News and Updates

You've clicked in to our News and Updates section of our online shop where we let you know about new items, upcoming events and other newsworthy things we hope you'll find of interest as a pen aficionado.

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July 3, 2009 - Rare Esterbrook Demonstrator Pen just listed!

est
Click for details



July 2, 2009 - An excellent article, The Lettered Set, appeared in the July 1 New York Times. If you are into fine stationery and the art of writing letters, be sure to read it!




July 1, 2009 - Another small dose of Inkwell-Mania! We've added 10 different antique inkwells in the inkwell department today.

inkwells



June 30, 2009 - This rocker blotter would be just right for an Arts & Crafts era desk.

blotter



June 29, 2009 - Once again, today is Cursive Italic Day! Just a couple for the custom nib aficionados.

italic
Click for details



June 26, 2009 - Put your pens here! Perfect for getting all those pens organized.

penstorage



June 19, 2009 - We're going to go a few days without any site updates while our web guru takes a much needed break! In case you haven't noticed, she's on duty just about 24/7. Don't worry, she'll be back soon.

In the meantime, be sure to check us out on Twitter, The Fountain Pen Network and Pentrace. We're always dropping in and out of these pen gathering cyber-spots with news, pics, specials and sometimes just for a little pen conversation with our friends and customers.

Sam




Father's Day is June 21st
Special Offer!

We're offering a special Dad's Day 10% discount on any item on the website (not applicable to Inky Greetings or Midnight Madness orders) purchased through our secure order form. Enter Code DAD-09 on the order form and we'll take it from there!

Expires June 20th, 2009 at midnight CDT.




June 18, 2009 - Dip Pens have seen a recent resurgence in popularity, partially due in part, I believe because of the increased interest in improving our penmanship. Five additional vintage dip pens were listed today, each with a different nib. One of these might be just the right one for you! This latest group is all priced at $10 or less, so affordable for all.

dippen
Click for details



June 17, 2009 - Limited supplies available of Sheaffer ballpoint refills in red. No longer made and tough to find. Grab 'em while we have 'em, they won't last long!

sheaffer red bp
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June 16, 2009 - Truly a delight to behold, Cali Pens are each unique and individually hand made. Be sure to take a look at our latest Cali Pens.

cali
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June 12, 2009 - This little pen folder used by Parker and PaperMate is perfect for safely carrying a few pens with you.

penstorage



June 11, 2009 - YAY! It's Cursive Italic Day!

italic
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June 10, 2009 - There are a couple of new classic black Esterbrooks on the website today. A two hole clipper and a 3 rib jewel model, not so common as the double jewel models.

estie
Click for details



June 9, 2009 - This is unheard of! Elegant glass inkwells for only $40!

inkwell



June 8, 2009 - Ask and you shall receive! We've had quite the demand for older 2.0mm drafting style leads lately. These also fit a few early Victorian pencils. Big batch in different hardnesses listed today.




June 5, 2009 - Very, very nice Wahl Eversharp set in the uncommon Dart pattern.

Eversharp


Don't miss the latest pen news, the summer edition of Stylus Magazine has arrived!
Stylus



June 4, 2009 - Write with Shakespeare!

dippen



June 3, 2009 - We've added a bunch of new pencil leads to our listings - Parker, Sheaffer and Eagle including some bulk boxes of lead made by Eagle for Sheaffer.

leads



June 2, 2009 - These always sell out quickly because they are such a practical and attractive way to keep a few pens nearby on your desk! Click the photo and take a quick peek before they're gone.

pipe racks



For your pencil boo-boos! New eraser refills for mechanical pencils.



June 1, 2009 - New stuff for the pen repairers amongst you added to our Pen Repair Supplies section of the website today.

Look for the New notations as you browse this page, and don't miss the rouge paper and longer cotton applicators!




May 28, 2009 - We added several vintage Sheaffer pens to the site today, including the highly unusual prototype Fashion pen set shown below. Prototype pens turn up rarely because very few were produced; this set never went into production.

Fashion



May 27, 2009 - We took a mini trip over Memorial Day weekend to northeast Iowa and Galena, IL. An eclectic mix of visiting cemeteries, scenic vistas, roadside oddities, charming architecture, small town festivals and just getting away from it all for a brief time!

Click the photo below to view our photo gallery of Memorial Day Weekend.

Memorial Day



May 26, 2009 - Do you have your Waterman book yet? Click here and order your copy today directly from author Gary Lehrer.

