A short while ago, I was stricken with a nasty outbreak of fountain-pen-acquisition disorder (FPAD). During that hazy period of my life, I acquired about a dozen pens in the span of a few weeks. I am pleased to say that the Omas Arco Milord has, I believe, cured me of that horrible affliction.
The Arco is, quite possibly, the most beautiful pen ever created. The celluloid is haunting in its luminescence, and I can look at it, hypnotized, for hours as I rotate it over and over in my hands. The patterns seem to swirl and change kaleidoscopically as the pen turns.
It's gold nib is soft and springy and, thanks to its ebonite feed, the pen never falters when it writes. When loaded with Visconti Sepia, it appears as if the nib leaves a trail of the arco celluloid behind as it glides across the paper. The weight and size are perfect in my hands, regardless of whether the cap is posted.
I never need buy another pen again as I have reached fountain pen nirvana.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
The 12 Days of Christmas - Pear Tree Pen Co. Style!
Recently on the Fountain Pen Network, I announced - rather informally - a little lyric-writing contest at the Pear Tree Pen Company. The object? Come up with some lyrics to the tune of "12 Days of Christmas" that incorporated the Pear Tree Pen Company. Below, I've copied the last lines of the 5 finalists. Each will receive something nice in their stocking this year, courtesy of, well, me. The Grand Prize Winner is up to you. I've deliberately left the entrants' names off the list to protect the innocent. So pick your winner with impunty. Submit a vote for your favorite by December 26 and I'll declare the winner shortly afterwards. Ready . . . Set . . Vote!
Entry No. 1:
On the twelfth Sumgai Sunday the Pear Tree sent to me
Twelve Minuskin Nibs
Eleven Ink Converters
Ten "Think" Sahara's
Nine Naginatas
Eight M400's
Seven Parker Duo's
Six Van Gogh Midi's
Five White Lamy's
Four Platinum Koi's
Three Rocker Blotters
Two Monteverde's and
A Submariner by Bexley
So if you're ever in the mood to buy one pen or three
shop at The Pear Tree Pen Company!
Entry No. 2:
On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me:
Twelve drums of Noodlers,
Eleven Sailor Sapporos,
Ten leather pen cases,
Nine Visconti Van Goghs,
Eight Monteverdes,
Seven Hints for Sumgai,
Six Clairfontaines,
Five Omas Bolognas,
Four ink samples,
Three Watermans,
Two Lamy Al-Stars,
And an ink cartridge from the Pear Tree!
Just don't add up what it cost her!
Entry No. 3:
On the twelfth day of Christmas here’s what came from Pear Tree…
Twelve Rhodias
Eleven Lamy Logos,
Ten blotter papers,
Nine Bexley beauties,
Eight Clairfontaines,
Seven Conway Stewarts,
Six Pelikans,
Steve Lehto Books!
Four sampler inks,
Three Platinum Pens,
Two Duofolds,
And a lyric writing prize for me.
Entry No. 4:
On the 12th line of my wish-list from Pear Tree Company:
- 12 Parkers Duofold-ing
- 11 Charlestons dancing....
- 10 Gatsbys THINKing....
- 9 Mega Ink Balls rolling....
- 8 Omases bling-ing....
- 7 blotters rocking....
- 6 kits for mixing....
- 5 Sailor Kings!....
- 4 Pelikan birds....
- 3 French-ruled pads.....
- 2 tortoise pens
and a cartridge from James P.!
Entry No. 5
On the twelfth day of Christmas, the Pear Tree sent to me…
Twelve Waterman Charlestons,
Eleven Pelican Epochs,
Ten Think Mojitos,
Nine Monteverde,
Eight Conway Stewarts,
Seven Sailor Sapporos,
Six Omas Bolognas,
FIVE….Visconti…pens…,
Four books on murder,
Three Clairefontaines,
Two Moleskine journals
and a J Herbin bottle of Vert Pre
Entry No. 1:
On the twelfth Sumgai Sunday the Pear Tree sent to me
Twelve Minuskin Nibs
Eleven Ink Converters
Ten "Think" Sahara's
Nine Naginatas
Eight M400's
Seven Parker Duo's
Six Van Gogh Midi's
Five White Lamy's
Four Platinum Koi's
Three Rocker Blotters
Two Monteverde's and
A Submariner by Bexley
So if you're ever in the mood to buy one pen or three
shop at The Pear Tree Pen Company!
Entry No. 2:
On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me:
Twelve drums of Noodlers,
Eleven Sailor Sapporos,
Ten leather pen cases,
Nine Visconti Van Goghs,
Eight Monteverdes,
Seven Hints for Sumgai,
Six Clairfontaines,
Five Omas Bolognas,
Four ink samples,
Three Watermans,
Two Lamy Al-Stars,
And an ink cartridge from the Pear Tree!
Just don't add up what it cost her!
Entry No. 3:
On the twelfth day of Christmas here’s what came from Pear Tree…
Twelve Rhodias
Eleven Lamy Logos,
Ten blotter papers,
Nine Bexley beauties,
Eight Clairfontaines,
Seven Conway Stewarts,
Six Pelikans,
Steve Lehto Books!
Four sampler inks,
Three Platinum Pens,
Two Duofolds,
And a lyric writing prize for me.
Entry No. 4:
On the 12th line of my wish-list from Pear Tree Company:
- 12 Parkers Duofold-ing
- 11 Charlestons dancing....
- 10 Gatsbys THINKing....
- 9 Mega Ink Balls rolling....
- 8 Omases bling-ing....
- 7 blotters rocking....
- 6 kits for mixing....
- 5 Sailor Kings!....
- 4 Pelikan birds....
- 3 French-ruled pads.....
- 2 tortoise pens
and a cartridge from James P.!
Entry No. 5
On the twelfth day of Christmas, the Pear Tree sent to me…
Twelve Waterman Charlestons,
Eleven Pelican Epochs,
Ten Think Mojitos,
Nine Monteverde,
Eight Conway Stewarts,
Seven Sailor Sapporos,
Six Omas Bolognas,
FIVE….Visconti…pens…,
Four books on murder,
Three Clairefontaines,
Two Moleskine journals
and a J Herbin bottle of Vert Pre
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Sumgai the Sixth at the Pear Tree Pen Company
Sumgai the Sixth is now underway. I got off to a late start, but the bargains I’ve come up with today are, I think, well worth the wait. In fact, some of the items I placed on sale today are priced below wholesale cost.
Here's a head start.
Good hunting!
James
Here's a head start.
Good hunting!
James
Saturday, November 03, 2007
It's Showtime!
We're here and, it seems, so is everyone else. Here, in case you don't know, is the Ohio Pen Show, just outside of Columbus, Ohio. It's billed as the fourth largest show in the United States and while I can't verify the claim, it would come as no surprise given all the activity I've seen since yesterday.
Craig and I arrived yesterday around noon. When we wallked into the bourse, the trading activity already seemed to be going full swing and the excitement was palpable. Within a few minutes, we had come across a number of people we've met at previous shows, and were finally able to put faces with the names of dozens of those with whom we've communicated either on the telephone or email. Friends from the Zoss list, The Fountain Pen Network and Pentrace were all present and accounted for.
