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Pen Posse Nihonmachi


ethernautrix

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Wow! That was so much fun! Many thanks to Kevin (winedoc) for bring ALL THOSE DANITRIOS!

 

Listen, FPN Friends, I got to write with a SIXTEEN-THOUSAND DOLLAR PEN. Yes, I did. And it wrote just like a TWENTY-THOUSAND DOLLAR PEN, that's how good it was.

 

No, seriously, I wrote with it and felt that there should be some kind of ceremonial use for such an amazing pen.

 

Kevin brought the prototype for the Danitrio Fellowship Pen, and listen... you will want this pen. I know. You don't need any convincing, but this pen is going to be WOW.

 

I haven't transferred photos from camera to PC yet (haven't even, ah, uploaded Pen Posse Minneapolis photos from January yet, either -- bad ethernautrix, bad!), so all I have is this camera-phone photo that ParkerBeta took of me and MY NEW DANITRIO BAT PEN! *Keels over from joy*

 

This pen is so beautiful! And it has BATS. Their abalone-shell eyes FLASH!

 

post-13586-1238287891_thumb.jpeg

 

Anyway, Deirdre, I'm glad you found us. Deirdre picked up a Danitrio maki-e pen today, too. Will she take photos and post them? Let's find out!

 

We had Danitrio maki-e madness and ink-swapping goodness and pen-trying fabulousness and conversation. And now I have the BAT PEN!

 

I'll be uploading photos, as I said. No, this time, I mean it. Just not RIGHT NOW, cos I have other things to do. (Looks at clock.) Eep!

 

 

Quickly, though: ANOTHER PEN POSSE MEETING -- Pen Posse Immoteus. Immoteus is coming to San Francisco, and we're going to Pen Posse to bring him into the Pen Posse fold. I'm thinking next Saturday at Flax, maybe 11:00 am, but I'll have to check with him first. I'll post a separate announcement.

 

Today was big fun!

_________________

etherX in To Miasto

Fleekair <--French accent.

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Congratulations on the Bat pen, Ethernautrix! Great looking pen! Damn, I wish I was in the bay area!!!

I want a picture of that 16k dollar pen. Must have looked fantastic with all the work done on it (read Maki-e).

 

And, to add.....The sunlight!!!!!!! Get the pens underneath something!!!!!!!!!

Edited by jpr

Ah, that fresh ink on paper look!

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  Annie said:
Hope you found them.

Thanks, I did. The name wasn't on page 1 or 3 of this thread and I was on painfully sluggish EDGE network at the time. I'd missed that post before I left or I'd have made note of the name.

deirdre.net

"Heck we fed a thousand dollar pen to a chicken because we could." -- FarmBoy, about Pen Posse

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Believe me, this was an event to remember! winedoc's personal collection is to die for ... and so is Deirdre's personal collection ... and they don't have a single pen in common!! I am indeed privileged to have seen so many one-of-a-kind pens in one place. Thanks also to Ken and his huge collection of Preppys filled with every Iroshizuku, Noodler's, and Herbin ink, and for letting me try out his amazing collection of XXF, XXXF, and XXXXF (yes, it exists!) Binder nibs, not to mention the Sailor Pro Gear Saibi Togi. I also got to see the ink-guru melnicki in person, and his amazingly detailed "laboratory notes" on all the inks he is testing/experimenting with.

S.T. Dupont Ellipsis 18kt M nib

Opus 88 Flow steel M nib

Waterman Man 100 Patrician Coral Red 18kt factory stub nib

Franklin-Christoph Model 19 with Masuyama 0.7mm steel cursive italic nib

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I +1 everything Ethernautrix already said. This was one serious Pen Posse. Never have I seen such pens. Thank you to Kevin for bringing them all. There were tidal waves, fireworks, flower blossoms, butterflies, snow drifts, tiny courtesans -- you name it. And bats. I am seriously jealous of Ethernautrix's new bat pen. And the nibs! Huge extra fine flexes. And the urushi! And now I'm drowning in all the ink trades! My hands look like I've been fingerpainting. Matt's ink sample booklets were also quite impressive.

