- Che bella scrittura! - Choollus
- Grazie! :-)
Workhorse pen
"None of us can have as many virtues as the fountain-pen, or half
its cussedness; but we can try."
-- Mark Twain, Following the Equator
"With a single Wirt pen I have earned the family's living for
many years. With two, I could have grown rich."
-- Mark Twain, Letter to Wirt Fountain Pen Company, October 11, 1898
I took this picture during a break in a class I had to take as part of my employment. I own four fountain pens, but in recent years this Waterman, which I purchased in October of 1999, is the only one I have used extensively. As part of my continuing experimentation with my new digital camera, I wrote out a passage from Canto XXIV of Dante's Inferno, then took several pictures of the pen set against that backdrop. Some were taken with flash, and others with available light. This was also my first serious attempt to do macros.
Comments, as always, are welcome.
(Footnote: This photo appeared in Explore on 7/21/05.)
Comments and faves
Rich Anderson, Merodema, alton.tw, jeremydouglass, and 19 other people added this photo to their favorites.
Merodema (84 months ago | reply)
Ever tried the blue-black ink? It's my favorite.
peggy. (84 months ago | reply)
this would have made a nice icon for our LRP group :)
gwilmore (84 months ago | reply)
I prefer blue-black myself, but there wasn't any available when I went over to Office Max, or wherever it was, to replenish my ink supply. Actually, my all-time favorite ink was a Mont Blanc variety, but I can't remember what it was called. The color, I mean; it was sort of a dark red. I'd use it primarily, but at work I have to sign a lot of court documents, and the rules specify that they have to be signed in blue or black ink.
gwilmore (83 months ago | reply)
That color, now that I think of it, was probably burgundy.
Lynn Morag (83 months ago | reply)
Easier to read in this shot - nice writing!
Lylla Lausanne (83 months ago | reply)
I like it too much!
A.D. 2005 (83 months ago | reply)
the beginning of the Vanni Fucci-canto; the thieves and all the metamorphoses...
pentimento (83 months ago | reply)
very cool
Julie70 (83 months ago | reply)
what a beautifull handwriting you have!
I understand also the importance of what we use for writing, some just go well and help us write, or at least did not disturb us and become extension of our thougths,
your picture, with the explanation under it conveys all that and more
dänika (83 months ago | reply)
Lovely picture. I've always wanted a fountain pen. :)
Kalabird (83 months ago | reply)
I used to adore writing in my journal with my fountain pen. These days it's just my blog...
gwilmore (83 months ago | reply)
Good to hear from you again, Kalabird. It's been awhile, and I figured you must be awfully busy, between your normal work routine and the additional hours you must have to spend fighting off those Khmer Rouge holdouts that pass for huge cockroaches. That, plus the fact that computer access isn't as good as what you've been accustomed to.
I agree with your observation. I love blogging, but there is a sizeable part of me that is old-fashioned, which I suppose partly explains my love of fountain pens.
h2okatcher [deleted] (82 months ago | reply)
Beautiful capture! I like how you have your handwriting as the background for your Waterman!
mimbrava (78 months ago | reply)
Your handwriting is exquisite. What a labor of love to copy out Dante in Italian! My father used to have a big thick orange fountain pen.
gwilmore (78 months ago | reply)
Thank you! Personally, I don't care for it all that much, and my grandmother used to complain endlessly about how difficult it was for her to read it. A number of years ago I tried to change my handwriting completely by teaching myself Italic, but my wife persuaded me to give up the effort; she said she liked my handwriting just the way it was. Later my older sister, who was a calligrapher, cast in her two cents' worth as well. She voted with my wife. So in the end, Grandma was outvoted on this particular issue.
BTW, I have not used this pen for several months now. Sometime after this picture was taken, I accidentally dropped it on my desk in such a way as to damage the nib, and I haven't gotten around to getting it fixed yet. I've been using a plastic fountain pen manufactured by Cross, but I much prefer the Waterman.
Christine Lebrasseur (73 months ago | reply)
Please consider to add this wonder in the " *brushes_pens_pencils group".
(tag ""penpencilbrushink")
It will be an honour to count you as a member.
gwilmore (73 months ago | reply)
It's an honor to be invited, so I will accept the invitation. Thank you, Christine.
gwilmore (73 months ago | reply)
How do I join? I went there and coudn't find the link. Did they move it somewhere, or is this one of the invitation-only groups?
