Dallas is literally just around the corner and we expect it to be another great show! It’s been a month since our last pen show fix and as such I am jonesing for some nice vintage pens for my collection. If you caught our video podcast I mentioned a few of the items I was eager to look for, so here goes!
1) Another Dip Pen – Since Summer has started I’ve added a couple of nice dip pens to my collection, most notably an Edward Todd I resurrected from the dead for my birthday and a Leroy Fairchild I snatched up off eBay. Rumour has it our remote correspondant Mike Byler will be bringing a Bard Brothers dip pen he found in a local antique mall and then proceeded to show me torture me with pictures of it for the next several days. It’ll be cool to see this pen in person and if I can hone my negotiating skills will bring it home. If not, I’m going to look for an Aikin Lambert dip pen to go in a sterling silver holder I have, and then next down the list in terms of priority, any John Holland nibs for two nice retractable dip pen holders I have.
2) Dallas is home to one of the countries largest and most knowledgeable collectors of Diamond Point Pens. I collect the earlier hard rubber models before the company was sold and the name became the New Diamond Point Pen Company in the late 1910’s. I’ve purchased several pens from this gentleman before, most notably a coin filler with an interesting and unusual Diamond Point add on clip and correct Diamond Point nib, and a sterling silver overlay with the Diamond Point “D” marked on the lever. The latter is a very unusual find as most overlays are of the gold fill variety.
3) An Aikin Lambert Safety pen. This pen has eluded me for some time and I have been on the short end of the stick at least twice on eBay. They made these in at least two sizes, a lady’s size and a standard size, similar to a Waterman 42. I’ll take either, but really want the regular size. Often adorned with gold filled ornamentation, chances are better that I’ll find a four leaf clover than one of these, but I’m going to keep trying.
4) If all else fails, I’ll fall back on my usual requests, early taper cap eyedropper pens and any interesting high quality overlay pens. There are going to be a few there I’m sure, and one is sitting in the back of my mind which I’ve been chasing for quite a while. Maybe this will be the year to pull the trigger?
5) Lisa will of course also be looking for pens, primarily Sheaffer Skripserts she doesn’t have, but I think I have a better chance of getting my Aikin Lambert Safety than she has of finding a skripsert that’s not in her collection. It is near complete, and really an impressive sight. She/we will also be looking out for an elusive Vanishing point with microfacets, in the old style. It’s a very rare design, of which we’ve only seen one ever. Should have bought it then, but we thought we’d be able to find another for a better price. I’m thinking we should have got it when we had a chance. 🙂
So that’s it. What are you looking for in Dallas?
Cheers!
Brian