I subscribe to The Rule of 10 (pens, that is)

1) Parker Sonnet 1st gen 2) Pelikan 200 yellow 3) Parker 51 vac 4) Esterbrook trans J 5) Esterbrook LJ "Bell System Property" 6) Sheaffer Snorkel Valiant fern green 7) Waterman 52.5V 8) Parker 75 cisele 9) open 10) open (I'm hankering for a Doric)

 

<img src="http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/606/letterji9.png" border="0" class="linked-sig-image" />

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Well worth the wait...

Congratulations for your Bat pen... very nice indeed, and judging by your smile :wub: , it must be quite a sight!!!

Now you are oficially IN... poor thing :D

Wellcome!!!

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3448/3377063898_1eaf38aeda_o.jpg

The Danitrio Fellowship

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I'm very glad the Pen Posse had such a nice time. It sounds like a fun and sucessful gathering. I wish I could have been there.

 

Thank you Winedoc and Diedre for sharing and caring. You make the world a better place.

 

Ethernautrix, I'm glad you have the Bats pen. Somehow, I just knew it belonged to you.

 

 

At Your Service,

Clydesdave

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Thanks Lisa for arranging this meet. It truly was great fun. I would have stayed longer if not rest of my family members are sick... but I know some of you hanged around until 5pm or so. The cafe is sort of out in an open space, but under cover, and many folks waking by stopped to see what we were doing with all the pens and inks. There are so many different kinds of inks... vintage pens, Jeff's celluloid collections, Deirdre's fabulous Italian collection, I love that Bellini which is much better in person.... and Steven's handmade journal, and handmade leather profolio... Lucia and Ken's inky fingers... and my safe delivery of California traveling journal to Sayan, mission accomplished, hewww.

 

Thank you Lisa for a great time, and glad the pen is to your liking... a bat pen for the batgril. LOL.

 

Best,

 

Kevin

To Cross The Rubicon

 

Internet Pens

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:headsmack: No pictures? :crybaby: I feel like this is a secret society and we're outsiders! I want to be initiated!?! :notworthy1: Please share some pen and posse pictures! Anyone? Bueller? :roflmho:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3448/3377063898_1eaf38aeda_o.jpg

The Danitrio Fellowship

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Well it was truly a day of indulgence. I didn't get home until 11 and asleep much later, so I didn't post. I hate to admit this but I had a camera in my bag but just didn't even get around to thinking about it (sorry) - just too much going on. I had both the fortune and misfortune of sittiing at the far end of the table from the photograph and arriving late, with the ink posse in full swing - misfortune only in the sense of not being everywhere at once. It was a three ring (at least) circus and I wound up immediately enthralled by Melnicki's collection at 'our' end of the table, an accumulation of three years worth of ink collecting samples both of individual inks in ink diaries and samples of letters from all over the world. Of course being attracted to all things small (perhaps fine might be a better term), I was thrilled to see some of Pthalo's handwriting in person. I can write small, be she writes beautifully small. I enjoyed looking at it with some loupes or magnifiers that I'd brought with me. A real treat. I got out my preppy collection and the two of us were exchanging inks, adding to his collection, while I had the chance to view many not in mine (yet). There's something different from viewing ink samples in person than in a photograph - it's not a static perspective, but one where you can view it from your own perspectives (and magnification), focusing on what interests you most. Melnicki's collection (and his intense study of it all) would have made this trip to the Bay area very worthwhile just by itself. I did indulge in spending a great deal of time with him (thanks), but probably missed a great deal going on at the other end of the table. The Noodler's Whaleman's Sepia writing samples gave me a different and improved perspective on this ink for instance. I pulled out my Preppy collection and had great fun letting people sample what inks they cared to, including both bottles I have and samples that Deirdre had given to me previously that I used for loading preppys. Deidre joined us at our end of the table and I got to look over her fabulous collection once again. So much to absorb (no pun intended, but my fingers did some of that too)! It's a whole area of pen knowledge which I was not aware of, one of many. While I have a passion for all things fine, I'm beginning to be drawn into flexible nibs. It just seems so strange to be coming from fine nibs requiring a light touch to press so hard as to flex the nibs, but it was fun learning , with help from Melnicki and others I'm at least beginning to appreciate how much there is to learn here. I was particularly attracted to a Pelican M800 XXF 'Artist full flex' nib (by Binder I believe) demonstrator (with Pelican Brown ink) and the beautiful drawings he had made with it. I didn't even have time to see Steven'sleatherwork but hopefully next time, again a limitation of the three ring circus effect of so much to see at one time