There's a lot of work involved in attending a pen show, at least from the vendor side, so we spent the next few hours arranging and organizing our tables to best highlight the hundreds of pens and accessories we brought along. Among were them wre the new Lamy Ocean Blue Al-Star and Lamy Studio in Pearl White, which arrived just in time for the show. We also just received a shipment of the cotton resin version of the Omas Bologna. Although our Omas shipment was incomplete, we did get a fair sampling of fountain pens, ballpoints and even a mechanical pencil.
The new Lamy Al-Star is, without a doubt, my favorite of the Al-Star colors. The clip and nib are a brightly polished chrome, which is a nice complement to the bright and vibrant blue. Being a Lamy, the quality is a given and one of these will definitely make it into my pocket. The Studio is no slouch, either and the new pearlized white reminds me of an extra-cost option on some of the luxury cars I've seen on the road. Very nice indeed!
More to come later. It's Saturday morning now and the show begins in earnest with the first public day. I'll try to update the blog a little later tonight after I set up the Fifth of Sumgai Sundai sale.
Thanks for stopping by.
James
Craig and I arrived yesterday around noon. When we wallked into the bourse, the trading activity already seemed to be going full swing and the excitement was palpable. Within a few minutes, we had come across a number of people we've met at previous shows, and were finally able to put faces with the names of dozens of those with whom we've communicated either on the telephone or email. Friends from the Zoss list, The Fountain Pen Network and Pentrace were all present and accounted for.
There's a lot of work involved in attending a pen show, at least from the vendor side, so we spent the next few hours arranging and organizing our tables to best highlight the hundreds of pens and accessories we brought along. Among were them wre the new Lamy Ocean Blue Al-Star and Lamy Studio in Pearl White, which arrived just in time for the show. We also just received a shipment of the cotton resin version of the Omas Bologna. Although our Omas shipment was incomplete, we did get a fair sampling of fountain pens, ballpoints and even a mechanical pencil.
The new Lamy Al-Star is, without a doubt, my favorite of the Al-Star colors. The clip and nib are a brightly polished chrome, which is a nice complement to the bright and vibrant blue. Being a Lamy, the quality is a given and one of these will definitely make it into my pocket. The Studio is no slouch, either and the new pearlized white reminds me of an extra-cost option on some of the luxury cars I've seen on the road. Very nice indeed!
More to come later. It's Saturday morning now and the show begins in earnest with the first public day. I'll try to update the blog a little later tonight after I set up the Fifth of Sumgai Sundai sale.
Thanks for stopping by.
James
Sunday, October 07, 2007
So, you wanna be Sumgai?
We've all heard the legend of the Sumgai who mysteriously appears at the garage sale moments before you arrive and manages to walk away with some fabulous pens at unheard of prices. Haven't you always wanted to be that Sumgai? Well, if so, Sundays could be your lucky day!
It's been a while since I've had a sale at the Pear Tree Pen Company and I'm in the mood for one. But not just any old "get X at Y% off!" sale. That would be boring! I want to have a little fun, so I thought I would try something new.
What I have in mind is the first-ever "Sumgai Sunday," and here's how it's going to work:
Each Sunday, I will put a different item on sale at a very special "sumgai" price. It could be a fountain pen, rollerball, journal, ink or anything else I have in my store. It may be something I carry all the time, or it may be a special item. It could be modern or vintage. Whatever it is, the price will be great! Each week, the pen (or other item) will change. There will be a limited quantity of that item available - in fact, there may be only one. Like I did on my "Surprise" birthday sale back in March, I will hide the item somewhere on my website and, if you're interested in a deal, it'll be up to you to find it.
If it's successful, I hope to make it a regular event. So, be prepared for something innovative and, hopefully, something fun.
To kick things off, I've listed 3 different items at special sumgai prices. Making things easy in the early round, I'll even tell you that one of the items is a fountain pen, one of the items is a writing instrument (but not a fountain pen) and the other item is not a writing instrument of any sort. In total, I have 5 pieces at these prices.
Here's a link to help you find your way.
I did not include the word "sumgai" in the text of the sale item, so there'll be no relying on the ol' search engine (at least for that word, he he he he).
If I'm having enough fun, I may add other items during the day, just to keep things interesting, so check back early and often.
Thanks for stopping by!
James
It's been a while since I've had a sale at the Pear Tree Pen Company and I'm in the mood for one. But not just any old "get X at Y% off!" sale. That would be boring! I want to have a little fun, so I thought I would try something new.
What I have in mind is the first-ever "Sumgai Sunday," and here's how it's going to work:
Each Sunday, I will put a different item on sale at a very special "sumgai" price. It could be a fountain pen, rollerball, journal, ink or anything else I have in my store. It may be something I carry all the time, or it may be a special item. It could be modern or vintage. Whatever it is, the price will be great! Each week, the pen (or other item) will change. There will be a limited quantity of that item available - in fact, there may be only one. Like I did on my "Surprise" birthday sale back in March, I will hide the item somewhere on my website and, if you're interested in a deal, it'll be up to you to find it.
If it's successful, I hope to make it a regular event. So, be prepared for something innovative and, hopefully, something fun.
To kick things off, I've listed 3 different items at special sumgai prices. Making things easy in the early round, I'll even tell you that one of the items is a fountain pen, one of the items is a writing instrument (but not a fountain pen) and the other item is not a writing instrument of any sort. In total, I have 5 pieces at these prices.
Here's a link to help you find your way.
I did not include the word "sumgai" in the text of the sale item, so there'll be no relying on the ol' search engine (at least for that word, he he he he).
If I'm having enough fun, I may add other items during the day, just to keep things interesting, so check back early and often.
Thanks for stopping by!
James
Monday, September 24, 2007
A Space Oddity
I'm told Pelikano recently sponsored an internet competition for young people, entitled "Color your own Pelikano". So, just what was the favorite color for the popular school and young people's fountain pen in 2007?
The envelope please . . .
. . . and the winner is: Deep Space Black.
The barrel and clip of this newest Pelikano is as black as can be, while the glittering silver-coloured stainless steel cap shines all the brighter in contrast. The appearance is just as forward-looking as the modern technology and clever details of this writing instrument: the ergonomic profile of the grip, the dynamic clip and the sturdy, smoothly gliding nib are exemplary features of a design that has been thought through to the smallest detail. (hey, I don't write all of this stuff myself, ya know).
The "Deep Space" black limited edition Pelikano is offered individually, or as part of aa special "value pack," comprising one "Deep Space" Pelikano, one Super-Pirat ink eradicator and a TP/6 six-pack of royal blue ink cartridges.
The new Deep Space Pelikano is only available with a medium nib.
By now, I'm sure you're wondering where you can pick up this new space oddity. The answer's as plain as day: The Pear Tree Pen Company®, of course! Get 'em while you can!
The envelope please . . .
. . . and the winner is: Deep Space Black.
The barrel and clip of this newest Pelikano is as black as can be, while the glittering silver-coloured stainless steel cap shines all the brighter in contrast. The appearance is just as forward-looking as the modern technology and clever details of this writing instrument: the ergonomic profile of the grip, the dynamic clip and the sturdy, smoothly gliding nib are exemplary features of a design that has been thought through to the smallest detail. (hey, I don't write all of this stuff myself, ya know).