Waterman Book



May 22, 2009 - Therapro Stage Write - One of the more unusual paper designs we have seen, practical and definitely a worthwhile venture when it involves improving your penmanship!

therapro
Click for details



May 21, 2009 - Lots of vintage inkwells went up on the Pendemonium shelves today. These include a splendid Art Deco double inkstand, a patriotic Liberty Bell inkwell and 9 different Morriset Pen-Ink Units in some unusual colors.

inkwells
Click for details



May 20, 2009 - Aside from being collectible and having considerably more style than your average drug store $1.99 el cheapo pencil, vintage mechanical pencils use thicker lead that doesn't break on every other letter! Check out our latest vintage pencils.

pencil
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Very sharp! Waterman cardinal hard rubber set in original Treasure Box.

waterman
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May 19, 2009 - Warning! Totally non-pen related! For several weeks I have anxiously been awaiting my chance to see the Budweiser Clydesdales. They have made several appearances in southeast Iowa, but the first chance I had to see them was rained out last Friday. Thankfully, their last appearance in West Point, Iowa, just a few miles from us in Fort Madison went on as scheduled Monday, May 18th. It was a perfect evening!

The Clydesdales are very impressive horses! But what impressed me most as we watched their caretakers unload and harness up the horses was how pampered they are and obviously well loved. They were groomed to perfection, checked carefully, they even had their noses wiped from time to time. We watched them being hitched up one by one to the wagon and it was obvious each had their own personality. When it was time for them to leave the staging area and start the parade, they all instantly melded into this perfect precision team.

My favorite horse was probably (I loved them all, so hard to pick!) the lead horse on your right in the photos we posted. He smiled. He nuzzled the horse next to him and he had a way of looking toward the people and sort of nodding his head at you. We also enjoyed the Dalmatian who was obviously a seasoned veteran in these parades. He was an older dog and he was lifted up onto the wagon and when he wanted to be up on top of the beer boxes in the wagon, the drivers would give him a little boost.

I twittered a little about the horses while we were in West Point last night and some of you asked for photos. Frank is always happy to oblige with photos. I hope you'll enjoy the photos of the Clydesdale horses in West Point, Iowa.

Thanks to Budweiser and Golden Eagle Distributors for bringing the magnificent Clydesdales and a lot of joy to southeast Iowa!

Clydes




May 18, 2009 -Parker Pen Co. printing dies are far more rare than Parker Pens! Lots of different imprints to choose from. A fun addition to your Parker collection.

pkr dies
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May 16, 2009 - Due to unforeseen circumstances (sick granddaughter!), our trip down to St. Louis today has been canceled. We'll miss seeing all of the pen people at SLAPU and hope to make another meeting in the future.

The shop will be open today, May 16, 2009 from 10-4pm as usual.




St. Louis Pen Club Meeting This Weekend!


Frank and I will be attending the St. Louis Area Pen Users (SLAPU) meeting this Saturday, May 16th. We've been trying to get down to St. Louis for one of this group's get togethers and at last, the date came together for us. The meeting will be held at the Oak Bend Library at 842 S Holmes Ave in St. Louis at 1PM. We're looking forward to seeing some old friends and customers in St. Louis and hopefully we'll get to meet some new fountain pen aficionados. too!

Those of your who follow us regularly know that one of our other loves is Route 66. It just so happens that Oak Bend Library is barely a hop, skip and jump away from the Mother Road, so we'll be skipping over to Ted Drewes for some of the world's most decadent frozen custard concoctions right after the pen meeting. We'd love to have you join us at one of the oldest Route 66 businesses. Ted Drewes has been selling ice cream in St Louis since 1931. Trust me, it's worth the visit!

Please note that our retail shop in Fort Madison will be closed this Saturday while we are in St. Louis. We'll just be gone for the day, so we'll answer your emails and confirm your orders when we get back in from the pen club meeting. As always, thanks for your patience!



May 15, 2009 - Pass the salt please, perfect for your next dinner with pen friends!

sp
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The latest issue of Pen World Magazine has arrived! For a mere $7 you can lust after beautiful pens by Faber-Castell, David Oscarson, Franklin-Christoph, Danitrio, Laban and others. Plus read some great articles.
pwi
Click for details



May 14, 2009 - Jim Marshall's latest book, Writing Accessories is now available in limited supplies. Jim's newest monograph covers a wide range of writing accessories found on your desk, things like blotters, spikes, pen wipes and even wax seal chisels - who would have known that there was once a very ornate tool made specifically to remove the wax seal from your envelope!

lapin
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May 13, 2009 -We have ten newly listed vintage dip pens available today. Ormiston and Glass, John Walker of London and other companies, all have new old stock antique nibs for superior writing.

dippens
Click for details



May 11, 2009 -Still using a flimsy little plastic drugstore pencil? Get a REAL pencil for working your crossword and sudoko puzzles! We listed several pencils that are NOT run of the mill, and the stunning TRZ fountain pen shown below.

