Has Anyone Heard Of Henry Simpole?

[Truffle Finder]

Actually, that 'is' beautiful, even in green!

Truffle Finder.

[View from the Loft]

Oh my, so many wonderful pens with such beautiful artwork around them.

 

Hmm, wonder if my long service vouchers in another 15 years will be enough to pay for one of these beauties (assuming I still have the same employer by then).

 

Oh dear can't risk. Must save harder ...

 

Glad you are feeling better, but just don't overdo things.

[Truffle Finder]

View from the Loft, thank you so much for your kind comments about the pens.

And I should apologise about not really recognising you when you introduced yourself to me at the London Pen Show this year, if I'd have connected your Avatar Name when you said who you were I would have told you how pleased I was to have met you. I can only put it down to being so busy that day!

Sorry about that, anyway!

I went for a walk down the High Street again today, it was a very therapeutic experience, I did follow the 'Easy Does It' regime though!

Sadly no second hand pens in either of the two Charity Shops, but as I said before, there never are any!

Truffle Finder.

[View from the Loft]

No problem, I quite understand how busy it was and I was greatly impressed when you took the time to swap the nib on a P51 for one customer.

 

I'm also impressed by how much walking you are able to do at this stage - you're doing better than I was. Just don't overdo things.

[Truffle Finder]

Walking is becoming second nature to me now!

And today I managed to go to the supermarket, and do the big weekly shop, I was very careful when transferring the bags from the shopping trolley to the back of the car, and the driving didn't present any difficulty, or discomfort thank goodness.

I managed to get some quite complicated pen repairs done yesterday, and a fairly large cheque came in this morning from someone who had bought quite a few Parker 51's earlier in the week, but I will leave it until tomorrow to put it in the bank, I think I've done enough for one day!

Truffle Finder.

[esterbex]

Do take care Truffle.....all this walking you're doing is making my legs ache.

Whilst I do appreciate your vigor and determination for a speedy recovery,

I think I'll stay away for a little while and spare myself the agony of your jaunts....

[Ghost Plane]

Trying to decide what ink color I want in that green Chatterley.

[esterbex]

Trying to decide what ink color I want in that green Chatterley.

 

Well it's obvious to me, but then I have a certain amount of OCD directing my logic....so I will keep it to myself....but my eyes betray me with envy....

 

(hmmmm....seems I didn't stay away too long....this is crack I tell you!)

[Truffle Finder]

Today, I braved the rather cold weather, and went up to Portobello Market, I took it easy, and strolled along from Notting Hill Gate station, to the Arcade where my booth is situated, and was greeted by 'Mr. Alabama' who usually comes to see me about once a month, he tried several pens [vintage] and settled for an oversized Vacumatic with a quite 'unctuous' nib!

He left me very happy!

A few inquiries about my overlaid pens were made by some interested people, which is always encouraging.

Three other pens were sold, and I bought only two vintage pens that I was offered during the course of the day.

All in all, it was a good productive day.

Truffle Finder.

[raging.dragon]

I like colours and simple patterns as a back drop for the overlays, like the green Chatsworth and Neal's red mottled (?) hard rubber Jasmine. Though, I'm not sure about that purple and pink (magenta?) prototype.

[esterbex]

Glad you survived your day in fine fashion, Truffle. I can stop feeling sympathy pains now I guess.

 

@raging.dragon, I tend to want the overlay to be the center of attention since so much work goes into them, so un-patterned colour

gives that effect with a twist....like those red and orange and blue Corsini/Simpole pens. But as much as I like Neal's Jasmine, what a shame that lovely ripple is hidden so. The purple HS? I'd take that one in a heartbeat because the material is irridescent and reminds me of an overlaid with inlaid tortoise shell pen I saw once. ...and I like purple. Personal preferences are just that.

[Ghost Plane]

Chatterley's converter packed it in before I could load a lovely Sailor Orange, so I've popped a Delta black cart in as the first to hand until I can replace the converter.

 

I think the color makes the overlay more stunning by giving a greater impression of depth while reflecting light upwards.

[esterbex]

I think the color makes the overlay more stunning by giving a greater impression of depth while reflecting light upwards.

Yeah, that too!

[Truffle Finder]

One of the pens that I bought on Saturday was a Parker, 1930's Jade Green Senior, in near perfect colour [both cap and barrel], so I worked on it yesterday to get it working again. I was looking forward to putting it in to a double box with a Jade Green propelling pencil that I knew I had to go with it, but when I had done the work on the pen, and matched it up with its partner, low and behold, the pencil is so much brighter than the pen!!!

So, I guess that I will have to sell them separately after all!

Shame really, but you can't win them all!

Truffle Finder.

[Truffle Finder]

Back from Portobello a bit later than usual, not for any other reason than I was kept fairly busy by being offered quite a few vintage pens, which people wanted to dispose of.

My first purchase was from one of the dealers that I always 'touch-base' with pretty soon after I have arrived on Portobello Road, he had a small box of pens, and he fairly quickly told how much he needed to make a decent profit, I looked through the box, and agreed to the price, and went on my way to my booth at the Admiral Vernon.

I was greeted by a dealer who had some Parker 51's which he had bought at auction, he did the same thing, and told me how much he was hoping to get for them! I agreed the price, and we parted very happy with the deal!

There were some other deals which I did during the course of the day, in between talking to customers who had come along to see me, but the main purpose of the day was the buying, which I always enjoy, because it enlivens the stock, and it is so satisfying to restore and repair the pens to get them ready to go into my display cabinet.

No prises for guessing what I will be doing for the next few days!

Truffle Finder.

[welch]

Ah...if only.

 

I spent half of 2000 and 2001 working a project in Zurich, Brussels, and London. ("first prize: one week in Zurich...third prize: three weeks in Zurich"). Would love to visit Henry's booth.

 

Maybe a skilled photographer will post some pictures of the the booth and the people?

 

(By the way: I suspect that Henry is the same Truffle Finder who wrote so much and so well about having met Jean Esterbrook, a topic pinned at https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/154695-jean-esterbrook/ )

[Chris Chalmers]

Yes Welch, that is the very same Truffle Finder........he is so knowledgable about so many things - his fan club grows constantly! I'm one of the founding members - but Neal and a couple of others are ahead of me!!

 

Question for today - how do you write with eight Simpole pens at the same time???

Or - how to justify buying yet another!!!!!?

[Truffle Finder]

I had a fascinating E-mail from a lady who has spent the last 15 years or so engraving the most fabulous decorations on shot guns.

Having had a look at her Web-site, I feel very aware that my engraving abilities are pretty limited, by comparison!

We have spoken on the telephone, and she is going to make an overlay for a pen, then I have agreed to curl it/them, and fit it onto a pen.

I think it will be a very interesting experience!

Truffle Finder.

[esterbex]

That sort of thing is big amongst gun collectors over here.

Hmmm...somewhere in the back of my mind is the recollection that Conway Stewart contracted with a a metal artist whose primary occupation up to that point had been the same...gun-engraving....yes....Argent Blue did a MetalWrite pen or two with them and has since taken off on their own in the pen-making biz. I can't wait to see what her artistry looks like!

[Truffle Finder]

I don't think that you will have to wait too long to do that Esterbex!

Truffle Finder.