The "Deep Space" black limited edition Pelikano is offered individually, or as part of aa special "value pack," comprising one "Deep Space" Pelikano, one Super-Pirat ink eradicator and a TP/6 six-pack of royal blue ink cartridges.
The new Deep Space Pelikano is only available with a medium nib.
By now, I'm sure you're wondering where you can pick up this new space oddity. The answer's as plain as day: The Pear Tree Pen Company®, of course! Get 'em while you can!
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Pretty in Pink
When I think of pink birds, thoughts tend to fly to the flamingo - either the real ones I've seen only in zoos, or the ubiquitous Floridian lawn ornament. Recently, however, I discovered another pink bird that's both more beautiful and more practical: the Pink Pelikan.
Huh?
Yep, it's true. Pelikan recently introduced a limited edition Pelikano that is oh so pretty in pink. And we've got a small flock of 'em. They're probably not going to last long, and they're only available in a medium nib.
Take a gander at the the photo (another bird reference, get it?) to see how neat it is. I'll replace this tiny photo with a larger copy a little later, but at least you can get an idea of what it looks like.
And, to get yours before they fly away, visit the Pear Tree Pen Company website, or come see us live at the Michigan Pen Show, September 7-8,2007 at the Troy Hilton.
Thanks for stopping by!
Huh?
Yep, it's true. Pelikan recently introduced a limited edition Pelikano that is oh so pretty in pink. And we've got a small flock of 'em. They're probably not going to last long, and they're only available in a medium nib.
Take a gander at the the photo (another bird reference, get it?) to see how neat it is. I'll replace this tiny photo with a larger copy a little later, but at least you can get an idea of what it looks like.
And, to get yours before they fly away, visit the Pear Tree Pen Company website, or come see us live at the Michigan Pen Show, September 7-8,2007 at the Troy Hilton.
Thanks for stopping by!
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Michigan Pen Show
The Pear Tree Pen Company is proud to be a sponsor of the 2007 Michigan Pen Show, which will be held on Friday, September 7 and Saturday, September 8, 2007 at the Troy Hilton. Although the venue is the same as last year, the format is going to be somewhat different, I'm told. Perhaps the biggest change is that the show will be open to the public on Friday!
As compared to last year, our presence at the show will be expanded, both in terms of real estate and the number of products on display. In addition to our standard offerings of fine writing instruments from Sailor, Visconti and Monteverde, a not insignificant portion of our 3-tables will be devoted to value-priced modern pens from Pelikan, like the Pelikano, the Future or the Pelikano Junior, and from Lamy, such as the Safari and Al-Star. These are great every-day writers that give incredible bang for the buck.
As always, bottled fountain pen ink will be a Pear Tree Pens mainstay, and inks from Diamine, Omas, Private Reserve, J. Herbin, Noodlers(and more) will be available for you to test and, of course, to buy. We're especially excited to present Noodler's new highlighting ink, the Year of the Golden Pig, and its new white ink, the Whiteness of the Whale.
See you at the show!
As compared to last year, our presence at the show will be expanded, both in terms of real estate and the number of products on display. In addition to our standard offerings of fine writing instruments from Sailor, Visconti and Monteverde, a not insignificant portion of our 3-tables will be devoted to value-priced modern pens from Pelikan, like the Pelikano, the Future or the Pelikano Junior, and from Lamy, such as the Safari and Al-Star. These are great every-day writers that give incredible bang for the buck.
As always, bottled fountain pen ink will be a Pear Tree Pens mainstay, and inks from Diamine, Omas, Private Reserve, J. Herbin, Noodlers(and more) will be available for you to test and, of course, to buy. We're especially excited to present Noodler's new highlighting ink, the Year of the Golden Pig, and its new white ink, the Whiteness of the Whale.
See you at the show!
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Traveling . . . Again
I just realized it's been over a month since the blog has been updated, and now I'm going away again . . . I'll try to do better in the future.
Nonetheless, you all deserve to know that the Pear Tree Pen Company will be on the road from July 19 until August 1, 2007. Although you may still (and, in fact, are encouraged) to place orders during that time, shipping will necessarily be delayed until we reopen our virtual doors. We appreciate your patience and look forward to serving your fine writing needs when we return.
Thanks for writing!
James
Nonetheless, you all deserve to know that the Pear Tree Pen Company will be on the road from July 19 until August 1, 2007. Although you may still (and, in fact, are encouraged) to place orders during that time, shipping will necessarily be delayed until we reopen our virtual doors. We appreciate your patience and look forward to serving your fine writing needs when we return.
Thanks for writing!
James
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad . . .
Friends,
The Pear Tree Pen Company will be largely incommunicado for the next 3-5 days, as I will be out of town on personal business. All orders received as of June 13, 2007 have been processed and shipped (unless something was backordered, in which case your order will ship when I receive the item you ordered from the distributor). Shipping and order processing will resume when I return. I will have, at best, sporadic access to the internet, so email inquiries will likely go unanswered for a short while as well.
I apologize for the inconvenience, but rest assured, we’ll be back sometime next week with the same commitment to customer service you’ve come to count on from the friendly neighborhood folks at the Pear Tree Pen Company.
Thanks for understanding!
James
The Pear Tree Pen Company will be largely incommunicado for the next 3-5 days, as I will be out of town on personal business. All orders received as of June 13, 2007 have been processed and shipped (unless something was backordered, in which case your order will ship when I receive the item you ordered from the distributor). Shipping and order processing will resume when I return. I will have, at best, sporadic access to the internet, so email inquiries will likely go unanswered for a short while as well.
I apologize for the inconvenience, but rest assured, we’ll be back sometime next week with the same commitment to customer service you’ve come to count on from the friendly neighborhood folks at the Pear Tree Pen Company.
Thanks for understanding!
James
Sunday, May 20, 2007
They're Back!
After a too-long hiatus, the Pear Tree Pen Company's ink sample program is back! The inventory of available inks has grown (although I still have to add Omas and Caran d'Ache to the list). Unfortunately, so has the price. It seems that the cost of everything keeps going up, including ink, postage, supplies and now I have to add labor to the mix. I was faced with a choice of charging for shipping/handling and keeping a nominally lower price posted, or to keep shipping free and increase the price. I opted for the latter, but let me know if you all think it should be otherwise. I do listen to your suggestions.
To offset the price increase somewhat, I have decided to add more ink to the vials, so now there should be about 2 ccs of ink for you to all test and play with. I figured that's more than enough to give you a good idea of how the ink will look on different papers and how it will perform in different pens. Again, I'm open to suggestions on this. Despite the price increase, I still think this is one of the best values around - why bother buying a bottle of ink only to find out it's not what you had hoped for?
On another note, I received word from Private Reserve yesterday. The price on Private Reserve Ink is going up, but they are also introducing a new color, Tropical Blue. I hope to get some in the next few weeks. Pelikan has also just informed me that they've raised wholesale prices as well.