TRZ
Click for details



May 8, 2009 - For those of you who missed the LA Pen Show this year, we have a few extra 2009 collectible pins available from the show.

lapin
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May 7, 2009 - We've been busily adding fountain pens and ballpoints to our Miscellaneous Pens Page - remember this is where the really cool and unusual stuff goes!

others
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May 6, 2009 - These Sheaffer Triumph Imperial pens are dazzling! Uncommon designs include the Special Edition Holly pen produced for only one year, a Flamme and a 22KT gold lined model.

sheaffer
Click for details



May 5, 2009 - Fresh from the cameras of your Chicago Pen Show photographers Sam and Kayla! We've put together a photo gallery of people and pens seen at the 2009 Chicago Pen Show. Thanks to all who stopped by to visit and to shop. We hope everyone enjoys the photos.

Chicago



May 4, 2009 - It's an Esterbrook Explosion!!! 30 restored Esterbrook fountain pens in a wide range of styles and colors have been listed today.

estie
Click for details



Join us at the Chicago Pen Show
May 1-3 at the Westin O'Hare Hotel


We hope you'll join us this weekend at the Chicago Pen Show! We have oodles of vintage pens, antique inkwells, pen books - including Jim Marshall's new book Writing Accessories, fountain pen inks, pen repair supplies and all sorts of other odd and unusual things with us. Be sure and stop by the Pendemonium exhibit in our usual spot in the outer lobby.

Gary Lehrer, co-author of the recently published Waterman Book will be with us to sign books on Saturday 12:30-1:30 and Sunday 11-1. We invite you to stop by and meet Gary and have your Waterman book signed with one of Gary's fabulous vintage Waterman pens. We'll have the Waterman book available for sale in Chicago in case you haven't purchased your copy yet.

Our retail shop in Fort Madison will be closed Friday May 1 through Monday May 4th while we are at the Chicago Pen Show. Feel free to email and continue to send in your orders via our secure order form on the website, we'll be running on laptop power from the show. Responses may be a little delayed, but we promise to answer you!

If all goes well, I intend to Twitter from the Chicago Pen Show, so be sure to follow us this weekend. We are Pendemonium on Twitter!

Have a great weekend and we look forward to seeing many of you at the Chicago Pen Show.



April 30, 2009 - Several Parker pens were added today, including a UK Duofold with a killer stub nib, and a minty Parker 41 set.

41
Click for details



April 28, 2009 - We have 4 new ink colors just in from Diamine!

Diamine
Click for details




April 27, 2009 - We've added two dozen pens and pencils to our Sheaffer section today, including the ever popular Fashion, Crest, No Nonsense and Prelude. Look for the NEW notations.

Hint: Several include a pouch - perfect for Mother's Day and graduation gifts!

sheaff fashion
Click for details



April 24, 2009 - Looking for a sharp looking ballpoint pen that is refillable and affordable, too? Click on over to our Sheaffer Ballpoint section where we've added some $10 and $15 ballpens that meet all of this criteria! And don't miss the Reminder Clip BP also added today. Reminder Clips fall into the "good as sliced bread" category!

sheaff bp
Click for details



April 23, 2009 - Esterbrooks are all the talk these days! Be sure to check out our selection of Renew Points. We have many different nib grades including a few unusual ones added to our Renew Point department today.

renew
Click for details



April 22, 2009 - More unusual Parker pens are new to the website today! These include some custom modern Duofolds, a ca. 1980s dual nibbed Parker 180 and a couple of non-production clear demo style rollers.

parker
Click for details


Plan ahead! This stunning Sheaffer Connaisseur ballpen would make any college grad smile and put them on the right track in the business world.

conn
Click for details



April 21, 2009 - Bruce in Vancouver, British Columbia wrote to us this morning to tell us about the Turkish Bookmarks he just received:

"My order arrived this morning. Everything as described, especially the bookmarks which are gorgeous. Only its going to be awfully hard to hand them out with gift books as I planned; I want to keep them all."

Have YOU seen our Turkish Bookmarks? The designs are delightful and they're sure to please book and pen lovers alike.

bkmrks
Click for details



April 20, 2009 - Just in time for Spring writing! Sheaffer Agios in springtime sky blue with custom ground cursive italic nibs.

agio
Click for details



April 19, 2009 - A must have item from the Sheaffer factory in Fort Madison for those of you who are true Sheaffer collectors!

idtag
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April 17, 2009 - World's Most Popular Pen - this was Parker's advertising claim to fame in the 1940s and 1950s and I doubt anyone would argue about it! Parker 51s are still popular today.

