but no longer available Blue Pearl, with hand made custom trim of Damascus steel by David Broadwell. David's own custom pens start well into four figures; this is your chance to own a piece of his work for far less than that. This pen came from my personal collection. http://www.richardspens.com/?pens=vint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Pens That Write Right! *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Unless otherwise requested at the time of sale, we tune each new pen or nib at no extra charge before shipment. We 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 Aurora, Bexley, Gate City Pen, Namiki and Pilot, and Pelikan. 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/?info=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 our site: http://www.richardspens.com/?info=nibnoise Note: We will never sell your name or email address. Your privacy is as important to us as it is to you.