Luckily, the price of Sailor fountain pens has held steady. Perhaps as a result, The Sailor Sapporo seems to be selling faster than I can get them in, and I find myself back-ordered on several different nibs, so if you want one, you'd better act fast or call first to see if I have it in stock.
As you know, the Sailor 1911 and 1911M have long been the workhorse pen in the Sailor line, but they have recently been discontinued. Luckily, I managed to secure a nice supply of full-size 1911s and 1911Ms. I've got them in all colors and size nibs (except zoom - I'm told they're on the way). Unlike most closeouts, I suspect the price on these pens is only going to go up, so get them now because once they're gone, well, you know the rest. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Dollar for dollar, Sailor pens are very possibly the best fountain pen you can buy.
Also, if you're interested in some really special pens from Sailor, I managed to secure three Nagahara Limited Edition pens - the Taishi-Tsu "Black Forest" edition, the Sailor Mosaic and a Dragonfly "Tombo." The nibs on these pens are absolutely unbelievable - the Cross-Emperor (with collector), the Cross-slit nib (same as Cross-Emperor, but with no collector), and the Nagahara Naginata nib in medium. These nibs have to be seen to be believed. Remind your loved ones that Father's Day is coming.
Lastly, I have a number of products available for sale that haven't made it on my website. For example, I have some Lamy Persona rollerballs in black titanium oxide with gold trim, as well as a Lamy Persona fountain pen in titanium. It features gold trim and a gold-colored oblique medium nib. If you're interested, email me for pricing and photos. Lamy ballpoint refills are also in stock. Everyone loves Lamy, and a quality pen makes a great graduation gift!
Jac Zagoory pen stands are also in stock. These are really cool. I need to take some of my own photos of these, because Jac, while being a great designer, doesn't seem to grasp the need for this little marketing aid.
I'll do my best to get my site updated soon.
If you don't see what you want on my site, in most cases, I can get it for you, so please don't hesitate to ask.
Let's see - what's coming? New pads and journals from Rhodia, Exacompta and Clairefontaine. More on this when the stuff gets here. But suffice it to say that the Exaclair line has introduced some promising new products and I'm eager to try them out. Simply put, this is the best paper I've ever used.
Thanks for writing!
To offset the price increase somewhat, I have decided to add more ink to the vials, so now there should be about 2 ccs of ink for you to all test and play with. I figured that's more than enough to give you a good idea of how the ink will look on different papers and how it will perform in different pens. Again, I'm open to suggestions on this. Despite the price increase, I still think this is one of the best values around - why bother buying a bottle of ink only to find out it's not what you had hoped for?
On another note, I received word from Private Reserve yesterday. The price on Private Reserve Ink is going up, but they are also introducing a new color, Tropical Blue. I hope to get some in the next few weeks. Pelikan has also just informed me that they've raised wholesale prices as well.
Luckily, the price of Sailor fountain pens has held steady. Perhaps as a result, The Sailor Sapporo seems to be selling faster than I can get them in, and I find myself back-ordered on several different nibs, so if you want one, you'd better act fast or call first to see if I have it in stock.
As you know, the Sailor 1911 and 1911M have long been the workhorse pen in the Sailor line, but they have recently been discontinued. Luckily, I managed to secure a nice supply of full-size 1911s and 1911Ms. I've got them in all colors and size nibs (except zoom - I'm told they're on the way). Unlike most closeouts, I suspect the price on these pens is only going to go up, so get them now because once they're gone, well, you know the rest. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Dollar for dollar, Sailor pens are very possibly the best fountain pen you can buy.
Also, if you're interested in some really special pens from Sailor, I managed to secure three Nagahara Limited Edition pens - the Taishi-Tsu "Black Forest" edition, the Sailor Mosaic and a Dragonfly "Tombo." The nibs on these pens are absolutely unbelievable - the Cross-Emperor (with collector), the Cross-slit nib (same as Cross-Emperor, but with no collector), and the Nagahara Naginata nib in medium. These nibs have to be seen to be believed. Remind your loved ones that Father's Day is coming.
Lastly, I have a number of products available for sale that haven't made it on my website. For example, I have some Lamy Persona rollerballs in black titanium oxide with gold trim, as well as a Lamy Persona fountain pen in titanium. It features gold trim and a gold-colored oblique medium nib. If you're interested, email me for pricing and photos. Lamy ballpoint refills are also in stock. Everyone loves Lamy, and a quality pen makes a great graduation gift!
Jac Zagoory pen stands are also in stock. These are really cool. I need to take some of my own photos of these, because Jac, while being a great designer, doesn't seem to grasp the need for this little marketing aid.
I'll do my best to get my site updated soon.
If you don't see what you want on my site, in most cases, I can get it for you, so please don't hesitate to ask.
Let's see - what's coming? New pads and journals from Rhodia, Exacompta and Clairefontaine. More on this when the stuff gets here. But suffice it to say that the Exaclair line has introduced some promising new products and I'm eager to try them out. Simply put, this is the best paper I've ever used.
Thanks for writing!
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Chicago is a No Go!
For personal reasons, I am unable to attend the Chicago Pen Show this weekend as I had originally planned. My feelings about this are mixed. I was really looking forward to the show both to see old friends and, of course, to experience the excitement of the oldest vintage pen show in America. But I admit I am also very eager for a break after the past few weeks - I attended the New England Show a few weeks ago (driving for over 30 hours, much of it in near-blizzard conditions), then worked like a dog to get the Fountain Pen Network Limited Edition pens out this past weekend. All 114 of them!
Undoubtedly, Chicago would have cost me some dough to attend. Since I won't be incurring those expenses, I thought it would be a nice gesture to pass the savings to you, my (hopefully) loyal readers/customers(and those who I hope will become loyal readers/customers).
So I've decided to have a special sale this weekend. For this weekend only, I'm offering a savings of 11.4% off the lowest listed price on my website. A minimum purchase of $20.00 is required to get the discount. Now, 11.4 may seem like an odd amount, but I thought it was fitting given the number of limited edition pens that went out on Monday.
To get yourself this discount, all you have to do is enter NoGo2007 as a coupon code in the appropriate box on my website. Remember, I take PayPal, AmEx, MasterCard, Visa and Discover.
Although I can't go to Chicago, I'll be there in spirit. Now, go and save yourselves some cash at my web store!
Undoubtedly, Chicago would have cost me some dough to attend. Since I won't be incurring those expenses, I thought it would be a nice gesture to pass the savings to you, my (hopefully) loyal readers/customers(and those who I hope will become loyal readers/customers).
So I've decided to have a special sale this weekend. For this weekend only, I'm offering a savings of 11.4% off the lowest listed price on my website. A minimum purchase of $20.00 is required to get the discount. Now, 11.4 may seem like an odd amount, but I thought it was fitting given the number of limited edition pens that went out on Monday.
To get yourself this discount, all you have to do is enter NoGo2007 as a coupon code in the appropriate box on my website. Remember, I take PayPal, AmEx, MasterCard, Visa and Discover.
Although I can't go to Chicago, I'll be there in spirit. Now, go and save yourselves some cash at my web store!
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
The Load Out
I just got back from Boston, and boy are my feet tired!