Our Parker 51 listings have been updated to include a Parker 51 pen from 1948 and a boxed 51 Special set from 1950, and The Holy Grail for aficionados -- a first year Parker 51. The search ends here!

51
Click for details



April 15, 2009 - Pull on in and fill up your vintage mechanical pencil! Many new pencil leads have been listed today including a nice batch of Scripto leads from the days when they were still based out of Atlanta.

leads
Click for details



April 14, 2009 - Today is Cursive Italic day at Pendemonium!




April 13, 2009 - The latest issue of Stylus magazine has arrived at Pendemonium! Aside from worthwhile pen news, the latest issue includes articles on Tighe's Blancpain, Jacobs Journals, Pelikan Griffix, Curtis Australia's Race to the Pole, Barry Gross' custom pens, Armani Pens, Oscarson First Ten Years, Rob Morrison on flex nibs, Women Pen CEOs, Faber Castell's Lead Factory Museum, Erano on Parker Vacumatics and more.

stylus
Click for details



The latest issue of The Stained Finger has arrived in my mailbox. The Society of Inkwell Collectors publishes this excellent magazine 3-4 times a year, it's just one of the benefits of membership in SOIC. This issue has articles on the structure of snail inkwells, a stunning Loetz inkwell, Tiffany patterns, and the inkwells that belonged to Abe and Mary Lincoln. If you're an inkwell collector or just interested in learning more about inkwells, you may want to click on over to the SOIC's website: www.soic.com



April 10, 2009 - Sheaffer Fashion pens are still in Fashion over 20 years after their introduction!


sheaffer

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April 8, 2009 - Stab those bills with a little style!

spindle
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April 7, 2009 -

Attention, Please!
Diamine Ink Lovers Take Note

The U.S. Distributor for Diamine English Inks is expecting a shipment in mid-April. We'll be placing our order in the next few days so that we can be sure to get everything we need. If you have a request in for specific Diamine inks, your inks will be included in this order, no need to contact us.

For those of you who would like to order specific Diamine Inks, NOW is the time to tell us! Let us know no later than Sunday, April 12 and we will include your requests on our order. The best way to do this is to place your order directly via our secure order form right here on the website and note in the comments section to Ship When In. Your credit card is not charged until the inks are ready to ship to you.

Questions? As always, feel free to email us.





April 6, 2009 - This is one BIG box of pencil leads! For the true mechanical pencil aficionado!

leads



April 3, 2009 - Our latest additions to our pencil leads page includes some basic utilitarian vintage leads and also some excellent collectible older wood lead tubes with great paper labels!

leads



April 2, 2009 - We've been back in the vintage pencil lead box and found some neat old packaging, leads inside, too! This batch includes Rite-Rite, AW Faber, Autopoint and Eversharp.

leads



March 31, 2009 - Timeline: late 1800s! Your Palmer penmanship copy book is on your school desk in front of you and the teacher is reminding you to "Sit Like This, Not Like This" so that you will have perfect penmanship!


sheaffer

You'll have to work on your writing posture all on your own, as well as your practicing your drills for perfect penmanship, but we can help you with the tools to succeed! Vintage Dip Pens, anyone?



March 30, 2009 - Fineliner and TX pencils made by Sheaffer for many years are utilitarian and have a cool look, too. We turned up a couple of the mother of pearl center Fineliners, also an unusual color TX.


sheaffer

Click for details




March 28, 2009 - If we wanted Chessie to pose for a photo, she would never sit still long enough! Frank was set up taking desk set photos. Chessie was unhappy because he was paying attention to desk sets instead of her. He stopped to do something else and within seconds Chessie settled right in to get his attention! Chances are good that if you stop by to visit our retail shop, Chessie will be performing her official Pendemonium duties and greet you at the door.

chessie



March 27, 2009 - PLEASE NOTE:

We'll be away from the shop this coming weekend and running off laptop power from Des Moines and the Regional Club Volleyball Tournament!

We'll close up the retail shop Friday March 27th at 4PM and be closed all day Saturday, March 28th. We'll reopen again on Monday.

We will reply to your email and order inquiries, but there may be delays.

Keep your fingers crossed that the Fort Madison Spikers do well in their last tournament of the season! Thanks to all for your patience while we indulge in a little family time.




