11 replies to this topic

[david i]

Hi,

 

The third issue, completing the magazine's first year is out. And, it is nice.

 

• Interview with artist Marta Torres-Quinones
• Attracting Millenials to the hobby.  Erin Escobar
• A.T. Cross & the Century ballpoint pen. Paul Erano
• Good Service (Parker) Golden Jubilee fountain pen. David Isaacson
• Essay: The Medium is the message. Nicholas Ayo
• ... and more...

 

Should be hitting mailboxes shortly. Please do comment once you've had the chance to read.  Questions invited.

For those of you (most of you) who have first year subscriptions, it is time to renew.

 

Erano continues his 25+ year history of contributing to the print literature of our hobby.

 

Renewals for Fountain Pen Journal at the main website

 

 

 

 

regards

 

David

 

[Shadow Wave]

Mine arrived today, folded quadruple and apparently then sat upon by the Post Office, but intact.

 

I haven't read the essays or the interview yet but the Cross and Good Service articles were absorbing.

 

The Good Service Golden Anniversary models must be scare because I don't recall ever seeing one. The clips certainly look familiar, from Eisenstadt pens that do show up.  

 

The suggestion that Parker and Eisenstadt might have been sourcing the clips from a common supplier is intriguing, if Parker wasn't actually buying from Eisenstadt outright. I suppose that not too many people were familiar with the Eisenstadt pen and it was an inexpensive way for Sears to get a different look for this model. $1.69 for a Parker-quality pen was quite a bargain.

 

I noticed that on the reproduction Sears catalog blurb it says "holds 102% more ink," which is very similar to the claim made in Parker's national advertising for the Vacumatic. In a way, the bulb filler was a simplified version of the Vacumatic filler so it might have been just as true.

 

Regarding the Cross piece, it was interesting to find out they were making pencil mechanisms for Le Boeuf and then Parker. I certainly didn't know the rare Cross fountain pens used the Le Boeuf sleeve filler. I always liked the styling of these pens and it's too bad they didn't find more of a market back in the Thirties.

 

Good job, Paul and David.

[david i]

Thanks.

 

Sorry your copy was abused by the post office.

 

The Golden Jubilee pen  was just $1.19. One could have the whole set for $1.69, quite a bargain.  With one catalogue appearance and low original price, I'm not surprised not many are found today. Still, the pen should be of interest to Parker collectors.

 

regards

 

David

[david i]

Frank Dubiel used to say, more or less, that the Vacumatic filling system was just an overwrought bulb-filler

 

-d

[Pensee]

Summer 2015 got here.  Cool!  That's more than I can say for... <cough>  never mind.

 

Thought I'd do a critique on this one rather than just type,  "Great issue!"  "Wow!  Really liked it!"

 

Back slapping is nice, but how can FPJ get better if everyone says "Great job!" 

 

So here's Bruce the magazine critic. 

 

Nice cover & seamless path to get top of Cross pen to cover part of masthead.

 

Content:  I count 24 pages, so what's inside counts imo.  (Also very tough because "can't please everyone.")

 

Having said that though...

 

BPS: Oh please!  I know it's all in good fun but I subscribed to learn about pens & see photos on them.  Two thumbs down... 

 

Interview:  Same as Black Pen Society.  Nothing against MT-Q but not sure what her work on Devil's Dictionary' has to do with pens or collecting them.  That's four pages out of just 24 I think.  Two Thumbs Down...

 

Engraving:  Got me to think about it, so that's good.  Turn my nose up at them, but why?  I've been conditioned to believe engraved pens aren't as desirable?  Thought provoking.  Two thumbs up!

 

Millenials:  I'm 50.  Initial reaction, "Ugggh!  Not another article about 20-somethings!"  Granted, they *are* our future, but like the interview-- what's that have to do with pens & collecting them?  How is that relevant to me as a reader?  Sounds like recruitment & planning for the board of directors.  Two thumbs down 

 

Mandarins:  Now this is what I signed up for!   If I'd have seen a pen like that, "Too bad.  Parts drawer."   Not so!  says Mr. Erano.  Two thumbs up!

 

Cross:  I'm biased here.  Cross set is what got me into fountain pens.  Maybe some collectors turn their noses up at them, but in the early 80's nearly everyone got a set as high school graduation gift.  Two thumbs up!

 

Sears:  Didn't even know about them!  Nuggets like these are why I subcribe!  Two thumbs up! 

 

Pen-Chant:  At first I thought this was just another business article.  "Market share!  We need to appeal to the Millenials!"   Actually it's food for thought.  How did I go from Cross to vintage pens? How do I obtain most of them?  What's the main way I have of communicating with fellow pen nuts?  Internet.  What have I been reviewing though?  A hardcopy magazine.  Two thumbs up!     

 

Sooo....  that's 3 of 8 articles I personally didn't find very useful.  Put another way, a little over one third of it wasn't cost effective.

 

Still probably renew, but will be interesting to see what others think.  Maybe I'm being too selfish or I'm a cheapskate.

 

fwiw!

 

--Bruce

[david i]

Critiques are appreciated no worries.   I will read in detail and direct to Paul as well.

 

regards

 

david

[Pensee]

Thanks.  Very good of you.  I have a very dry sense of humor though.  Get this mental picture of Erano blinking in puzzlement.

 

"Huh?  What kind of name is Pensée?  Those articles trending pretty good on Facebook."

 

Anyway, should poke around here more often.  Was going to do a little show-n-tell & ask question about paper, when I learned somethign today!

 

"Devil's Dictionary" is pinned, and has 108 replies with 2,805 views or "marked as read." 

By contrast, two of us have replied about FPJ with you being kind enough to rely.  (390 members have read it, or marked it as read.)

So obviously quite a few people are intersted in this fiendish feature of fountainpen fancy. 

 

"Two thumbs up!"      

 

 

[MxMJ]

Coincidentally, within a week of this arriving, two Good Service Golden Jubilee pens sold on ebay, both slender grey (I think). I picked up one of them, wish it was a green one though!

[david i]

I grabbed one of those from eBay. I have some hope it could be the full-size model. If so and gray it will complete my collection after all these years. It arrives at my hospital at West. We shall see nextweek

[MxMJ]

Good luck! If by some chance yours isn't and mine is full size, you don't happen to have an extra green one do you? I'd be up for a swap in that case.

 

Edit: Got mine today and I am 90% sure its a slender pen.

Edited by MxMJ, 16 August 2015 - 02:39 AM.

[david i]

My Golden Jubilee  indeed is slender. If the one you found  is standard size, I'd have interest. Swap plus some cash or something. I don't have a spare besides the slender gray.

 

regards

 

david

[MxMJ]

Mine also turned out to be slender.