Has Anyone Heard Of Henry Simpole?

[Truffle Finder]

I have had a pretty productive day in the workshop today.

Due to a quite large order of four of my o/lay pens for one gentleman, two of which I did not have ready in stock, so I had to make them up from scratch, and get the base-pens made. So, this afternoon, I was gainfully employed, polishing, and finishing them.

As I have already mentioned here, 'Form Filling' is not my favourite pastime, but this afternoon, I spent a very long time doing just that, on three separate sheets, giving them all the details for them to work to. Which might sound fairly straight forward, but it was complicated by virtue that the Princess wanted me to mark the 'birthday present' pen with the celeb's initials, and it's surprising how easy it is to get the information wrong, still, I left them my phone number on the forms, so I hope they will phone me if there are any queries! :embarrassed_smile:

Let's hope that all goes well.

Truffle Finder.

[Chris Chalmers]

Fingers and toes all crossed for you Henry!!!

[esterbex]

  On 2/23/2013 at 1:56 AM, Chris Chalmers said:

Fingers and toes all crossed for you Henry!!!

 

And eyes!

Makes for difficulty in typing....and anything else!

[Truffle Finder]

Having braved the extremely cold weather yesterday morning, Portobello Market turned out to be very productive.

It kicked off, with a visit from my American friend from Alabama, who ended up buying 3 Parker Vintage pens. Then my next customer was another friend of mine from Japan, who I haven't seen for some months, he decided to try some Sheaffer PFM's, and settled for two of them both with broad nibs, he seemed very happy with his purchases.

One way or another, it turned out to be a busy day, [i hardly had time to read any of my book!]

Today, I will be concentrating on doing some sample drawings for the gentleman who I met last week, [who supplies 'presents', for Middle Eastern Royals], so that he will be able to show them when he goes over there in April. I hope that inspiration comes easily!

Truffle Finder.

[my63]

Hi Henry

I hope you dont think I am being cheeky but I think this building would make a great pen cap may be that was the origional inspiration.

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8237/8503126360_97235c1f1f_z.jpg

dubai_hotel_2 by my0771, on Flickr

 

If you could find the time I am sure that there are many watchers out there who would love to follow the process of a pen from conception through to the finished product.

 

Do you have a list of your vintage parkers for sale

 

Regards

Michael

[Truffle Finder]

Good morning Michael, I have always avoided trying to list my stock of vintage pens, purely because of the time involved in listing them accurately, and the additional 'paper-work' involved as and when they have been sold, to keep the list up to date!

You've probably gathered that I am not a great fan of paper-work!

Truffle Finder.

PS. I'm sure that when/if things progress from here, that pictures and procedures will appear here in due course. But, [if you have the time!] you could always go back to the beginning of this thread, and see how it was done, right from the beginning, to completion, it was an amazing journey!

Truffle Finder.

[Truffle Finder]

I've just realised that I have posted that last 'posting' on the wrong thread, I thought that I was on the 'Spirit of Life' pen thread!

[And the truth is, I don't know how to transfer the message over to the other thread!]

Truffle Finder. :embarrassed_smile:

[my63]

Dont worry Henry I have read both threads.

I have the time because I am interested in the skills I dont think I have the dexterity for silversmithing but I am very interested in the processes and tools involved.

In these days of mass production there are not many people who can take a flat piece of metal and turn it into a three dimensional item of beauty.

Regards

Michael

[pokermon]

Keep it up Henry! This thread being 57 pages long is a testament to your skill! Hopefully if my pen sales go well for the next week or two I'll be ordering a piece from you too! I can only hope to own a piece or craftsmanship on the caliber of pens that you produce.

 

I sell alot of Watermans and MTs, and I've had overlays in my hand. They are really nice, but they are from a different era. A era of great pens, but from pics and what I've seen they don't compare to someone with modern tools and the skills to produce a masterpiece like what you churn out. I think if I can get a semiflex with any of your overlays I would rest in peace when my time comes.

-Tommy

[esterbex]

  On 2/24/2013 at 11:15 AM, pokermon said:

I think if I can get a semiflex with any of your overlays I would rest in peace when my time comes.

-Tommy

 

If you could find your way to Little Rock, Arkansas between March 7-10, you could at least fondle and per chance purchase your dream before your "time comes".