March 26, 2009 - It's Cursive Italic Day at Pendemonium! Our latest additions include a few vintage pens with custom ground nibs.

cg

Click for details



March 25, 2009 - Every now and then a really nice ballpoint comes our way that I just can't turn down. Good deal on this Pelikan Epoch in Sapphire Blue!


pelikan

Click for details



March 24, 2009 - Did you know that the Sheaffer Targa was named after Targa Florio, a sports car race in Sicily? It's true! Targas ceased to be made in 1999 and are what I term a modern collectible. Six new Targas added to our selection today, including two unusual ones!


sheaffer

Click for details



Sheaffer Legacy II Roller Ball! Out of production pens made in Fort Madison. Priced right at $95. Limited Supplies.

sheaffer

Click for details



March 23, 2009 - Our pen show listings have been updated to include the latest info on the Raleigh Pen Show, June 11-14.

We strive to provide you with the latest pen show info, click on over to our Pen Show section of the website to find a show near you. Lots of photos and also our travelogues reside here.



One of the Sheaffer Intrigues that was added to the website today is especially intriguing! It's either a Limited Edition that never went into production or a pre-production model with some odd markings on the barrel. Check it out, definitely unusual and will be a nice addition to someone's Intrigue collection.


sheaffer

Click for details



March 19, 2009 - It's Cursive Italic Day! New additions include Sheaffer, Lamy and Parker pens with custom ground nibs.

cg

Click for details



March 18, 2009 - There are a few new Parker advertisements on the site today, 2 Duofold ads from 1923 and 1924 as well a full color Vacumatic ad from 1939.

adv
Click for details



March 17, 2009 - Keep 8 pens and other pen stuff, too right at your fingertips in this old pipe rack with an amber swirl glass storage container!

rack
Click for details



stpats



March 16, 2009 - There are some recently made Sheaffer Preludes and Agios new to the site today, these are Fort Madison production and include an unusual imprint Agio ballpen that seems to have been a salesman's demo pen.

sheaffer

Click for details



March 12, 2009 - The Sheaffer Connaisseur was made from the mid-1980s through the mid-1990s, about a decade of production. Now viewed by many as a "modern collectible", much has been written recently in major pen publications about this very reliable series of pens.

sheaffer

Click for details



March 11, 2009 - 18KT, 21KT, 14KT gold nibs were all used by Sailor over the years. We have some cool looking long-short fountain pens with these different nibs. Very expressive writers.

sailor

Click for details



March 9, 2009 - C is for Camel and Cross Pens, both of which we've included adverts for in our vintage advertisements department!

camel
Click for details



March 6, 2009 - The Parker 51 set the world on fire when it was introduced in 1941. Today, more than 6 decades later, the Parker 51 is still one of the most desired and collectible fountain pens ever made. We've added a large group of restored Parker 51 fountain pens, set and pencils to our listings today. Perhaps the Parker 51 you've been looking for is available!

parker

Click for details



March 5, 2008 - Hooray!
We have our exclusive number one selling ink, Legal Lapis, back in stock again. To those of you who placed orders in advance, your Legal Lapis is being shipped to you today. Thanks to all for your patience.




March 5, 2009 - It's Inkwellmania at Pendemonium! We just started sorting and photographing a huge collection of inkwells, ink bottles, desk sets, fountain pens, nibs and a bunch of other writing stuff. The photo shows part of the first box we unpacked, there are 10 more boxes to unpack! Stay tuned for a big influx of vintage writing collectibles. We'll keep you posted on what goes up on the site right here in our News and Updates.

inkwells



PLEASE NOTE: Our retail shop in Fort Madison will close at high noon CST on Saturday, March 7th and reopen for normal shop hours on Monday at 10AM. Our online shop is always open!



March 4, 2009 - We have some vintage Pelikan fountain pens and a mechanical pencil for you today. All of the fountain pens have very expressive flexible nibs!

pelikan

Click for details



March 3, 2009 - Our Reform clear demo styled writing instruments are delightful to write with and affordable, too!

reform

Click for details



It's Cursive Italic Day at Pendemonium! Two smooth writing Pilots with custom ground nibs have just been listed.

italic

Click for details



March 2, 2009 - Smooth writing and as their name suggests, these really are a no nonsense pen! A little goofy, too .... click the pen to read all about them.

nononsense



February 26, 2009 - Parker Compact Drop Point Lady Ballpoint Pen

This particular pen was sold before it hit the website, but we thought you might enjoy seeing it and learning a little about an unusual Parker from France.

