Welcome!
to the home page of Pensations --
dealing in modern and vintage
writing instruments, ink, refills,
and related items.

Recommended Books for Beginning Pen Collectors

New collectors often ask for recommendations on which books to buy. Here are the three which are recommended by collectors on the Zoss Pen List.
Fountain Pens: A Collector's Guide by Peter Twydle
Fountain Pens: Past & Present by Paul Erano
The RichardsPens Guide to Fountain Pens, Volume 1: Glossopedia by Richard Binder
Contributors to the Zoss list found these books to have information which is especially helpful to new collectors, and all three are reasonably priced.

Two other books are often recommended to collectors, and they have become something of "standard references" for pen collectors. The first is Fountain Pens and Pencils: The Golden Age of Writing Instruments by George Fischler and Stuart Schneider. This is often referred to as "the blue book". The second is by the same authors -- The Book of Fountain Pens and Pencils by Stuart Schneider and George Fischler. This one is often referred to as "the brown book". Combined the two Fischler and Schneider books make a fairly comprehensive reference set.

Two Pen-related Auction Sites

I'm sure everyone is familiar with eBay, which is a good source for writing instruments. There are other auction sites on the Internet which are not as well known, and here are two which specialize in pens and related items.

First is Martini Auctions, which is hosted and run by Regina Martini, a well-known German collector. The descriptions on the site tend to be minimal and often you need to search the Internet to get specifics on the pens. However, Regina has a high-quality inventory and often has hard-to-find pens.

Another site is PMAuction, a more recent addition to the Internet, which is also run by a fountain pen enthusiast. The ads have lots of photos and good descriptions.

Pensations is not affiliated with either of the sites, but I have used both and had positive expereinces. Check out the sites: you may find some nice additions for your collection.

Three Interesting Videos

The New York Times produced "Penciling in the Future", a visit to the pencil-making factory of Faber-Castell in Stein, Germany. Faber-Castell, founded in 1761, is the world's oldest pencil manufacturer and it is one of the world's largest makers of writing instruments.

C-SPAN produced a informational video on the White House Calligrapher's Office. This is worth watching if you have an interest in pens or handwriting.

On YouTube is a cute advertisement entitled Paper is not Dead. It isn't about writing or pens but it'll bring a smile to your face.

Games & Puzzle Section Added

There is a new page in the Resources section with links to some favorite games. Most are word games or logic puzzles. Two of my favorites are the daily crossword puzzle and the Bloxorz logic game. Others may prefer Jumble, word search puzzles or Freecell. We welcome suggestions for additions to this page. Spend a few minutes with games which exercise your brain as well as entertain.

Sculptures from Pencils

Equipped with a box of pencils and some carving tools, a Hungarian artist known simply as cerkahegyzo manages to produce incredibly detailed miniature sculptures. Each creation is constructed entirely out of its respective pencil, utilizing the wood and lead as its base and body. Cerkahegyzo uses the fine blades of razors and needles as well as the buffing capabilities of sandpaper, files, and polishing stones to whittle and shape his intricate pencil creations. View some of his scultures on My Modern Met.

More Sculptures from Pencils

Dalton Ghetti also produces scultures from pencils. Here is his collection of the twenty-six letters of the alphabet carved from pencil stubs.

Samuel Silva, Artist

Samuel Silva is a Portuguese artist who creates painstakinly detailed drawings. His primary medium is the ballpoint pen. Check out his page on Deviant Art to view some of his amazing works.

Virtual Pen Posse -- A Place to "Hang Out" on Facebook

The Virtual Pen Posse is an open group on Facebook for pen lovers. It currently has about 100 members who post items of interest to those who use and like pens. It is a nice space, especially for people who live in an area which doesn't have a pen club. There is also a chat feature. Stop by and read the news or post a photo of a favorite pen.

Pen Event Calendar Added

We have added a pen event calendar to the Pensations web site. The calendar lists pen shows, pen club meetings and other events of interest to pen enthusiasts. Please email us any item which you would like to have displayed on the calendar.

Southeast Pen Collectors' Club

The Southeast Pen Collectors' Club (SPCC) is a very active group with monthly meetings and a newsletter. The group meets in the Atlanta area but has members from across the US. Dues are $25 per year for a full membership or $15 per year newsletter subscription only membership. Visit the web site for meeting information, membership application or to browse pen forums. Pensations has been a Corporate Sponsor of SPCC for more than a decade.

Atlanta Pen Show on Facebook and Twitter

The Atlanta Pen Show (sponsored in part by the Southeast Pen Collectors' Club is now on Facebook and on Twitter. Let's hope other pen shows (and clubs) follow the lead and add social sites on social media -- it's a great way to share photos and expereinces, exchange ideas, and keep in contact with pen friends.