I wanted to say thank you to everyone of you who came by and said hello while we were at the New England Pen Show. There were a lot of familiar faces, and lots of new ones, too. It was wonderful being able to put a face with the name (and to hear all of the delightful New England accents!). In fact, I actually had the pleasure of meeting what just may be my sole blog subscriber. And you know who you are!
As I reported earlier, I got into Boston (Woburn, actually) on Friday afternoon. Within a few hours of unpacking, I was on my way to Newton to have dinner with some distant relatives who heard I was in town and wouldn't take no for an answer. Which, as it turned out, was lucky for me, because the food was excellent and the conversation, like the wine, seemed never to stop flowing.
The next day, I groggily woke up and got ready for the show. Unfortunately, in my haste to leave Michigan the day before, I forgot to bring my own home-roasted coffee and had to make do with the swill from Folger's that was "compliments" of the hotel. Yecch!
Craig and I made it to the show shortly after 8 am and began setting up our tables. Ron Zorn and Richard Binder were the only ones there, so we chatted for a bit while Craig did all the heavy lifting (ain't it grand being the boss?). This seemed like a good time for Ron to repair some pens for me as well, so I had him work on a few for me - a Parker "51", an Esterbrook, a Vacumatic and a Skyline all needed varying degrees of restoration. If you've never done business with Ron, you owe it to yourself to do so - he's not only an excellent pen repair person, but he is a true gentleman. Visit Ron's site at www.mainstreeetpens.com
Saturday was mostly trading amongst other dealers. Since I sell new pens, this meant that my tables were unnervingly slow on the financial side. But this also gave me the opportunity to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. A couple of notables were Susan Wirth and her assistants Neville and Ian. Ian graciously agreed to pull guard duty so the vendors wouldn't have to break down Saturday night and set up again on Sunday. Thanks, Ian! Ian is an accomplished blogger in his own right, so check out his stuff at http://danandsteveshow.com.
I also got to meet Krysta and Artur from the New England Pen People and Off the Bench Furniture (www.offthebenchfurniture.com). Art is a furniture maker who has recently started offering outstanding hand-made pen chests. Not only does he offer some "stock" pieces, but he'll do custom work to accommodate any of your pen needs, from a desk top case holding 10 pens, to a stand-alone chest that can hold a thousand of them. His workmanship was top notch and I was really impressed by a couple of his designs. You never know, I may just start offering them for sale at the Pear Tree Pen Company!
Also on Saturday, I had the pleasure of meeting one of my customers who flew in from California, ostensibly to show his son some college in New York, but I know he was really there for the fountain pens.
Saturday night, all of the pen folks were gathering for a group dinner, but I had another social obligation that prevented me from attending. We headed out to Framingham for dinner at Legal Seafood, while the rest of the group went elsewhere.
Sunday came and we started all over. When the doors opened at 10 am, it was chaos - a wonderful, exciting chaos, but chaos nonetheless. I didn't sit down until at least 4 or 5 pm. Many lucky people walked away with fantastic deals on pens such as the Sailor Sapporo, Lamy 2000, or Visconti Van Gogh, or on paper from Clairefontaine, Exacompta and Rhodia. Bottled fountain pen ink from Diamine and Omas was also extremely popular.
As I said, we were busy. Really busy. In fact, we were the last table to break down and people were still trying to buy paper, pens and ink while Craig loaded up the van for our long trip home (again, that boss thing!).
Driving out of Boston on Sunday was relatively easy until we hit the Berkshires - the rain started before we left the city, but up at that altitude, the temperature dropped pretty quickly and the roads started to get icy. We pushed on for a while before we finally decided to call it a night somewhere around Utica, New York. The next morning, we woke up to about a foot of snow on the ground and all we had on our feet were sandals (we tend to pack lightly at pen shows). We drove on through near blizzard conditions until the storm finally broke west of Rochester, New York. After that, it was smooth sailing.
It is good to be home, but now I have to unpack the van and fill the multitude of orders that came in while I was away. And get ready for the Chicago show in two weeks.
See you there!
James P.
I wanted to say thank you to everyone of you who came by and said hello while we were at the New England Pen Show. There were a lot of familiar faces, and lots of new ones, too. It was wonderful being able to put a face with the name (and to hear all of the delightful New England accents!). In fact, I actually had the pleasure of meeting what just may be my sole blog subscriber. And you know who you are!
As I reported earlier, I got into Boston (Woburn, actually) on Friday afternoon. Within a few hours of unpacking, I was on my way to Newton to have dinner with some distant relatives who heard I was in town and wouldn't take no for an answer. Which, as it turned out, was lucky for me, because the food was excellent and the conversation, like the wine, seemed never to stop flowing.
The next day, I groggily woke up and got ready for the show. Unfortunately, in my haste to leave Michigan the day before, I forgot to bring my own home-roasted coffee and had to make do with the swill from Folger's that was "compliments" of the hotel. Yecch!
Craig and I made it to the show shortly after 8 am and began setting up our tables. Ron Zorn and Richard Binder were the only ones there, so we chatted for a bit while Craig did all the heavy lifting (ain't it grand being the boss?). This seemed like a good time for Ron to repair some pens for me as well, so I had him work on a few for me - a Parker "51", an Esterbrook, a Vacumatic and a Skyline all needed varying degrees of restoration. If you've never done business with Ron, you owe it to yourself to do so - he's not only an excellent pen repair person, but he is a true gentleman. Visit Ron's site at www.mainstreeetpens.com
Saturday was mostly trading amongst other dealers. Since I sell new pens, this meant that my tables were unnervingly slow on the financial side. But this also gave me the opportunity to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. A couple of notables were Susan Wirth and her assistants Neville and Ian. Ian graciously agreed to pull guard duty so the vendors wouldn't have to break down Saturday night and set up again on Sunday. Thanks, Ian! Ian is an accomplished blogger in his own right, so check out his stuff at http://danandsteveshow.com.
I also got to meet Krysta and Artur from the New England Pen People and Off the Bench Furniture (www.offthebenchfurniture.com). Art is a furniture maker who has recently started offering outstanding hand-made pen chests. Not only does he offer some "stock" pieces, but he'll do custom work to accommodate any of your pen needs, from a desk top case holding 10 pens, to a stand-alone chest that can hold a thousand of them. His workmanship was top notch and I was really impressed by a couple of his designs. You never know, I may just start offering them for sale at the Pear Tree Pen Company!
Also on Saturday, I had the pleasure of meeting one of my customers who flew in from California, ostensibly to show his son some college in New York, but I know he was really there for the fountain pens.
Saturday night, all of the pen folks were gathering for a group dinner, but I had another social obligation that prevented me from attending. We headed out to Framingham for dinner at Legal Seafood, while the rest of the group went elsewhere.
Sunday came and we started all over. When the doors opened at 10 am, it was chaos - a wonderful, exciting chaos, but chaos nonetheless. I didn't sit down until at least 4 or 5 pm. Many lucky people walked away with fantastic deals on pens such as the Sailor Sapporo, Lamy 2000, or Visconti Van Gogh, or on paper from Clairefontaine, Exacompta and Rhodia. Bottled fountain pen ink from Diamine and Omas was also extremely popular.