The Parker France factory made the Compact Drop Point Lady Ballpen during the 1980s for a very short time. These pens are rarely seen and we though you might enjoy seeing a photo. Depressing the button at the top of pen drops the refill down. To retract the pen is held point up, depressing the button magically makes the refill disappear inside the barrel. This model is all gold plated with alternating plain and barleycorn panels. Measures a mere 3 inches long. The Compact was also made in a Gentleman's model with a clip attached to the front of the barrel. Most likely these were marketed as pens for checkbooks or wallets. It's fun to now and then come across something as unusual as this!

parker



February 25, 2009 - You'll be sorry if you don't get an Eversharp ... even if it's one of these bakelite containers filled with vintage pencil leads! We've also added several other hard to find 0.9mm or 1.1mm diameter leads for your older pencils.

leads
Click for details



February 23, 2009 - Crow Quill nibs are perfect for ornamental writing styles such as Spencerian, Zanerian and others. We have a small quantity of original Esterbrook crow quill dip pens in nearly new condition.

dippen
Click for details



February 21, 2009 - The last day of our 2009 LA Pen Show Adventure has been posted! We're so pleased that so many of you traveled along with us from Fort Madison to Los Angeles and back again, over 4,000 miles! Now it's back to work here at Pendemonium Central, we're unpacking and should be back up to snuff here by the time Monday rolls around. Appreciate your patience while Frank and I were away.

la






February 20, 2009 - We made the most out of one our last days on the road today! We went pen hunting for YOU in a bunch of Route 66 antique shops. Had lunch at the new Lucille's Roadhouse and also went shopping at POPS! Read all about it on our travelogue.

la



We've added some photos and a 1951 Carter's Ink advert to our vintage Carter's advertisement listings today. Be sure to check out the cute kittens!
Johnson
Click for details



February 19, 2009 - We invite you to travel along with us to Amarillo, Texas today! I keep thinking about this tilting rock formation in New Mexico. How long has it been there? When will it tumble down? There must not be any fault lines in this area!

la



The current fascination with clear pens is not a new thing, take a peek at this Johnson fountain pen made in the 1950s-60s!

Johnson
Click for details



February 18, 2009 - Inky Greetings to all from the Land of Enchantment! This building mural is in Gallup NM, amazing detail. More pics about our day in Arizona and New Mexico have been posted to our travelogue, including a quick peek at two stunning Navajo and Zuni silver desk sets, more to follow on those when we return to the shop.

la




From the days before digital cameras! We just listed some beautiful photographs of Waterman fountain pens.

Waterman pics
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We've been sorting through our big box of antique pencil leads again and have listed a good batch of new ones on the website for you. These are older 1.1 and 0.9mm diameter leads to feed your vintage mechanical pencils.



February 17, 2009 - Our LA Adventure really was an adventure today! Cajon Pass was closed due to snow in California this morning and caused a big detour for us. Turned out to be lot of fun taking us to London Bridge!

la




We've listed some vintage Sheaffer fountain pen parts today: Snorkel caps, Imperial Nibs and Touchdown sac protector tubes. Supplies are limited and we all know how long it can take to search out the right parts these days, so if you're looking for parts, check these out to see if they're on your search list.



February 16, 2009 - Saturday and Sunday at the LA Pen Show - Photos from the 20th Annual LA Pen Show are now up on our travelogue! Frank and I would like to thank all of you who stopped by our exhibit over the weekend - we appreciate your business and your friendship. There were great pens at the show, but it's the people who make it all worthwhile! We're leaving LA today and starting our eastward trek toward home. Follow along!

la
Sam with Paul Rossi in LA




Take a stroll down our Italics aisle! Two new pens listed, each with custom ground cursive italic nibs.
italic
Click for details



Valentine's Day is February 14th!

v day


Roses are beautiful and a traditional Valentine's Day gift, but their beauty fades quickly. This year, resolve to give a lasting gift to your Valentine! A fine pen creates a loving remembrance each time it is used and will last a lifetime to be handed down to your children and grandchildren. Add a special hand written note that will be tucked away in your keepsake box to be fondly read and remembered years from now.

Happy Valentines Day to All!

sheaffer




February 14, 2009 - Inky Greetings to All from the LA Pen Show! The Pendemonium exhibit is all set up! You can see a sneak preview of all the cool pens, inks, stationery and other odd writing things we have with us on our 2009 LA Pen Show Adventure travelogue.

la




February 13, 2009 - The rumors are true! A nice writing, fun fountain pen need not be expensive! Check out our selection of Sheaffer No Nonsense fountain pens.

sheaffer
Click for details



We have arrived in Manhattan Beach and are ready for the first day of the LA Pen Show. Drove through mountains and the Mojave today both with a hint of snow glistening. Very beautiful! But nothing beats the lucious palm trees here! We're looking forward to seeing you at the LA Pen Show this weekend! Stop on by and say hello. Our travelogue is updated now.

