Sunday 4 March 2012

his nibs



"I've got an old pen and some nibs that I'm not using," said John Terry; "You're welcome to them, if you like."

I'm a sucker for pens on any day of the week; this one was a revelation, though, and I'd not seen anything like it before. It's a Pelikan Graphos, and it's about forty or fifty years old.The nibs slot onto the body of the pen, and are fed from a sort-of reservoir inside, into which you can drip ink through a slot. So, unlike dip pens, they hold a charge of ink for ages, and unlike a Rapidograph, you wash them out after every use, so they don't end up clogged up.

I would have taken a more detailed close-up photo, but I can't find my big lens. What with the problems on the Moggy lately (I changed out a tie-rod end yesterday, which, combined with the replacing upper trunnion bushes the other day, has hopefully cured the Trav of  its recently-developed tendency to try weaving around the motorway when I put the brakes on), and general business, things in Schloss Marland are more than usually chaotic.

Which is saying a mouthful.

This morning, I spent ages trying to find my memory stick (got a picture to take to the printers tomorrow). And then gave up. And started looking for the 300mm camera lens, so I could take the pen porn pics. 

And immediately found the memory stick.

Here's yesterday's picture. The weather's getting warmer, so I can get up at three in the morning and get on with stuff, instead of lying awake . This is Mal, in characteristic pose.




5 comments:

  1. I have often wondered how large cameras and lenses manage to hide so effortlessly. Happens to me all the time, especially if I really need something specific!

    I loose pens too...

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  2. As the memory sticks get smaller on the outside and larger on the inside I find that I have to tie them to something much larger and easier to find.

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  3. Lovely pen and nibs. I've still got my grandfather's wooden cigar box with pens and nibs (he did calligraphy amongst other things).

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  4. Those nibs do look interesting. They remind me of insects. The best way to find things is to look for something else.

    I love the blue dragon

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  5. Things become especially hard to find when you need them urgently, of course. Caroline- like when I wanted to record a fox barking the other day. Could I find the recorder? Two guesses...
    I've got a hi-vis shock cord lanyard around the memory stick, which usually helps. Though it is sartorially close to having your mittens joined through the sleeves with elastic. Which may just possibly be retro cool...
    Old art stuff is great, isn't it, Gwynneth? -I've still got my father's set square somewhere, and a cigar box of his(!) that I used as my travelling art case until the lid fell apart.

    Now you mention it, Anji, don't they just? -scarabs, perhaps?

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