Summer’s Sunburned Inks
Humans aren’t the only ones who have summertime adventures in the sun. Read all about more than a dozen very sunburned fountain inks and their UV adventures.
The blog since 2013
Drippy Musings
261 posts since September 2013 by Nathaniel Cerf: how to start collecting, what happens at the repair bench, inks under the sun, fake Montblancs, and the pens of presidents and writers. "It is a space dedicated to pen lovers old and new."
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The four posts new collectors are sent first
Don’t Get Fooled by Fake Montblancs: Vermeil Solitaire
This tale is, unfortunately, an all too familiar one. A friend was perusing the world’s most famous electronic auction site (rhymes with uPay) and discovered a deal too good to pass up. It was a Montblanc Classique Vermeil Solitaire ballpoint.
How Do I Restore A Parker Vacumatic
This is a new old stock Parker Vacumatic Maxima in the “Golden Pearl” design. Check out the barrel clarity! When it comes to vintage Parker pens, Parker Vacumatics are my favorite. I love their stunning art deco designs and over-complicated filling system. The pens have some quirks, too, but, I still love them. As the…
How Do I Start Collecting Pens? Know Thy Obsession
Starting a pen collection isn’t always easy. There are soooooo many great pens out there in need of a good home. Where do you begin? There is no right or wrong way to begin, but sometimes it helps to narrow your options. Do you like dip pens, fountain pens, ballpoint pens or rollerball pens? Do…
Why Aren’t Modern Books Considered Classics?
At one time it seemed as if people identified classic literature almost as soon as it was published. Yet it doesn’t seem as if any book since the 1970s has received that designation. Why is that? What do you think should be considered a classic from the past 50ish years?
Summer’s Sunburned Inks
Humans aren’t the only ones who have summertime adventures in the sun. Read all about more than a dozen very sunburned fountain inks and their UV adventures.
Don’t Get Fooled by Fake Montblancs: Vermeil Solitaire
This tale is, unfortunately, an all too familiar one. A friend was perusing the world’s most famous electronic auction site (rhymes with uPay) and discovered a deal too good to pass up. It was a Montblanc Classique Vermeil Solitaire ballpoint.
Trading Post Scam Alert
We just got news from one of our friends advertising on the Trading Post that a scammer tried to steal both a pen and money. Learn the scam and protect yourself by reading this post.
Not Your Average Pen Collection
Visit the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library to see a vast collection of presidential signing pens spanning Kennedy to Obama.
Holiday Shipping Recommendations
Well, my friends. We are less than a week from the start of Hanukkah and only 15 days out from Christmas. As such, time is running out to get those holiday purchases in the mail. The United States Postal Service seems to be slower than ever and recommends the following dates to guarantee shipping for…
Dive Deep into Sheaffer Pencils (and Pens)
Learn why we give 5 stars out of 5 to Jonathan Veley’s book “A Field Guide to Sheaffer’s Pencils” in this comprehensive book review.
Reflections on 50
Mr. Gelz was old. Mr. Gelz (G like gills; rhymes with bells) was mostly bald. Mr. Gelz & Mrs. Gelz had grandchildren. Mr. Gelz smoked a pipe and wore short-brimmed fedoras. Mr. Gelz celebrated one birthday by getting a stunningly all-white concrete 2-car-wide driveway. Mr. Gelz scolded all the kids in the neighborhood for using…
Inktober Wrapping Up Our Noodler’s Ink Tests
I can barely draw a stick figure, so for our contribution to Inktober, I thought I would share the last of the results from our deep dive into testing Noodler’s Inks. These are the final 22 inks from our big haul several years ago.
Pres. Truman Writes with Sheaffer & Esterbrook
Thanks to a wonderful conversation with a man named Brad P., we received a great insight into the pens used by American president Harry S Truman. Brad reached out to us looking to sell an especially unique item: an Esterbrook dip pen used by Pres. Truman to sign an act to amend the Displaced Persons…
Welcome to the New & Improving ThePenMarket.com
Regulars to ThePenMarket.com have seen some pretty big changes around here! From our new logo to our new website, there is a lot to explore. Hopefully, you will like the latest changes and features even more than the original site. Redesigning your favorite place to find vintage pens and pre-owned pens took a whopping 8…
Don’t Be Fooled by Fake Parker Sonnets
A couple weeks ago a person reached out asking how to identify fake Parker Sonnet pens. The first thought that crossed my mind was, “Who would want to fake a Parker Sonnet?” Don’t get me wrong. Sonnets are very nice pens. But, there are a ton of used authentic ones out there for very, very…