As I said, we were busy. Really busy. In fact, we were the last table to break down and people were still trying to buy paper, pens and ink while Craig loaded up the van for our long trip home (again, that boss thing!).
Driving out of Boston on Sunday was relatively easy until we hit the Berkshires - the rain started before we left the city, but up at that altitude, the temperature dropped pretty quickly and the roads started to get icy. We pushed on for a while before we finally decided to call it a night somewhere around Utica, New York. The next morning, we woke up to about a foot of snow on the ground and all we had on our feet were sandals (we tend to pack lightly at pen shows). We drove on through near blizzard conditions until the storm finally broke west of Rochester, New York. After that, it was smooth sailing.
It is good to be home, but now I have to unpack the van and fill the multitude of orders that came in while I was away. And get ready for the Chicago show in two weeks.
See you there!
James P.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Oh! Mas!
Because you keep asking, here's a sneak peak at the new line of writing instruments I'll be debuting at the New England Pen Show. Omas Inks are now available at the Pear Tree Pen Company as well.
Weekend In New England
I'm off to the New England Pen Show this week. The Pen Show is being held at the Somerville Holiday Inn (30 Washington Street, Somerville, MA) on Saturday April 14 and Sunday April 15, 2007. I'm looking forward to it now that the stress of finding a place to stay has been lifted. I was surprised to find that the hotel had filled up so early!
I've always been fond of the New England Pen Show, since it was the first pen show I ever attended. It's large enough to have a nice selection and variety, yet small enough that you can really get a chance to talk to the exhibitors and try out the merchandise. It looks like it's going to be yet another great show.
This year, my setup has expanded, and I'll have two tables full of lots of new and exciting stuf. I'm bringing with me a fleet of Sailors, including the new Sailor Sapporos and Sapporo Minis, as well as several Kings of Pen and the discontinued Nagahara Limited Editions with the Nagahara nibs. If my luck holds up, I'll have a few of the new Black Diamond Waterman Edsons to debut as well.
Unlike my trip to Columbus, this time I actually prepared in advance and have a whole gaggle of Pelikanos and Pelikano Juniors for the young and young at heart.
And, for something a little out of the ordinary for me, I just received a shipment of pen holders and crystal inkwells from Jac Zagoory designs. The pen stands are pewter, and are made in the U.S.A. They're a really nice way to keep your favorite pen handy when you're at your desk.
So stop by, bring your kids and bring your Visa card, because I won't take no for an answer (but I will take American Express!)
James P.
I've always been fond of the New England Pen Show, since it was the first pen show I ever attended. It's large enough to have a nice selection and variety, yet small enough that you can really get a chance to talk to the exhibitors and try out the merchandise. It looks like it's going to be yet another great show.
This year, my setup has expanded, and I'll have two tables full of lots of new and exciting stuf. I'm bringing with me a fleet of Sailors, including the new Sailor Sapporos and Sapporo Minis, as well as several Kings of Pen and the discontinued Nagahara Limited Editions with the Nagahara nibs. If my luck holds up, I'll have a few of the new Black Diamond Waterman Edsons to debut as well.
Unlike my trip to Columbus, this time I actually prepared in advance and have a whole gaggle of Pelikanos and Pelikano Juniors for the young and young at heart.
And, for something a little out of the ordinary for me, I just received a shipment of pen holders and crystal inkwells from Jac Zagoory designs. The pen stands are pewter, and are made in the U.S.A. They're a really nice way to keep your favorite pen handy when you're at your desk.
So stop by, bring your kids and bring your Visa card, because I won't take no for an answer (but I will take American Express!)
James P.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
New Pens from Parker & Waterman
I just learned of two pens that are going to be released on April 1, 2007 from Parker and Waterman. The first is a new shade of Waterman Edson, the Diamond Black Edson. If the pictures are a true representation, this is one beautiful pen, with a gorgeous classic black barrel coupled with platinum-plated cap and trim, and a luscious inlaid rhodium-plated 18K gold nib. As seen here:
Not to be outdone, Parker will relaunch a new Duofold in pearl and black and which features a two-tone 18K gold nib. Here's a quick and dirty image:
From what I understand, the pearl and black Duofold was discontinued several years ago as material supplies dwindled and none of the available substitutes were up to snuff. Apparently, Parker has resolved that problem, and the new Duofold is, to my eye, absolutely gorgeous. I have wanted one for a long time, but none of the checked patterns really did anything for me. Not this one - this goes on my "Must Have" list right away!
MSRP for the Edson is $1,000, and the Duofold Centennial Edition's MSRP is $500. The Duofold will also be available in the International size, priced at $450. The only stock nibs available are fine and medium, but I've been fortunate enough to work out an arrangement with a phenomenal nibmeister, Greg Minuskin, who offers his services to Pear Tree Pen Company customers at a reduced rate.
If anyone is dying to be the first on their block to sport one of these new pens, as an authorized dealer of Parker and Waterman, I would be happy to help you out. Send me an email at Sales@PearTreePens.com and I'll give you an unbelievable price.
Thanks for looking!
Not to be outdone, Parker will relaunch a new Duofold in pearl and black and which features a two-tone 18K gold nib. Here's a quick and dirty image:
From what I understand, the pearl and black Duofold was discontinued several years ago as material supplies dwindled and none of the available substitutes were up to snuff. Apparently, Parker has resolved that problem, and the new Duofold is, to my eye, absolutely gorgeous. I have wanted one for a long time, but none of the checked patterns really did anything for me. Not this one - this goes on my "Must Have" list right away!
MSRP for the Edson is $1,000, and the Duofold Centennial Edition's MSRP is $500. The Duofold will also be available in the International size, priced at $450. The only stock nibs available are fine and medium, but I've been fortunate enough to work out an arrangement with a phenomenal nibmeister, Greg Minuskin, who offers his services to Pear Tree Pen Company customers at a reduced rate.
If anyone is dying to be the first on their block to sport one of these new pens, as an authorized dealer of Parker and Waterman, I would be happy to help you out. Send me an email at Sales@PearTreePens.com and I'll give you an unbelievable price.
Thanks for looking!
James P.
Friday, March 09, 2007
Ink Sample Program Temporarily Suspended
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Fountain Pen Community,
As many of you know, I recently took a holiday that required me to be out of the "shop" for a little over a week. When I got back home, I couldn't believe the volume of orders I had waiting for me. I was, and continue to be, overwhelmed by the support and encouragement I receive from the fountain pen community, especially those on this forum.
The success and growth of the Pear Tree Pen Company over the past year has been completely unexpected (although not unwelcome). One of the linchpins of that success has been the Pear Tree Pen Company Ink Sample Program. Due to the tremendous popularity of that program, however, I have begun to fall behind in fulfilling orders. This, I believe, is unfair to those who are in the "queue," and is a disappointment to me, because I cannot provide you, my customers, with the level of service you deserve, and which I demand of myself.
Some of you may not be aware that I am a one-person shop, and as much as I enjoy the Pear Tree Pen Company, it is not my primary occupation and does not come close to paying the bills. So, in order for me to regain a degree of sanity and to process the orders I've received on a timely basis, I find it necessary to temporarily suspend sales of ink samples. Sales of ink, pens and other items in the store will, of course, continue as before. All pending orders for samples will be filled - I have just stopped taking new orders as of today.
