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Origin of Tree Trunk Pens


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#1 brando090

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Posted 13 September 2012 - 02:10 AM

Looking for the history of tree-trunk pens, and what companies made them and what the design logic was on these pens. Here are two examples of such items;

A David Issacson photographed Holland Tree-Trunk fp;

Posted Image

Waterman tree-trunk silver overlap fp (~12 known in existence);

Posted Image


#2 Jim B

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Posted 13 September 2012 - 12:27 PM

I make 2 observations:

1) as to the Holland "tree Trunk" -- all I can say is that David is a "Photoshop Master" Posted Image

2) As to "12 known to exist", a couple things, does that include the ones the late Dan MacNamara owned? and also how about Nathan's "frog" tree trunks? There are at least 3-4 of those around.

#3 David Nishimura

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Posted 13 September 2012 - 02:49 PM

The Holland tree trunk pen is, as far as I know, unique. It was in Dick Johnson's collection for many years, found in the wild long long ago. It was on display at some of the early Columbus shows, along with a selection of other pens from Dick's collection. As I recall it was hand-carved.

As far as vintage pens are concerned, the only other examples of tree trunk pens known are Watermans (there are similar pencils, unbranded). These are silver overlay pens, although some appear to be low grade silver -- well below sterling. These pens are not recorded in any catalogue, and it is fair to suppose that they were made as a special order.

------------

And a note to Brandon:

Asking questions is good. Repeating "facts" in a public forum that you really aren't sure about isn't. There's a lot of misinformation in circulation, and it can be very hard to stamp out an error once it starts getting picked up and repeated as fact. It would be useful to have a census of rare pens, the Waterman tree trunks included, but until we do, it is not helpful to pull numbers from thin air and put them out as authoritative figures.







#4 David Nishimura

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Posted 13 September 2012 - 02:49 PM

dbl post

Edited by David Nishimura, 13 September 2012 - 02:50 PM.


#5 philm

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Posted 13 September 2012 - 03:27 PM

"and also how about Nathan's "frog" tree trunks? There are at least 3-4 of those around."

I wish I owned one of the original Waterman's ( I will leave the speculation as to numbers alone ...), but here is one of the mentioned Tardif Overlays ~

Posted Image

Phil

#6 Penprophet

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Posted 13 September 2012 - 04:43 PM

I wish there was an accurate census of rare pens but I doubt this could be done in an accurate manner.

I have personally seen around a dozen lever fill tree trunks and 3 eyedrop treetrunks but have no idea how many more exist.

Pencils are inteeresting- I assume that the pencil the matches the shape of the pen is Waterman but other shape tree trunk pensils also exist.

If I can, I will post pictures tonight.

Mark

#7 Jim B

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Posted 13 September 2012 - 08:39 PM

The Holland tree trunk pen is, as far as I know, unique. It was in Dick Johnson's collection for many years, found in the wild long long ago. It was on display at some of the early Columbus shows, along with a selection of other pens from Dick's collection. As I recall it was hand-carved.


Thanks for the info David, I never knew of this Holland and assumed wrongly it was an entertaining figment of the Doc's fertile imagination!

#8 Jim B

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Posted 13 September 2012 - 08:40 PM

Phil,

heck, I'd just like to own of these Froggy beauties!

#9 brando090

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Posted 13 September 2012 - 09:24 PM

I make 2 observations:

1) as to the Holland "tree Trunk" -- all I can say is that David is a "Photoshop Master" Posted Image

2) As to "12 known to exist", a couple things, does that include the ones the late Dan MacNamara owned? and also how about Nathan's "frog" tree trunks? There are at least 3-4 of those around.


Jim,

That number was posted sometime ago, and i doubt is true, and can only be recorded as a rough estimate at best. I do know of Nathan's overlay pens, but i was looking for vintage pens.

#10 brando090

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Posted 13 September 2012 - 09:27 PM

The Holland tree trunk pen is, as far as I know, unique. It was in Dick Johnson's collection for many years, found in the wild long long ago. It was on display at some of the early Columbus shows, along with a selection of other pens from Dick's collection. As I recall it was hand-carved.

