The PENguin Blog

After more than five years as webmaster-extraordinaire, Gillian Hart has decided to devote more time to several of her own projects and has asked to step back as webmaster for The PENguin. No one has done more to ensure the success of this project and I find it hard to think of The PENguin without Gilly. I want to take this opportunity to thank her for everything she has done and for putting up with me. Now, however, I need someone who can not only step into her formidable shoes, but to take a somewhat larger role than previously. As I have become increasingly involved with Bonhams & Butterfields, I have not had as much time for the site. Therefore the ideal person for this position will not only be able to work in HTML and CSS (as necessary), but will take an active role in creating content and announcing updates to penboards and social media. In short, the new person will work as a partner with me on the site. The hours are flexible, the compensation negotiable. At times th...

These are a lot of about fifty German No Name Pens that a client offered to me a while back. They were interesting and came with a great backstory, so I bought them, put them in a box and got very busy. Now I want to “re-home” them, as they say. So here they are. GNN1/2 are probably the most interesting of this lot of pens. They are Kaweco Dia 805As and the initials on them are those of the founder of the firm, Heinrich Koch. I have a letter of provenance that goes with the pens. They are unused and have goldplated alloy Kaweco OM nibs. $225.00. I have just two of these. GNN3 kind of speaks for itself, a wartime "Elita" pen. It has no clip, though I could fit one, and has a fine flexible steel Bock nib. It appears never to have been used. $95.00 GNN4 are a group of wartime no names, with a very flexible gold plated Degussa OM nibs. I have a bunch of these and will choose for you the nicest. Most of them appear never to have been used. $95.00 GNN5 another group of war...

Let's try something new: Pen of the Day PE2290: 1987 Pelikan M800 green stripes. This is an immaculate first year M800 with the carved logo, marked W. Germany and with a 14k Broad nib. They do not get any better. In velvet topped black clamshell with papers. $425.00

We have just completed a modest update to the website. As always we have a fine selection of Pelikans, from a first year black 1929 to a number of other early pens. Now is a great time to start in or to fill in your early Pelikan collection. We have a strong supply, too, of often hard to find Pelikan 400s in black and tortoise. Among the moderns, a first year M800 with a broad 14 K nib is a standout. Don't forget that we have also plenty of Parkers and other pens, including a vintage Montblanc 149 and a more modern one.