I have been interested in pens for as long as I can remember, and have actively been buying them for the past 40 years. I share this passion with my sister, so it must have been a gene thing.I was bred, born, and raised in San Francisco, and lived there for 25 years until I finished school. I watched S.I. Hayakawa come to S. F. State, and managed to make it through the riots. I got my credential there, and have been teaching continuously for 29 years. Now I'm primarily Special Ed, at a county residential school for gang-involved sociopaths. It makes for an interesting work day!
My first fountain pen of memory was a Sheaffer transparent cartridge pen around 1960, then a dark blue Parker 45 Flighter which I still have. I got through college with Rapidographs and a Pelikan 120, and was, and still am, a big fan of PaperMate and Parker ball pens. I have an obsession for PaperMate Capris, and enjoy finding them all over the U.S.
I am 51, married, and have a soon to be 13 year old son. My two four-legged children are a 7 year old yellow Lab, and a 2 year old Golden Retriever. I rarely can go anywhere without them being by my side or at my feet. Other interests are going to grad school for the next 5 years, and commercial aviation. I have to be one of the top 10 DC-6&7 fans in the world.
My pen collection numbers about 300, and is half vintage, half post-60s. Many of my pens came from a shop that AnnMarie at Ink Palette was once the manager of in San Francisco before she ascended, and became, the Ink Queen of Kentucky. I have about 115 bottles of ink in 80 different colors, but I think My is going to pass me. The ink acquisitions are mostly due to AnnMarie's knowledge and excellent service at Ink Palette. I enjoyed visiting with her again last week at the San Francisco Pen Show. If you would like to see a sample of something inkwise, e-mail me for a swatch. I probably have it around here somewhere!
My all time favorite pen is the Vac Parker "51", and favorite latest new pen is my Krone "Lava" Hyperbole from the pen show last week. That will soon change however, when Jeff Peirce calls to tell me my new blue Hyperbole has arrived from Italy.
I truly enjoy reading, writing, and posting about pens, and wish I had more time for the snail list, a wonderful thing!
Best Regards,
Berry in Gilroy, CA
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