As far as vintage pens are concerned, the only other examples of tree trunk pens known are Watermans (there are similar pencils, unbranded). These are silver overlay pens, although some appear to be low grade silver -- well below sterling. These pens are not recorded in any catalogue, and it is fair to suppose that they were made as a special order.

------------

And a note to Brandon:

Asking questions is good. Repeating "facts" in a public forum that you really aren't sure about isn't. There's a lot of misinformation in circulation, and it can be very hard to stamp out an error once it starts getting picked up and repeated as fact. It would be useful to have a census of rare pens, the Waterman tree trunks included, but until we do, it is not helpful to pull numbers from thin air and put them out as authoritative figures.







David,

I cant say how much i appreciate your posts. As far as unbranded silver overlay pens with a tree trunk overlay, do you have any photo's of such? Id a big appreciative collector of german/unknown silver pens, so id love to see who has these types of pens, what they look like, quality of the work, and what they are going for.

I apologize for some of the factual posts ive been making, and ill work on limiting those types of posts until i get a more definite answer.

#11 brando090

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Posted 13 September 2012 - 09:28 PM

I wish there was an accurate census of rare pens but I doubt this could be done in an accurate manner.

I have personally seen around a dozen lever fill tree trunks and 3 eyedrop treetrunks but have no idea how many more exist.

Pencils are inteeresting- I assume that the pencil the matches the shape of the pen is Waterman but other shape tree trunk pensils also exist.

If I can, I will post pictures tonight.

Mark


I have to see pictures Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image

#12 AltecGreen

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Posted 14 September 2012 - 12:21 AM

Here's a picture of a tree trunk next to a Parker Giant.


Posted Image



Here's a different shot.


Posted Image

Edited by AltecGreen, 14 September 2012 - 12:25 AM.


#13 brando090

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Posted 14 September 2012 - 12:46 AM

Here's a picture of a tree trunk next to a Parker Giant.


Posted Image



Here's a different shot.


Posted Image


AltecGreen as in Roger @ Penopoly? I love your pens Posted Image And you have a RHR Waterman Doll/No. 000!!!!!

Edited by brando090, 14 September 2012 - 12:47 AM.


#14 david i

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Posted 14 September 2012 - 01:19 AM

AltecGreen as in Roger @ Penopoly? I love your pens Posted Image And you have a RHR Waterman Doll/No. 000!!!!!



Oy vey...

-d



David R. Isaacson MD. Website: VACUMANIA.com for quality old pens with full warranty.
Email: isaacson@frontiernet.net

Posted Image

#15 brando090

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Posted 14 September 2012 - 01:20 AM


AltecGreen as in Roger @ Penopoly? I love your pens Posted Image And you have a RHR Waterman Doll/No. 000!!!!!



Oy vey...

-d




Posted Image

#16 AltecGreen

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Posted 14 September 2012 - 01:23 AM


AltecGreen as in Roger @ Penopoly? I love your pens Posted Image And you have a RHR Waterman Doll/No. 000!!!!!



Oy vey...

-d




Ahh.....no.


I'm not Roger. Although the pictures I put up are of Roger's pens.

I do live 15 minutes from Roger and hang out over there from time to time. We are going to have a karaoke Pen Posse over at his place soon.

#17 brando090

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Posted 14 September 2012 - 01:29 AM



AltecGreen as in Roger @ Penopoly? I love your pens Posted Image And you have a RHR Waterman Doll/No. 000!!!!!



Oy vey...

-d




Ahh.....no.


I'm not Roger. Although the pictures I put up are of Roger's pens.

I do live 15 minutes from Roger and hang out over there from time to time. We are going to have a karaoke Pen Posse over at his place soon.


Gotcha,

I hope you guys have a fun time Posted Image Beautiful pens of his, and he's got a perfectly executed pen room.

#18 FarmBoy

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Posted 14 September 2012 - 03:06 AM




AltecGreen as in Roger @ Penopoly? I love your pens Posted Image And you have a RHR Waterman Doll/No. 000!!!!!



Oy vey...

-d

I concur.

#19 Penprophet

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Posted 14 September 2012 - 04:58 AM

Posted Image
Posted Image
Posted Image

Here are some pictures I promised/

Mark

#20 Penprophet

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Posted 14 September 2012 - 05:20 AM

BTW, the treetrunk next to the giant is a new reproduction as I recall




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