, the four decades of pen collecting.
[Posted on L&P on Aug 11, 2008, and revised on May 28, 2015.]
After reading through all my issues of the Pen Fancier’s Magazine in 2008, I realized that 2008 was the 30th anniversary of the publication, so I said happy 30th anniversary to Cliff and Judy, and all the other pen fanciers out there. Afterwards, I drew up a parallel-bar graph, or timeline of the major pen-collecting activities of the previous 30 years, and it became graphically obvious to me that we had gone through two generations, or decades, or waves of pen-collecting activity by then, and that we were nearing the end of the third, so I started up a new thread on the topic, “A Pen Collecting Timeline”, with bar graph and all.
The next 17 or 18 posts here are a continuation of that post with other bits of information from that original thread on L&P about the first three decades of pen collecting. Almost another decade has passed since then, so let’s subtitle this revised series of posts “The Four Decades of Pen Collecting”. The first installment is a cross-posted message from a thread on Pentrace by Len Provisor. It was titled “Significant and outstanding contributors to the pen hobby”, and he gave me permission to archive it for him on L&P. And now, I am saving it here as well.
[Posted on Pentrace on Aug 22, 2008, and on L&P on Aug 28, 2008.]
“I had a revelation the other day when I read of the significant honor bestowed upon Brian Jones when he was installed as a Member of the British Empire. Thinking of all those I know, met, or heard about who can also be considered as making significant contributions to this small and seemingly insignificant hobby, I jotted some notes.
“Several years ago someone once projected what appeared to be a reasonable number of pen collectors in our hobby at around 100,000 or more world wide. This includes an estimate of those that may be “closet” collectors, quietly going about their business, lurking on web sites and maybe attending shows or reading pen magazines. Among this tally of collectors you can count a very small number of individuals that have been significant and influential to the 100,000 plus. These people are researchers, authors, pen show promoters, and all of them are pen collectors.
“Here in no particular order as they come to mind, friends, acquaintances and authors whose books I treasure, but most significantly:
Cliff [& Judy] Lawrence, who literally single [double] handedly started this hobby with his [their] Pen Fancier’s Club, which begat every pen club and pen show in existence today.
Brian Jones, WES member, one of the founders of the Pen Room Museum, Birmingham.
Andreas Lambrou with his prolific works including Fountain Pens of the World.
David Shepherd, dedicated pen researcher and author of books on Parker pens and history.
Stuart Schneider & George Fischler, authors of the blue and brown books, pen show promoters.
Henry Gostony & Stuart Schneider history of ballpoint pens.
Pierre Haury & Jean-Pierre Lacroux, pen historians, authors of A Passion for Pens.
Henry Simpole, UK pen historian, craftsman, and collector.
Donald Jackson, author of The Story of Writing, he was the Scribe for the House of Lords.
Philip Poole, “His Nibs”, UK pen historian, founding member of the Writing Equipment Society.
Michael Finlay, author of Western Writing Implements with many Philip Poole pens and items.
Arthur Twydle, UK pen historian, collector, and master pen mechanic.
Jim Marshall, UK pen historian, collector, prolific author, master pen mechanic.
Alexander Crum Ewing, UK pen historian, author.
Toshiya Nakata, Nakaya Fountain Pens, saving & restoring significant trade craftsmen.
Bernard Lyn, Danitrio, significant work to revive the art of maki-e.
Paul Erano, authored many books, prolific author in hobby magazines.
David Moak, published a book on the history of Mabie Todd.
Frank Dubiel, “da repair book”, the rascal responsible for people opening pens and looking inside.
Bob Tefft and Boris Rice, PCA founders, started pen clubs and the LA Pen Show.
Don Lavin, Dan Zazove and Michael Fultz, started one of the first major US pen shows in Chicago.
Maryann and Steve Zucker, life long collectors, and N.Y. pen show promoters.
Letizia Jacopini, expert on Italian pens and author of The History of Italian Pens.
Paolo Maggi, author of Fabulous Fountain Pens.
Jurgen Dittmer & Martin Lehmann historians and authors of Pelikan Schreibergate.
Osman Sumer, expert on German pens and significant repair person.
Miroslav Tischler, author, pen historian, book on Penkala pens, and more to come.
Thomas Neureither, researcher and work-in-progress author on German pen makers.
“This is a short list that comes to mind at the moment. I am sure you can name a few more who have been significant to the hobby.”
Other posters added the following names. David Nishimura, Jim Mamoulides, John Mottishaw, Brian Anderson, Rick Conner, Rick Horne, Tom Westerich, Regina Martini, and Jonathan Donahaye all maintain superb, well-researched, and regularly-maintained websites. Also Glen Bowen & Nancy Olson of Pen World, and Jon Messer & Mel Strohminger of Stylus.
George Kovalenko.
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