One warm spring afternoon in 1981, on the short walk home from the bus stop after school, I noticed something laying on the sidewalk: a black and white mechanical pencil marked "Sheaffer's" on the clip. It was my first mechanical pencil, and that little Sheaffer became my daily companion over the next few years as I filled journals, did my homework, and idly doodled my way through the rest of my schooling. I still have it today.
After 1 started collecting pencils in 1999 or so, my little hoard of Sheaffer pencils expanded. At first, I "fished with hand grenades:" Sheaffers would arrive in lots that included other pencils that interested me, and I would compare every new arrival to all of the others that resided in a shoebox. If a Sheaffer pencil that came in differed in any respect from what I had, I would hold onto it. Some day, I thought, I'll get them organized.
By the time I settled down to write The Catalogue of American Pencils in 2011, 1 had a shoebox full of Sheaffer pencils. With the help of Matt McColm, 1 sorted them into groups in order to present what I had accumulated in some semblance of order. The result was somewhat satisfying but by no means complete, and after the book was finished, back they went into that shoebox.
Esta historia es de la edición April 2023 de PEN WORLD.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición April 2023 de PEN WORLD.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Remembering Ward Dunham (October 11, 1941 - August 24, 2024)
On August 24, 2024, calligrapher Ward Dunham passed away.
The Black Pen Society and the D.C. Pen Show: Poobah in a Flower Pot
Do you like black pens? If so, you are probably already familiar with the fun, frivolity, and fellowship associated with the Black Pen Society (BPS).
Stationery Fest: This Is Not a Pen Show
Daisy and Neil Ni's twist on the traditional pen show is about community, not commerce.
"It Has Style:" A History of the Aurora Hastil (1969-1970)
The Italian pen company's experiment in modernism led to a revolution in late 20th century pen design. A two-part series.
GW Pens Scores a Critical Hit
With new collections inspired by Dungeons & Dragons and Fender guitars, artisan John Greco is tapping into cultural trends.
Roterfaden's "Pocket Companion' "
The Taschenbegleiter hand-made planner system from German artisan cooperative Roterfaden features a modular organizational system that grows with the user's ambitions.
S.T. Dupont Takes the Iron Throne
The French atelier continues its forays into popular culture with a new, officially licensed Game of Thrones collection.
More Mail, More Dip-Less
The six-part series on dip-less (or one-dip) fountain pens garnered some major attention through its run from October 2023 through August 2024 (Vol. 36 No. 6 Vol. 37 No. 5).
David Oscarson: A Reflection
The artisan pen maker celebrates 25 years of luxury writing instruments with a new collection that harkens to his Art Nouveau roots.
The Parkette Hopalong Cassidy Ballpoint Pen
The Jotter was advertised as Parker's first ballpoint pen, but a novelty item that played on the Hopalong Cassidy culture craze predated it.