Christine Lebrasseur (73 months ago | reply)
The link above works well, please try again ;)
gwilmore (73 months ago | reply)
I'm a moron. I was already a member of the group and didn't realize it. Obviously one cannot join a group of which one is already a member, which explains why I could not find the "Join this group?" link. Anyway, the photo is there now, and thanks again for the invite.
Christine Lebrasseur (73 months ago | reply)
Rires ! Merci ;)
Christine Lebrasseur (70 months ago | reply)
The splendid photo would be perfect for the first contest "Pen, Pencils, Brushes, Inks,..." about
Fountain Pens :)
www.flickr.com/groups/pencils_brushes_inks/di scuss/721575...
Christine Lebrasseur (70 months ago | reply)
Thanks for your participation to our "Fountain Pen(s) Contest", please don't forget to vote :)
--
Seen in a dicussion of *Brushes,pens,pencils,... (tag "PenPencilBrushInk"). (?)
Choollus (59 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Hand Writing, and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.
infernosangel27 (58 months ago | reply)
I have always been fascinated by handwriting. I cant believe I never left a comment on this one, its really good.
gwilmore (58 months ago | reply)
Thanks, Colin! This one has generated some great reviews. It was among the very first of my Flickr photos to appear in Explore, and I took it with that little point-and-shoot I gave to you when I purchased my D50.
innocencenow (54 months ago | reply)
gwilmore if I may remind you , you forgot to tell the name of the pen i have seen lots of these in a shop but even the guy selling did not know what waterman it was.
gwilmore (54 months ago | reply)
@innocencenow: I'm pretty sure this one is the Hemisphere. I haven't used it in a couple of years, though, because I need to replace the nib and haven't gotten around to it yet. I accidentally dropped it, nib-first, onto my desk, which unfortunately bent the nib. But I absolutely love this pen!
innocencenow (54 months ago | reply)
well .................. it looks much more expensive than a hemisphere though if I saw the cap I would know for sure because I have one myself.
l.traube (51 months ago | reply)
Ciao, sono amministratore di un gruppo chiamato Write me!. Ci farebbe piacere aggiungere le tuo foto al gruppo.
hlewis4375 (48 months ago | reply)
cool shot.....
blackandwhite999 (44 months ago | reply)
Nice picture. I took the liberty to post it in my blog with due credit to you. If you object please post it in my blog comment and I shall delete it immediately @ blackandwhite999.blogspot.com/2008/10/might-o f-pen.html
innocencenow (44 months ago | reply)
Ya it is a hemisphere. How stupid of me I just had to check the cap.
gwilmore (44 months ago | reply)
@blackandwhite999: No objection whatsoever; you complied with Flickr's Terms of Use, besides which I am honored and flattered that you wanted to use my photo that way. Thank you! :-)
ricardoc57 (44 months ago | reply)
Glad to meet another Dante fan !!!!!
gwilmore (44 months ago | reply)
Yes, there are a few of us out there! :-)
Miss. Beer (37 months ago | reply)
gwilmore, may I use this photo for a website I'm making. It would be on the contact us page and I could link it back to here if you like.
gwilmore (37 months ago | reply)
@Miss. Beer -- (I know a lot of people who would do their darndest to live up to that name!) -- Permission granted! Just make sure it is linked back to me, and let me know when the website is finished.
Miss. Beer (37 months ago | reply)
Thanks gwilmore, I'll send you through a link once it's done.
Miss. Beer (37 months ago | reply)
I've finished the website - thanks to your help.
If you want to see how I used your image, click on www.oldclarendoninn.com.au/contact. Thanks again!
gwilmore (37 months ago | reply)
Nice website, and I approve the way you have used my photo. The feathering around the edges is a nice touch. I do wonder about something, though; one of these days, is some person who is both well-educated and highly observant going to notice that the handwritten passage is from Dante's Divine Comedy, then wonder what Dante has to do with your establishment? But on the other hand, this might be regarded as a very effective marketing tool, at least where Dante aficionados are concerned. :-)
juntos ( MOSTLY OFF) (31 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called THE DANTE CIRCLE (Admin Invite Only +10 faves), and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Benjamin Bjorn´s Soul Portraying (31 months ago | reply)
A Fantastic Image. Thank you for posting!
A Definite Favorite!!
The Dante Circle Group
Please Tag Image "The Dante Circle"