Pen Collectors of America on Facebook and LinkedIn

Pen Collectors of America (PCA) has a Facebook page and a group on LinkedIn. If you are a member of the PCA and a user of one of these social media/ networking sites, then you should visit the PCA page. If you are not a PCA member, you can still "like" the PCA Facebook page or join the LinkedIn group to read pen-related news and dicussions. Visit them today, and consider joining the PCA -- if you have an interest in writing instruments then I think you'll find PCA membership of value.

Pinterest Board: The Lost Art of Handwriting

If you have an interest in fountain pens, then you probably also have an interest in handwriting. Mary-Ellen has a board on Pinterest entitled "The Lost Art of Handwriting". She pins items on the subject of handwriting and there are many photos of nice calligraphy. Look it over; if you are a Pinterest user then you may want to follow her board.

Many Books on Pens and Other Topics are in the Amazon Associates Store

Improving Your Handwriting

wikiHow has an entry on improving your handwriting. Read the article for some useful tips on making your handwriting easier to read and more lovely to see. wikiHow also has articles on:

• How to Prevent Hand Pain from Excessive Writing
• How to Create a Personalized Signature
• How to Have Neat Handwriting
• How to Make Your Writing Look Natural
• How to Teach Handwriting
• How to Read Illegible Handwriting

These articles have good and interesting information.

Private Collection Items for Sale

I'm in the midst of early spring cleaning, and this includes my pen and pencil collections. I'm removing items which are not within my main areas of interest or which are duplicates. Items for sale are listed on this page. I will continue to add items to the list over the next two or three months.

Phenomenology & a Fountain Pen

"I say that my fountain-pen is black, and I see it as black under the sun's rays. But this blackness is less the sensible quality of blackness than a sombre power which radiates from the object, even when it is overlaid with reflected light, and it is visible only in the sense in which moral blackness is visible. The real colour persists beneath appearances as the background persists beneath the figure, that is, not as a seen or thought-of quality, but through a non-sensory presence. Physics and also psychology give an arbitrary definition of colour, which in reality fits only one of its modes of appearance and has for long obscured the rest."
Phenomenology of Perception, M. Merleau-Ponty, trans. Colin Smith

Click here for quotes about pens and writing.

Customer Comments

I'm delighted to hear from cutomers -- email me with your comments or suggestions; let me know what you think of the web site, the products, the prices or your experience with Pensations. Thank you for your business, and ejoy the pens!.

Customer Testimonials

I often receive feedback from customers and I enjoy reading these messages very much. I try to provide the best customer service combined with low prices, and customer feedback helps me know whether I'm reaching my goals. I have decided to share some of the messages I receive, and I've printed portions below. These are unsolicited comments, and no one received any type of compensation for the remarks or for the publication of the remarks.

"I am so impressed with the excellent and quick manner in which I received the pens I ordered. Your service is GREAT!" [D.H.]

"I just bought a pen Pensations.com. It's a fabulous pen (my current favorite) and their prices are great. The proprietor was very gracious and helpful."

"M.B. told me about you and even sent me one of your pens. I love it so much, I had to buy more. I'm so excited. Thanks for everything" [B.R.]

"Many thanks for your quick shipment and notification. Looking forward to our doing business again." [J.M.]

"Pensations is a WONDERFUL seller. I'm telling my friends, 'This is the place to buy your pens'" [P.T.]

"You are much more than a correct and agreeable seller -- you are A TRUE GENTLEMAN" [S.N.]

"... very friendly and you delivered as promised" [T.J.]

"I'm a repeat customer and I commend you as a conscientious seller" [C.S.]

"I will be back again -- you are 100% the best" [G.T.]

"Dealing with you is very nice, you provide quality products always" [P.B.]

Click here or on the "On-line Catalog" menu item on the left to view the catalog. Let me know what you think of the catalog and shopping cart system by emailing me at pensations@bellsouth.net.

Pensations is located in beautiful and historic Danville, Kentucky. Danville offers a wealth of historical, educational and cultural institutions and activities. Danville is home to Centre College (site of the 2000 and 2012 Vice Presidential debates), Pioneer Playhouse (more than 50 years of outdoor drama) and the Great American Brass Band Festival. For more information on Pensations and Danville, click here or on the "About Us" menu item in the left column.

We list resources for those interested in writing instruments, including books, contact information for pen companies and a list of pen-related web sites. The books page features selected books on writing instruments, penmanship, turning pens and other books of interest.

Many people with an interest in fine writing instruments also have a desire to improve their handwriting. A resource which has been used successfully by many is Barbara Getty's Write Now: A Complete Self-Teaching Program for Better Handwriting (click on the title for additional information). Other useful books include Calligraphy Made Easy by Margaret Shepherd, and Italic Calligraphy and Handwriting: Exercises and Text by Lloyd Reynolds. Click on any of these book titles to see more information, or click here to visit our web page of books, including these and other titles brought to you in association with Amazon.com.

If you have an interest in vintage or modern writing instruments, you should join the Pen Collectors of America. Click here (or on the logo in the left column) for more information.