la




February 12, 2009 - Greetings from Arizona! More photos from our LA Pen Show Adventure are up on our travelogue now. We're looking forward to being at the LA Pen Show and seeing many of you there! All early reports indicate that as always, this will be another great show in LA. Remember - Gary Lehrer will be with us Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 1-3 PM to sign the new Waterman book. If you do not already have your book, we'll have them available at the show all weekend for purchase.

la




It's a custom Parker BALLPENROLLER or perhaps a ROLLERBALLPEN!

parker



February 11, 2009 - The wild west lived up to it's name today with some wild weather in New Mexico! Our 2009 LA Adventure is updated now. Come see Texas and New Mexico with us as we make our way to the LA Pen Show.

la




If you're a diehard Parker collector or someone who is into collectible ballpoints, you know how hard the Parker Minim and the Debutantes from ca. 1958 are to find, and these even have original Parker stickers! They're traveling with us right now on the way to the LA Pen Show.

la



February 9, 2009 - Our 2009 LA Pen Show Adventure has been updated now that we're officially on the road! Managed some quality time on Route 66, although I think Frank got a little carried away taking pics of old stone filling stations in Missouri. We hope you'll travel along with us!

la




Look what we have traveling with us down Route 66! A very nice selection of boxed Parkers from the 1950s-1960s, including the exceptionally nice Parker 41 set in mint green shown in the photo. We have other Parkers with us, too. We'll be putting these up for sale when we set up at the LA Pen Show on Friday.

la




February 8, 2009 - Sneak Preview of some Cali Pens that we will have with us at the LA Pen Show next weekend! Joe Cali makes exceptionally high quality unique pens - yes, truly unique each is individually made and no two are ever the same. If you haven't had the opportunity to see a Cali fountain pen up close and personal before, stop by and see us and the Cali pens in LA

cali




February 6, 2009 - Sometimes I feel so in sync! Just a few days ago (see Feb 2 entry below), I wrote that we would again be sending postcards from our LA Adventure. If you subscribe to our e-Newsletter Inky Greetings, you would have read about this again yesterday, February 5th. Unbeknown to me until this morning (thanks Susan!) was the fact that there is a postcard exhibit currently showing at the Museum of Modern Art! Walker Evans and the Picture Postcard was reviewed yesterday in the NY Times, it is titled Main Street Postcards as Muse. If you have a moment, read the review, it looks like a fun exhibit.

If you'd like your very own picture postcard, just drop me an email with your snail mail address and we're happy to oblige you with a quick note from the Mother Road!




February 5, 2009 -Vintage pen collectors know the value of reference materials and old pen show auction catalogues are a prime source. Just listed on our Ephemera page is a 2001 Chicago Pen Auction catalogue filled with descriptions and photos of vintage pens.

chi
Click for details



February 4, 2009 - We've started packing for the LA Pen Show! We'll have a small, but high quality batch of Conway Stewart Pens with us in LA, including the group of Dinkie prototype and dummy pens shown in the photo. Dummy Pens are pens that do not open. Today the term applies to pens used as models for the real thing, in days gone by Dummy Pens were used in store window displays so no harm would come to the real pens from sunlight. Stop by to see these pens and many others at our exhibit at the LA Pen Show, February 13-15.

cs




February 2, 2009 - Today is Ground Hog Day, one of those silly holidays that has been around forever! Phil saw his shadow early this morning which traditionally means six more weeks of winter. Ugh! Read about Phil and Ground Hog Day. We all need some light reading these days!


Our LA Pen Show Adventure starts on February 8th. As in past years, we'd love to send you a postcard from The Mother Road, Route 66! Email your name and mailing address and we'll scribble a little note to you while we're on our trip to the LA Pen Show. You can view our 2008 LA Pen Show Travelogue here. Our new 2009 travelogue is ready to roll, bookmark it to follow along with us on our adventure!




January 31, 2009 - We take the scare out of scary! Doing business on the internet can be downright frightening at times, we understand that and try to make things simple and trouble-free for you. Secure online ordering, prompt replies to email queries, real live human beings to talk to on the phone. But don't believe us! Read what our customers have to say!




January 30, 2009 - We are pleased to announce that Gary Lehrer, co-author of the book Waterman Past & Present - The First Six Decades will join us at the LA Pen Show for a book signing. Gary will be at the Pendemonium exhibit Saturday February 14 and Sunday, February 15 from 1-3pm. We will have the new Waterman book available for purchase at the show


Need I say more? It's Cursive Italic Day!

italic
Click for details




January 29, 2009 - Some Parker 51 parts have been listed today in our Repair Supplies section. There is a wide range of items in this section from vintage pen parts to pen sacs to handy tools to help you fix your old fountain pens.