I expect this hiatus to last approximately one week, perhaps two. But rest assured, the Pear Tree Pen Company Ink Sample Program will be back.
Again, I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this may cause, but thank you all for your support and understanding during this time.
With much appreciation,
James Partridge
As many of you know, I recently took a holiday that required me to be out of the "shop" for a little over a week. When I got back home, I couldn't believe the volume of orders I had waiting for me. I was, and continue to be, overwhelmed by the support and encouragement I receive from the fountain pen community, especially those on this forum.
The success and growth of the Pear Tree Pen Company over the past year has been completely unexpected (although not unwelcome). One of the linchpins of that success has been the Pear Tree Pen Company Ink Sample Program. Due to the tremendous popularity of that program, however, I have begun to fall behind in fulfilling orders. This, I believe, is unfair to those who are in the "queue," and is a disappointment to me, because I cannot provide you, my customers, with the level of service you deserve, and which I demand of myself.
Some of you may not be aware that I am a one-person shop, and as much as I enjoy the Pear Tree Pen Company, it is not my primary occupation and does not come close to paying the bills. So, in order for me to regain a degree of sanity and to process the orders I've received on a timely basis, I find it necessary to temporarily suspend sales of ink samples. Sales of ink, pens and other items in the store will, of course, continue as before. All pending orders for samples will be filled - I have just stopped taking new orders as of today.
I expect this hiatus to last approximately one week, perhaps two. But rest assured, the Pear Tree Pen Company Ink Sample Program will be back.
Again, I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this may cause, but thank you all for your support and understanding during this time.
With much appreciation,
James Partridge
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Hey PayPal, Thanks for Nothing!
I recently found out that PayPal is offering a rebate of $15.00 on purchases of $30.00 or more. That sounded like a good deal to me, so I did a little checking and ended up upgrading the The Pear Tree Pen Company account so my customers could take advantage of that offer.
Then, I discovered that not everyone is eligible for this rebate. From what I've been able to learn, this promotion was open to everyone until last week, when PayPal changed the terms and conditions of their offer to require an express invitation.
So, to make it up to you, my loyal customer (you know who you are), here's what I'm going to do - I'll make up part of the promotion by offering 10% off any purchase of $30.00 or more until March 31. Enter coupon code "YNotMe" at check out to receive your discount.
And, just to tick off PayPal, use your American Express!
Ya know, it just occurred to me that this discount, coupled with the free shipping on the Monteverde Mega is one heck of a deal!
Happy Shopping!
Then, I discovered that not everyone is eligible for this rebate. From what I've been able to learn, this promotion was open to everyone until last week, when PayPal changed the terms and conditions of their offer to require an express invitation.
So, to make it up to you, my loyal customer (you know who you are), here's what I'm going to do - I'll make up part of the promotion by offering 10% off any purchase of $30.00 or more until March 31. Enter coupon code "YNotMe" at check out to receive your discount.
And, just to tick off PayPal, use your American Express!
Ya know, it just occurred to me that this discount, coupled with the free shipping on the Monteverde Mega is one heck of a deal!
Happy Shopping!
Spring Break
The Pear Tree Pen Company will be taking a brief holiday from February 23rd through March 5, 2007. Any orders received after 5:00 pm on February 22nd will be filled when we open up again on March 6, 2007. It is unlikely that I will have cell phone access and even less likely that I will have (or want, frankly) access to the internet while I'm away.
So get your order in now if you want it to go out before Friday!
I apologize for the inconvenience that this may cause. I wish I could have someone working to fill orders, answer the telephone, or answer email while I'm gone, but my business isn't quite there yet. Yet.
But it's only a week. Y'all can wait a week, can't you?
Thanks everyone and play nice while I'm gone!
So get your order in now if you want it to go out before Friday!
I apologize for the inconvenience that this may cause. I wish I could have someone working to fill orders, answer the telephone, or answer email while I'm gone, but my business isn't quite there yet. Yet.
But it's only a week. Y'all can wait a week, can't you?
Thanks everyone and play nice while I'm gone!
Monday, February 12, 2007
I Like the Cut of Your Nib, Sailor
I don't think I've made much of a secret how much I enjoy using Sailor pens. In fact, because I like the way they perform so much, when I opened the Pear Tree Pen Company, Sailor was the very first pen line I signed up with.
There does seem to be a little bit of confusion regarding this brand, however, and one of my customers recently wrote me, stating "Also, am considering a Sailor pen. I must admit I am confused about this line of FPs. Have heard they come in piston filler, but never seen them. Also, some seem to have the anchor logo, some don't. Some are medium, some are full, some are "older design.
Can you tell me what you have available in black, clarifying the above?"
I guess he liked my response, and he encouraged me to post it, figuring others may be equally confused. So, here it is, with some minor modifications. :)
[Ahem]
To celebrate its 95th anniversary, Sailor made a limited edition pen, called the Realo. That was Sailor's first and only piston-filler, and it was limited to 600 units (500 for the Asian market, numbered xxx/500, and 100 for the European and North American market, numbered xxx/100), all of which are sold out (at least on the retail level).
The Realo is based on Sailor's King of Pen. Primary differences included the filling system (Realo is piston-filled, K.O.P. is cartridge/converter), and material (Realo is resin, K.O.P. is ebonite). The Realo also had gold trim, whereas the K.O.P. is generally unadorned.
The full-size 1911 pens with the anchor logo on the cap were imported into the US before 2006. In early 2006, Sailor's US distributor split up, and there was a 2-3 month period where it was almost impossible to get a 1911 here in the States. From what I've been told, only the US-imported 1911s had the anchor logo on them (they also had a "blind cap" that matched the barrel color). In an effort to stave off a price increase, the new US distributor and Sailor agreed to produce the same 1911 around the world, rather than have a slightly different pen in the US market. As a result, the end caps are now universally black, and the anchor logo on the cap has also been replaced with a black domed cap, giving an overall torpedo-like shape. The other change to the design involves the trim ring - in previous iterations, there was a metal trim ring at the end of the section nearest the nib. The new edition has a thinner trim ring moved up on the section and is now situated just below the barrel threads.
At that time, Sailor also discontinued the burgundy and green version of the 1911.
There is also a smaller version of the 1911 that is available, called the 1911M (for mid-sized). It used to be known as the "colors" series pens, but that doesn't fit anymore, since the full-size 1911 is now available in the same colors. The full-size 1911 (or FS) has a 21K gold nib that 's somewhat larger than that on the M. The M's nib is 14K gold. The M is shorter in length and smaller in circumference than its larger sibling.
They come in the same colors -- Red, Blue, Yellow and the clear Demonstrator. In the full-size, black is also available, but black isn't offered in the M-sized version. The black version comes in either gold-plated or rhodium trim. Both are in stock.
Also, the M doesn't have a zoom nib or a medium-fine. In the FS version, the demonstrator is also available in gold or rhodium trim, but the M's demonstrator is only available in gold.