 

ParkerBeta and I were exchanging pens for writing and I had a chance to try out a Sailor Zoom nib, a Pilot 742 broad stub, Falcon soft fine and a Myu 90, all delightful pens. I was pleasantly surprised by the writing characteristics of each. Yet another indulgent treat! I aslo got to watch mirror image handwriting writing, with handwriting that ooks better than mine even in mirror image! A most unusual skill.

 

It was all I could do to pull myself away from my end of the table to the other end, viewing the pen collections there, including a fabulous collection of celluloid pens and some Parkers. Of course the star of 'the show' was winedocs Danitrio collection plus one Nakaya - I'd been wanting to see a Nakaya in person so this was quite a treat. Winedoc was so patient explaining his collection of stunningly georgeous pens to me, even telling me how to spell Danitrio correctly (I'm such a Danitrio newbie) and letting me freely view and handle them A real rare treat and yet another indulgence. Seeing art of this quality and handling it felt like being invited into a museum and getting to explore the merchandise rather than viewing it from the other side of the ropes. I did have the chance to use a Flexible Broad Danitrio, the 'Lady in Moonlight'. A great initial exposure to an area of pen collecting I know so little about.

 

I also wrote with a music nib for the first time , Platinum Coy, and a couple of Pelican pens with double nibs (something like the Sailor Emperor) by James Keening - these Pelican pens put out a major amount of ink! So different from my fine nibbed pens. It felt like working in another medium altogether.

 

Big Kudos to Lisa for arranging this! We were having so much fun, I missed the Bat Pen! Lisa did get a chance to try out some J Herbin Authentique ink, a permanent archival Lawyer's black ink, with a J Herbin glass dip pen. It was the only bottle I brought since the rest were in Preppys (arranged by vendor). Hopefully I'll get a review together of this ink along with my New collection of J Herbin inks.in the near future.

 

All in all a real treat. Just not enough time to spend with each of you, even though this was an ink/pen marathon. Not enough time for pics, but all the more reason to have even more people make for yet a bigger posse next time It's extremely enjoyable to spend some time with people sharing your passion in person. I dropped by the Kinokuniya book store and looked over some cookbooks, one on Kaseki style cooking and a new Nobu book and dropped by their (Kinokuniya) stationary store for a couple more preppys (of course) They were almost out and I get them for a better price from Jet Pens. I also picked up some Slim B5 sized 5mm grid notepads, three small 6mm lined Apica notebooks and some pilot Orange ink refils. I finished the day off with a Shabu-shabu dinner in Japantown, a stopover at the Stoneridge Mall Mont Blanc store, which will be closing mid April (I picked up three inks - their pens and accessories are on sale at substantial discounts, but still beyond my means and needs at the moment) and a late appetizer at PJ Changs to cap the evening off. An exceptional day.

 

An additional thanks to May's Coffee House for letting us take up their large table in the middle of the shopping center without objection and few purchases. We were a bit of a curiosity to the passers by, with someone I met in a knife store later saying 'Oh weren't you one of the people with all those pens out there today?' The sunlight streaming through the rooftop skylights made for an excellent place to view these ink colors and glorious pen works of art.

 

---

Ken

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Thanks to Pen Posse for sharing your experience here -- nice "review," Ken! Also, thanks to everyone for your congratulations about my Bat Pen (hooray!).

 

I'm still going through the photos from yesterday, so here's one, of the detail from two of Kevin's fabulous Danitrio fountain pens:

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3549/3395722373_719cc378f5.jpg

 

I have a couple of shots of Pen Posse in action and of Professor Ink's (melnicki who is the Ink King, a position that comes with various nicknames) ink samples and of more pens, of course, including a shot of Deirdre's amazing Stipula Bernini. When you see the Bellini in person, you think, "Oh. Okay. I get it now. That's why." It isn't just a pen. It's... a weapon and an artifact.