January 28, 2009 - If you've been on the hunt for a vintage crow quill style dip pen with real flex in the nib, here it is!

dippen
Click for details



January 27, 2009 - From the Corning Museum of Glass, this postcard shows a beautiful Sandwich Glass inkstand.

postcard
Click for details



In case you feel like doing a little tinkering on a cold winter night, we have updated our directions for retrofitting a vintage Esterbrook ballpoint pen with a working refill.

bp refill




January 26, 2009 - President Obama is using an A.T. Cross pen for official documents. It is a specially designed Townsend black lacquer roller ball. The presidential coat of arms and Obama's signature are engraved on the barrel. I wish he was using a fountain pen, but I will admit that the Townsend is a very elegant writing instrument.

Obama Signer



January 23, 2009 - Tired of waiting for months for a custom nib grind? Our usual turn around time is about 2 weeks! Read about what our customers have to say about the custom nib grinding work we've done for them. Click here!



Rare Italian JIF Waterman blotter just listed!

blotter
Click for details



January 22, 2009

A Waterman Pictorial
Early 1900s - 1950s

ads

View our complete selection of vintage Waterman Advertisements.




January 21, 2009 - Advance Notice for those of you who will be attending the Chicago Pen Show in May. Special guests will be with us at the show on Saturday, May 2nd. Click here for further details.


For those of you into one of writing's recent trend pens - the roller ball pens that use fountain pen ink cartridges, we have some special Pelikan cartridges designed especially for these pens.

ink
Click for details



January 20, 2009 - New today in the Pendemonium newsstand is the February issue of Pen World Magazine. Articles on journaling, the new and old Mabie Todd pens and much more.

pwi
Click for details



January 20, 2009 - Today is Inauguration Day here in the USA. Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States at 12 noon ET.

Those of us here at Pendemonium will be tuned in to live coverage to watch this historic event.




January 19, 2009 - It's DIP-Pendemonium right here at Pendemonium!

dippen
Click for details



January 16, 2009 - It's time to de-Stress yourself! While away a few hours productively by revisiting your penmanship with an old fashioned dip pen. We have a new nib assortment available, complete with a complimentary vintage dip pen and in a historic container, too!

nibs
Click for details



January 15, 2009 - Hot off the press! The latest issue of Stylus magazine is now available in Pendemonium's newsstand!

stylus
Click for details



January 14, 2009 - Remember to check our Repair Supplies section of the website from time to time. All sorts of repair supplies, sacs, repair tools and parts, too. 


A Vac parts pencil with a hard to find striped jewel has been added today,  along with a small group of Sengbusch DipaDay new old stock stainless steel nibs in several different widths. These inexpensive replacement fountain pen nibs are just the thing to get some of those nib-needy vintage pens up and writing again!

nibs
Click for details



January 13, 2009 - It's a Pixie Pencil Sharpener!

sharpener
Click for details



January 12, 2009 - Esterbrook Pastel Purse Pens are not as easy to find as the more familiar J series pens, colors are much more fun in the Purse Pens, too!

esterbrook
Click for details



January 9, 2009 - If you've been pondering what to do with those little bits of ink in the bottom of your ink bottle - you know the ones I'm talking about - not quite enough to fill a pen with, but too much to throw away, then consider our Mini Ink Mixing Kit and create a custom color from those bits of ink!

ink kit
Click for details



January 8, 2009 - This desk set has a sleek art deco look and the eye popping red won't get lost on your desk!

desk sets
Click for details



January 7, 2009 - It's a mini Cursive Italic Day! One great Platinum FP and a Pelikan M150 broad nib unit.

italics
Click for details



January 6, 2009 - Erasers! One of those tiny little writing things that make a great big difference in our life when that OOPS crops up in your writing! We have a wide range of pencil eraser refills in normal and odd sizes, too, to keep those vintage pencils up and erasing.




January 5, 2009 - So, you say you need the total Parker experience? How about some ca. 1960s Super Quink ink cartridges for your Eversharp or Parker 45 era pens? Plus they look great displayed! And for the daring ink users out there... we have a few packs of Parker Penman Ebony Ink Cartridges. Also added today, two antique ink bottles, one each from Sanford and Signet.

ink
Click for details



January 3, 2009 - Great German design on this vintage Soennecken rocker blotter. Just listed today!

desk sets
Click for details



Clairefontaine Rainforest Journals are available now, but in limited supplies, so don't delay if you've been thinking about one of these!
tip cover
Click for details



January 2, 2009 - Betcha' haven't seen too many vintage Pencil Tip Covers before?!?

tip cover
Click for details



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Pendemonium's retail shop in Fort Madison, Iowa
April 2003






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