Andrew J. Gnoza, III (Polish Sumgai)
Biography # 223 email:

My name is Andrew J. Gnoza, III ( aka Polish Sumgai ) and currently reside on the Gulf of Mexico in a small town in Alabama - 500 yards west of Pensacola, Florida. Andrew J.Gnoza, IIII retired from the US Government in 1995 after 25 years as a criminal investigator / bomb disposal technician ( yes I do have all 10 fingers ). I buy and sell just about anything pen related that is associated with Esterbrooks!

My first fountain pen was a black Esterbrook "J" and was given to me by Uncle Sam in 1960 when I went to work after high school washing pots and pans at a VA Hospital in Bedford, Mass.

I never stopped using one - I did not use a fountain pen everyday - but there was always a couple in my desk since I got my first one! Being retired I don't have the need to carry a fountain pen on a daily basis ( uniform of the day is a polo shirt and cargo shorts ). However my trusty Esterbrook DB427 twin inkwell deskset is used on a daily basis - loaded to the brim with 2 different inks that I change 3 or 4 times a year.

I currently have 500+ MIB/NOS Esterbrooks in my collection and an Esterbrook is "ALWAYS" my daily use pen - everyday!

I do have a "small" collection of some O/S flat tops, "Big Reds" from various manufacturers and some stylos that sit on top of my roll top desk displayed in 14 glass flower frogs which are all different colors - adds a little class to my office area.

Attached photo courtesy of Len Provisor who snapped it at the Ohio Pen Show in 1999.

Polish Sumgai

 Back to List | First | Last