 

But let me get these photos uploaded. Sorry for the delay, Mack!

 

 

Edit: Per Deirdre, it's Bernini, not Bellini, which, come to think about it, was the house drink at Harry's American Bar, no? Heh. Thanks, Deirdre! (Goes off to correct the spelling in the photos before uploading to flickr.)

 

 

Edited again: Bernini, not Benini. Sigh.

Edited by ethernautrix

_________________

etherX in To Miasto

Fleekair <--French accent.

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BTW, it's a Stipula BERNINI; the Bellini is actually a low-end pen. (Great pen, though.)

deirdre.net

"Heck we fed a thousand dollar pen to a chicken because we could." -- FarmBoy, about Pen Posse

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  ethernautrix said:
But let me get these photos uploaded. Sorry for the delay, Mack!

 

:crybaby: Get crackin' ethernautrix! :P I KID! ;) When will you be changing your handle to "batgirl?" :roflmho: :thumbup: Mac :notworthy1:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3448/3377063898_1eaf38aeda_o.jpg

The Danitrio Fellowship

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Since I want to post more than three or four photos, I'll upload these in the small size. Click on the photo to see it in my flickr photostream.

 

 

Here's Kevin (winedoc) who brought all those amazing Danitrio fountain pens:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3262/3396831150_dd5df0379f_m.jpg

 

 

Here are Kevin and Matt (melnicki) (whom I call Professor Ink):

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3282/3396019059_378d61ffe6_m.jpg

 

 

Some of the Danitrio fountain pens:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3604/3396820032_b61f60ff37_m.jpg

 

 

And some "plain" ones:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3451/3396821732_e7cfd9595d_m.jpg

 

 

Pen Posse, clockwise from lower left are Kevin (winedoc), Matt (melnicki), Steve (from Dixon!), Sayan (ParkerBeta), Dean (deanknow), Lucia (luciahwang), and Ricky (altecgreen):

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3658/3396822116_fdf41c7535_m.jpg

 

 

Danitrio maki-e detail:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3612/3396832176_67a2a56535_m.jpg

 

 

Danitrio maki-e detail:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3469/3396022337_5b5deee0ba_m.jpg

 

 

Danitrio maki-e detail:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3429/3396832548_10d9e16340_m.jpg

 

 

Pen Posse, clockwise from lower left are Kevin, Ken (ksskss), Steve, Deirdre, Matt, Dean, and Lucia:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3654/3396022963_c456bed03c_m.jpg

 

 

A miniscule sample of Professor Ink's Ink Record (I mean Matt's methodical ink work, of course):

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3561/3395998945_9aa96d3771_m.jpg

 

One example of Professor Ink's Ink Fade Studies:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3638/3395999559_b6798d6d87_m.jpg

 

 

I'm calling this the Russianesque. It's a real beauty:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3439/3396833006_8cd949475a_m.jpg

 

 

Russianesque detail:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3555/3396021993_2026f234c4_m.jpg

 

There are a few more photos in my flickr photostream. But this is a nice sampling (and, ah, most of them). I haven't taken photos of the Bat Pen yet (it is so beautiful!), but I will. I'll post the two photos of Deirdre's Stipula Bernini below.

Edited by ethernautrix

_________________

etherX in To Miasto

Fleekair <--French accent.

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OMG!!! :yikes: AMAZING pictures and those Danitrio's!!! I NEED to attend one of your Pen Posse meets!! Looked like sooo much fun! :puddle: I'm off to stalk your flickr account to look at high res shots now! :ninja: :eureka:

 

Edit: OK just finished looking at your pictures! WOW! And to think I was only a few hours away from this spectacle! :crybaby: Man I'm salivating editing my "want" list. Thanks for the pictures "batgirl"!! :P

Edited by mava

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3448/3377063898_1eaf38aeda_o.jpg

The Danitrio Fellowship

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Mac, you would have a lot of fun. The thing started at 11AM and I left around 2:30PM or so and some of them hanged out until 5PM!! That's like 6 hrs of pure pens and ink... some of us forgot to have lunch. LOL.

 

Nice pics Lisa... thank God I did not have a bald spot on top of my head, ha!

 

Kevin

To Cross The Rubicon

 

Internet Pens

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