I have the black 1911 FS in black in all nib sizes - EF, F, MF, M, Music and Zoom. I don't have any broad nibs in stock, but they can be ordered and delivered very quickly if necessary.
Phew!
I think that about covers it.
Let me know if you have ay more questions and I'll do my best to answer them."
I hope that was helpful and thanks for stopping by!
There does seem to be a little bit of confusion regarding this brand, however, and one of my customers recently wrote me, stating "Also, am considering a Sailor pen. I must admit I am confused about this line of FPs. Have heard they come in piston filler, but never seen them. Also, some seem to have the anchor logo, some don't. Some are medium, some are full, some are "older design.
Can you tell me what you have available in black, clarifying the above?"
I guess he liked my response, and he encouraged me to post it, figuring others may be equally confused. So, here it is, with some minor modifications. :)
[Ahem]
To celebrate its 95th anniversary, Sailor made a limited edition pen, called the Realo. That was Sailor's first and only piston-filler, and it was limited to 600 units (500 for the Asian market, numbered xxx/500, and 100 for the European and North American market, numbered xxx/100), all of which are sold out (at least on the retail level).
The Realo is based on Sailor's King of Pen. Primary differences included the filling system (Realo is piston-filled, K.O.P. is cartridge/converter), and material (Realo is resin, K.O.P. is ebonite). The Realo also had gold trim, whereas the K.O.P. is generally unadorned.
The full-size 1911 pens with the anchor logo on the cap were imported into the US before 2006. In early 2006, Sailor's US distributor split up, and there was a 2-3 month period where it was almost impossible to get a 1911 here in the States. From what I've been told, only the US-imported 1911s had the anchor logo on them (they also had a "blind cap" that matched the barrel color). In an effort to stave off a price increase, the new US distributor and Sailor agreed to produce the same 1911 around the world, rather than have a slightly different pen in the US market. As a result, the end caps are now universally black, and the anchor logo on the cap has also been replaced with a black domed cap, giving an overall torpedo-like shape. The other change to the design involves the trim ring - in previous iterations, there was a metal trim ring at the end of the section nearest the nib. The new edition has a thinner trim ring moved up on the section and is now situated just below the barrel threads.
At that time, Sailor also discontinued the burgundy and green version of the 1911.
There is also a smaller version of the 1911 that is available, called the 1911M (for mid-sized). It used to be known as the "colors" series pens, but that doesn't fit anymore, since the full-size 1911 is now available in the same colors. The full-size 1911 (or FS) has a 21K gold nib that 's somewhat larger than that on the M. The M's nib is 14K gold. The M is shorter in length and smaller in circumference than its larger sibling.
They come in the same colors -- Red, Blue, Yellow and the clear Demonstrator. In the full-size, black is also available, but black isn't offered in the M-sized version. The black version comes in either gold-plated or rhodium trim. Both are in stock.
Also, the M doesn't have a zoom nib or a medium-fine. In the FS version, the demonstrator is also available in gold or rhodium trim, but the M's demonstrator is only available in gold.
I have the black 1911 FS in black in all nib sizes - EF, F, MF, M, Music and Zoom. I don't have any broad nibs in stock, but they can be ordered and delivered very quickly if necessary.
Phew!
I think that about covers it.
Let me know if you have ay more questions and I'll do my best to answer them."
I hope that was helpful and thanks for stopping by!
James
Monday, January 29, 2007
After the Rain
Into every life some rain must fall. Never has that old adage held more true than it did last week.
As many of you probably know, my computer fried itself into oblivion last week when all I was trying to do was fiddle around with its innards to make it better, stronger, faster (I was attempting to make the world's first Bionic computer). That's gratitude for ya!
Luckily, I was able to access the internet to receive orders and respond to emails, but my order processing, inventory tracking and accounting software was all kaplooey (don't worry, it's backed up; I just couldn't access it).
Then the Pear Tree Pen Company had one of the busiest sales weeks in its history, with orders seemingly coming in every few minutes. It got so bad at one point I had to leave the office, because I couldn't take the hearing the little "beep" that signals a new order anymore! On any other week, that wouldn't be so bad, but not being able to process the orders as quickly as they were coming in was making me nuts!
Finally, the piece de resistance (sorry, I can't do accents) - my long-awaited order of Diamine arrived! I received about a hundred pounds of ink on Friday, and the second wave is on the truck scheduled to be delivered later today. So now I get to clear out that long back-log of orders from my ill-fated "Buy-One-Get-One Free Sale."
Let's just say that my weekend was a little busier than normal. I am pleased to say, however, that I did clear out about 80% of those back-orders, and the rest will be going out in the next few days, while at the same time, keeping other orders moving through the system - albeit at a reduced pace.
But the good news is that my new PC is slated to arrive tomorrow (thanks, Dell, for expediting my order!) and I should be up and running at full strength again by Wednesday or Thursday.
Just in time for my "one-year anniversary" sale! Stay tuned . . .
As many of you probably know, my computer fried itself into oblivion last week when all I was trying to do was fiddle around with its innards to make it better, stronger, faster (I was attempting to make the world's first Bionic computer). That's gratitude for ya!
Luckily, I was able to access the internet to receive orders and respond to emails, but my order processing, inventory tracking and accounting software was all kaplooey (don't worry, it's backed up; I just couldn't access it).
Then the Pear Tree Pen Company had one of the busiest sales weeks in its history, with orders seemingly coming in every few minutes. It got so bad at one point I had to leave the office, because I couldn't take the hearing the little "beep" that signals a new order anymore! On any other week, that wouldn't be so bad, but not being able to process the orders as quickly as they were coming in was making me nuts!
Finally, the piece de resistance (sorry, I can't do accents) - my long-awaited order of Diamine arrived! I received about a hundred pounds of ink on Friday, and the second wave is on the truck scheduled to be delivered later today. So now I get to clear out that long back-log of orders from my ill-fated "Buy-One-Get-One Free Sale."
Let's just say that my weekend was a little busier than normal. I am pleased to say, however, that I did clear out about 80% of those back-orders, and the rest will be going out in the next few days, while at the same time, keeping other orders moving through the system - albeit at a reduced pace.
But the good news is that my new PC is slated to arrive tomorrow (thanks, Dell, for expediting my order!) and I should be up and running at full strength again by Wednesday or Thursday.
Just in time for my "one-year anniversary" sale! Stay tuned . . .
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Lamy Price Increase on the Horizon
We recently received word from FiloFax USA that a general price increase will become effective on January 25, 2007. This price hike affects Lamy fountain pens, rollerballs, ballpoints, (including the extremely popular Al-Star and Safari) as well as Lamy refills and fountain pen ink. Other brands FiloFax USA distributes will also be affected, such as Yard-o-Led, Lett's of London and Filofax.
If you've ever been interested in buying any of these quality pens or inks but have hesitated for some reason, you might want to get your order in now to lock in the lowest possible price.
We will ship out all Lamy products in stock on a first-come, first-served basis, and will take pre-orders as long as possible. But orders must be placed soon, so please act quickly if you'd like to take advantage of this before the higher prices take effect.
While we don't have any Yard-O-Led writing instruments in stock, we'll happily place a special order before the price increase takes effect.
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