The Desk (part iv - the 360s +)

Drawer number 4 is heavily slanted towards my Omas 360s. This pen, for the uninitiated, is a triangular-bodied pen that was originally designed with ergonomics in mind; that is, it was designed to be held.....and held......and held.

This is the 360s outside of the drawer :)

My first, a magnum, measures 15cm closed, I bought many years ago. The 360 went through an unfortunate incarnation where it stopped being ergonomic and went for style (failed) but thankfully returned to the original shape. I don't think they make the Magnum anymore, but the standard size is still around 14.5cm. Now to drawer 4...

I DID say 360+! From left we have the Arte Italiana Art Déco Pearl Grey Cotton Resin Limited Edition Fountain Pen (#25/931); an Omas MOMA; two Omas Ogivas S2001; and then the 360s. First the Magnum; then a blue cotton resin LE with rose gold trim (#201/360); a white traveller (only 13.5cm; and a cartridge filler with a cool mechanism where you turn the base and the cartridge holder slides out (see below); a Lucens (blue - yes I know, fairly obvious); a Red LE with silver trim (#149/360) and a grey celluloid.

Still more drawers to come!...

The Desk (part iii)

Another day, another drawer:

Now we're getting a little older (mostly) and starting to vary a little. From left:

The first two are in my favourite Platinum Arco celluloid. The first comes from Letizia Jacopini, author of 'La Storia della Stilografica in Italia 1900-1950' (The history of the Italian Fountain Pen). The second is an Omas 361 facetted (these were renowned for the fact that you can write on both sides of the nib - one for a firm point, the other for more flex responses). Next is an Omas Lucens CPT (Chrome Plate Trim) from somewhere between 1943-6); then an Omas Blue Revelations (#60/88 - although I seem to see a lot of these on sale on ebay) - this one has a BB nib adjusted by Greg Minushkin. Next a ring-in: a Minerva (sub-brand of Omas) 60 that has a lovely flexy nib. This is followed by an Omas 555/S set (pen and pencil) from the 1950s in a lovely golden brown. Following on to this is an Omas Extra 361T (1950) and an Omas  361VS (1963).

Coming up: Drawer 4...

The Desk (Part ii)

Last Blog started with the mess and the shelf behind the desk, now we start to get serious!

Probably the most important part of my desk lies to the left of my computer as I look at it:

These are my pen drawers (plus a couple of pads, a set of rabbit scissors, a pen case, a pocket knife and a pen quiver). 

More specifically, these humble drawers are for my Italian pens (other cases have more pens); and, apart from the first drawer, Omas specifically. This is just a small teaser (the first pic is also on my Instagram and FPN facebook) the second is only here (so far):

(From left: Omas Arco Verde Paragon with Mottishaw cursive italic nib (love writing with this one); Saft green, blue 80th anniversary Arte Italiana #11/80 (Extra Flessible nib); grey Omas Extra; Omas Tiger eye Arco with Binder Waverley nib; another 80th anniversary #11/80 (same nib) in Saffron Blue; another 80th anniversary - this one grey, same nib but #11/40; Omas Extra in Scarlet; Omas 80th again (same nib, 11/80) and 
finally,  another 80th anniversary grey (same nib, but with silver trim and nib; #11/40).

(From left: Omas Arlechinno; Omas Ogiva Lucens (Black, unnumbered by only 30 produced for Novelli of Rome - the missing space is for the Wilde celluloid version that is currently inked and in use - fine extra flessible nibs); next are two Ogiva Autunno's (these are the originals, not the Novelli LEs) - one with gold trim, one with silver trim; next is an Omas Blue Lucens LE #421/500; then an LE from fountainpen.it M -091; followed by a vintage Omas Lucens (late 1930s/early 40s); a black Lucens LE #0572/1000 with HT trim; and finally an Omas Burlwood with Ruthenium trim and nib #11/60).

My Desk (part 1)

This is where it all starts. The desk. The point (...a point) of creation in embryo. A computer (yes, even stylophiles still use computers - although generally it should be an Apple :)), a keyboard, a mouse, paper (Rhodia as preference; but Clairefontaine is good, Field Notes - if it's small), perhaps a note book (Moleskine, Quo Vadis, Apica), maybe a ballpoint pen (just in case), definitely ink bottles (lots of those, and lots of colours - with a focus on blue, purple and green) and, of course, fountain pens - quite a few (draws of them actually)!

This is where we begin:


A portion of hallowed desk. Note mess (how can you be creative and not have mess?) scribbles, inky smudging, nib testing, colours, Rhodia grid paper pad and Kaweco at the ready.



Here we have the shelf above and behind the computer. In this little space we find an Omas Extra in Blue celluloid and Stipula Castoni on top of a cute little acrylic pen stand from Ariel Kullock. Underneath the pen stand is a Waterman 52 pen & pencil box and the box for a Montegrappa LE Cigar. These sit to the right of a framed drawing by offspring - no, not the band!- infront of a box for an Omas D-Day LE which itself is sitting on top of a box for an Omas Galileo Galilei - That's a lot squeezed into a little (wait til you see the rest!)

Next blog... more desk!

 

Pen Poem 3 - calligraphy

Hello again. While I'm on a bit of a roll, I thought I'd throw in a new pen poem. This one is particularly inspired by Leigh Reyes and her wonderful work ... thankyou Leigh (you can see her blog here).

Here it is in text:

A calligraphic line conveys

An edge and shade to thoughts. The ways

We take each word and give it form

In calligraphic context warms

The letters and the things we say

It gives them depth and substance way

beyond a printed word or phrase

Our personality ablaze with

dips and swirls and shadings tells

Our reader the pervading source

Of who we are; of how we feel.

A calligraphic heart is real.

Pen Poem 2

Hope you can read this:

Here it is in text:

Take a pen and make it yours

For in your hands it's so much more

than just a manufactured stick

Its possibilities will click

and quickly they will form in words

The feel, the thought, the flow, the verbs

will take you where you dream and think

the pen is yours, now for the ink!

Pen Poems i

Jot a thought
Watch your pen
Turn your thought to life, and then
Watch your life
Through your thoughts
Take you back to you again.