 

Vanness Pens of Little Rock is graciously hosting a Trunk Show for Henry on the Thursday, 7 March before the actual show starts on the Friday, 8 March. So there will ample opportunity to meet Henry and see the craftwork in person.

 

Their store address is:

11610 Pleasant Ridge Rd, Little Rock, AR 72223

(501) 353-2362

Edited February 25, 2013 by esterbex

[Truffle Finder]

Speaking as an 'artist', I can honestly say that yesterday was a very frustrating day, trying to get inspired to produce some design ideas for the 'present-supplier' to show to his potential clients in the Middle East.

Having made several attempts to get something down on paper, I eventually decided to abandon the idea, for the time being, I have learned over the years, that if I'm not 'inspired' at the start, it is rare for inspiration to arise out of the blue, by repeating the process more than just a few tries!

So, I have contacted my good friend Neal, and asked him to look through his vast collection of design drawings, and to select a half a dozen or so of them, to send off to be included in the 'samples catalogue'.

Sometimes one has to compromise, I suppose.

I think that it is better to show the things that I am happy with, than to show a rather second rate image of something that lacks 'Soul'! But then, what do I know?

Truffle Finder.

[Ghost Plane]

My writing is very much the same. If it doesn't leap off the initial pages, nothing I do will make it come alive. I've learned to ditch the manuscript then and there, then attack from another angle.

[esterbex]

This came across my desk today....just thought I'd share a pic or two before the Truffle lands....complements of Signore Corsini.... As His Esteemedness has previously commented, the photo colour is not spot on, but this first pic is closer than the other two. Cameras eyes are not human.

 

 

 

 

[Chris Chalmers]

:clap1:

I love it!!! Can you tell?

[Ghost Plane]

[Truffle Finder]

Watch it!

The emotrons are taking over!

The last time they did that there was a terrible mess, all over the place, and it took me a heck of a time to clear up!

We aim to please on here, would you 'aim too', please!!!

Truffle Finder.

[raging.dragon]

  On 2/28/2013 at 4:14 PM, Truffle Finder said:

Watch it!

The emotrons are taking over!

The last time they did that there was a terrible mess, all over the place, and it took me a heck of a time to clear up!

We aim to please on here, would you 'aim too', please!!!

Truffle Finder.

 

Uh oh. Are emotrons emoticons upgraded by the cybermen?

[Truffle Finder]

No no, they emerged after the last uprising of the cybermen after their trade union got into a dispute about having to lift things above shoulder height while conducting their daily duties! It went to arbitration, but a solution could not be reached, so they all had a big 'punch-up' and it was finally resolved, [after I had cleared up the mess, already mentioned here!] and now the Emotrons are in charge of all things of an emotionally charged nature!!!

For our own safety's sake, I think that it would be wise for us to not talk about the industrial disputes on here, too much, as they can be a bit touchy about it, and they might be prompted to call in the Monty Python Team, and we wouldn't want that to happen, would we? Even worse, the Spanish Inquisition might re-appear, and that would surprise everyone quite a lot I should think, because of course,

'NOOOOOOOOOOBODY EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION!!!!'

 

Happy Friday everybody,

Truffle Finder.

 

PS. I'm feeling quite happy this morning, as Onoto have placed an order for another 50 No:1 overlays!

[bbbiswas]

  On 2/17/2013 at 9:33 PM, esterbex said:

  On 2/17/2013 at 3:23 PM, bbbiswas said:

I visited Henry's website and realised he is a rich man's pensmith. So a poor man like me will not know about him. And I am not ashamed for that.

 

Methinks your spirit poorer than your pockets (noting bbbiswas' penchant for MB 149's and LE's....).

 

There are quite a few owners of Henry's pens who would not qualify as "rich men".

I am such a one and I am not ashamed for that.

 

Well I am guilty of possessing 149 and a few LEs as I was driven by the aura these pens emanate. And to recover from the shocks of those heavy expenditures I had to tighten my belt each time for several months. Similarly, recently I bought a Pelikan M101N Lizard just because could not resist the beauty of the pen. Thanks to info learnt from FPN I got this $625 pen for just $395. Maybe someday I will buy a Henry creation but I will require some time to overcome my mental block. What I really wished is that Henry covers the lower price band also.

[Ghost Plane]

Save up. Henry's pens are daily users for the rest of your life.

 

After working with him to design my perfect pen for my hand [that 22 other people fell in love with], it was worth the year it took and the mortgage payment