Christmas 2015

Happy Holidays from Fountain Pen Restoration. This is our 9th Annual Holiday Post and most have either been centered around Holiday themed pens or Vintage Holiday Advertisements. I thought I would mix it up this year and add a tree decoration that has already been placed on our family tree this year. Though the sentiment is a bit too commercial for my tastes (a pun on tire manufacturers) it is quite cute.  And no, it has not been restored….

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Healthy New Year to all!

Christmas 2014

Merry Christmas from Fountain Pen Restoration!  2014 has been a slow year at the old workbench.  It’s not for lack of projects, which are piling up as I write this.  Some times, however, family and job do take priority status.  I have been cataloging projects for 2015 and look to get started shortly with repairs, photos, and research.

In the past seven years, my Christmas post has often shared a photo of vintage Christmas Advertisements featuring various pens.  This years is a simple Sheaffer pitch from probably the late teens or early 20s.  The Solid Gold set would certainly be nice to find under the tree this year!

To all of you who communicate with me through the year, and to those from year’s past – have a Happy Holiday Season, and a wonderful 2015.

Christmas 2013

Merry Christmas from Fountain Pen Restoration! This is our 7th Christmas post. In the past, I have shared Christmas themed pens and advertisements. This year I will share another Christmas Advertisement – this one from Eversharp in 1948 and a recent addition to my collection. As my posts this year reflect, I became interested in Kimberly ballpoints, both pre and after Eversharp. So, in searching for advertising material, this came my way. Interestingly, it also promotes the Symphony, Envoy, and Reporter Fountain Pens – some of the last lines that they would produce in fountain pens.

So, in 1948, you could spend anywhere from $1.00 (Wahl Ball Pen or Pencil) to $75.00 (an all gold Kimberly Pockette – has any one ever seen on of these? -not the gold filled) for an Eversharp writing instrument.

For additional Holiday reading on Kimberly Ballpoints, feel free to read some of these old posts~

Kimberly Ballpoints – dated March 4, 2013

Humphrey Bogart Ballpoints – dated April 2, 2013

Kimberly Ballpoints 3 – dated April 18, 2013

Happy Reading and look for more restoration in 2014!

Christmas 2012

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from Fountain Pen Restoration.  This is my 6th Christmas Post.  After running out of Christmas Pens, I have looked for some unique advertisements the last two years.  Last year was a 1907 Wirt Christmas advertisement, and this year is a Waterman from the same year.  This advertisement has a lot to look at, being theatrically themed, as it appeared inside the front cover of Theater Magazine.  I am not an expert on early 20th Century theatre, but supposedly the persons depicted were recognizable to those that were.  

My favorite section of the advertisement is below.  To those of us that enjoy vintage pens – this would be a visit from Santa we would not soon forget!

Have a great Holiday Season and a Healthy New Year!

Christmas 2011

Happy Holidays from Fountain Pen Restoration. This is our fifth year Christmas post, and I thought this was an appropriate greeting card. From the December 1907 issue of Pacific Monthly – – – – A Merry Wirt (Bloomsburg, PA) Christmas!

Many more pens in the repair queue, as well as some interesting historical curios for 2012 – see you in the New Year!

Sheaffer Holiday Pen 1997

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to All from Fountain Pen Restoration.  Each of the previous Christmas Posts have featured vintage Christmas Post Cards and the Sheaffer Holly Pen:

Christmas 2009
Christmas 2008
Christmas 2007

This year, I was lucky enough to pick up Sheaffer’s second Holiday Pen ~ The Snow Pen ~ which was produced in the same type of box as the Holly Pen (1996), in 1997.

Here is the pen, sitting on a 1913 post card with a nice Holiday Sentiment ~

Years May Come

And Years May Go

May Happiness

You Always Know

Merry Christmas

Here is the front of the Snow Pen box

And the inside flap, describing the Frederic Mizen painting ~

The snow pen is actually a Prelude model cartridge/converter fill.  Research indicates that these also came in sets with a matching ballpoint, though it appears that mine came without this option.  As you can see, it is a fine point.

Here is a photo taken along with the 1996 Triumph Holly Pen (broad nib).  The Snow Pen was the end to the “Holiday Originals”  two year series.  I do not know if the plan was to continue for more years, but this pen marked the end to a unique marketing campaign.  I am certain that vintage pen collectors, and especially Sheaffer collectors would have loved to see Holiday Pens based on the Balance, Pen For Men, Snorkel, and a Large Red Flat Top…

So, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, to all pen collectors and restorers out there.  Have a great Season and here is to many more pens to discover in the future!

Christmas 2009

Well, another year has passed and as we close out 2009 I think I have found the appropriate Holiday greeting for 2009.  Santa seems to be making a few last minute notes with his dip pen…

Vintage Post Cards are a great complement to fountain pen collecting.   Those that have messages and addresses on the reverse are often written with fountain pens or dip pens and it is fun to read them and imagine what pen and ink may have been used.

Until next year…Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays,  and Happy New Year.

Phil

Christmas 2008

Happy Holidays to all of you.  Over the past 13 months I have enjoyed writing these weekly (or so I try) entries.  I have especially enjoyed receiving emails from you with ideas, questions, and kind comments.  I hope I have provoked some interest in vintage fountain pens and in restoring them.   It is not a mysterious science, and as many of you have discovered this year, it is quite rewarding.  I hope to be able to add to these pages as we progress through another year.  I encourage you to reread some of the previous 63 articles published over the past 13 months if you get a chance.

As we are approaching Christmas Day, I thought I would repost pictures from my entry of Christmas Eve 2007.

The pen is a Sheaffer Holly Pen, produced in 1996.

From time to time, I mention that I run into other interesting related collectibles to fountain pens and occasionally post them.  A distant tie-in are vintage post cards which often carry interesting messages from the past on the back, often written with fountain pens.  Here is a sample from 1913, though the back has no message.

As in 1913, I wish all of you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and may you find happiness in the New Year.

Merry And Bright Be Your Christmas

As this is Christmas Eve, I will depart from the restoration theme and just show the Sheaffer 1996 Special Edition Holly Pen. It has a broad nib and is a cartridge/converter fill.

Merry Christmas to all!