History of penmaking: What is YOUR recollection?

[ed4copies]

My topic this year at the Midwest Penturners Gathering was "the history and future of penmaking". Which led to interviewing Mr. Ed Levy of Penn State and Mr. Jim Heusinger of Berea Hardwoods. Both of these gentlemen were there "in the beginning", so their input was incredibly valuable. I am pleased to report they were both also very co-operative and their recollections were consistent, one with the other. So, I hope to be writing a PDF or two!!
I will give a little "tickler" here: The industry was founded when Mr. Frank Cho (from a company in Taiwan called GE, not related to General Electric) met the owner of Craft Supply UK at a trade show. Closest we can 'peg' the date would be 1984.
I hope to get in touch with Dick Sing and try to weave his recollections into the fabric to see the industry from the "early consumer" side. Stay tuned!!

 

[Mr Vic]

I'll volunteer to be a proof reader...I can spell "pen". Sounds like a gereat project and looking forward to reading...

 

[mark james]

My topic this year at the Midwest Penturners Gathering was "the history and future of penmaking". Which led to interviewing Mr. Ed Levy of Penn State and Mr. Jim Heusinger of Berea Hardwoods. Both of these gentlemen were there "in the beginning", so their input was incredibly valuable. I am pleased to report they were both also very co-operative and their recollections were consistent, one with the other. So, I hope to be writing a PDF or two!!
I will give a little "tickler" here: The industry was founded when Mr. Frank Cho (from a company in Taiwan called GE, not related to General Electric) met the owner of Craft Supply UK at a trade show. Closest we can 'peg' the date would be 1984.
I hope to get in touch with Dick Sing and try to weave his recollections into the fabric to see the industry from the "early consumer" side. Stay tuned!!

Ed: Have an enjoyable journey with this! In my opinion, it is not a "should" issue... it is "must" issue.

And... it will be vastly more important years after this is collated and documented and archived... It is our history! What we remember today will be forgotten unless preserved... and we will not be here forever!

Materials, technology and techniques will bypass us (and that is good! Well, maybe good ), BUT, they will be built on the foundation that preceded them.

 

[Scott]

Ed! This is so cool! I am very glad you are putting this history together! I am excited to see your results!

Scott.

 

[Rockytime]

I'll volunteer to be a proof reader...I can spell "pen". Sounds like a gereat project and looking forward to reading...

I was a professional proofreader at the M&M factory. I caught all the W&W's. I was good because I could spell it. I T

 

[Bob Wemm]

Sounds like a very important project to me.
Thanks Ed for going there.

Bob.

 

[jttheclockman]

My topic this year at the Midwest Penturners Gathering was "the history and future of penmaking". Which led to interviewing Mr. Ed Levy of Penn State and Mr. Jim Heusinger of Berea Hardwoods. Both of these gentlemen were there "in the beginning", so their input was incredibly valuable. I am pleased to report they were both also very co-operative and their recollections were consistent, one with the other. So, I hope to be writing a PDF or two!!
I will give a little "tickler" here: The industry was founded when Mr. Frank Cho (from a company in Taiwan called GE, not related to General Electric) met the owner of Craft Supply UK at a trade show. Closest we can 'peg' the date would be 1984.
I hope to get in touch with Dick Sing and try to weave his recollections into the fabric to see the industry from the "early consumer" side. Stay tuned!!

Well Ed while you are at it maybe you can asked Ed Levy about this statement.


Originally Posted by makaiolani
Dayacom was actually one of the original designers of pen kits. Then the other companies took their designs and had them made more cheaply in China. This is how PSI and Berea got started. I discussed things with the owner for many hours and he is so frustrated that he couldn't contain his emotions over this.

 

[jttheclockman]

Not quite sure where you will take this and if you are looking for facts about the very first pens made or basically when this craze of selling and buying pen kits to make our own pens is what you are after.

But The Fountain Pen Network has some interesting facts on it. Also Turning Pens and Pencils by Kip Christensen and Rex Burningham at Crafts Supply USA is a good read.

Now if you take it into the here and now and future avenue there have been some good posts in the past such as this

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f18/where-innovation-70518/

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f14/where-pen-making-going-59313/

 

[kruzzer]

Ed, looking forward to the read..

 

[ed4copies]

Thanks to all for your comments!!

I have now requested information from Darrell Nish (Pres CSUSA) and the general sales mail for Dayacom.

We will see if they reply.

Ed

 

[Smitty37]

Interesting

That sounds like it will be an interesting read. Although, I think you might want to revise the title a tad....pen making goes back a lot farther than pen making kits unless of course you are going to get into that history as well.

 

[tbroye]

I remember seeing Ben Franklin sharpening his Quill.:wink:

 

[edstreet]

Popular mechanics is now online with their archives and they had several articles back in the day on pen making. They also had another section on iridium tips.

Popular Mechanics - Google Books

This was 1909.

 

[Smitty37]

I remember seeing Ben Franklin sharpening his Quill.:wink:

I provided Ben with his goose feathers...he also like turkey Vulture wing feathers and Turkey (which he thought should be our national bird) tail feathers.

 

[ed4copies]

I am happy to report I have talked with Darrell Nish, Pres of CSUSA. His recollection is consistent with the others. I hope to hear from Dayacom yet, then I will complete the written version. However, I will submit it to all the contributors BEFORE I publish it.

So, figure early May it will be "public".

Ed

 

[walshjp17]

Ed,

Your pen making history project sounds exciting -- at least to those of us who dabble in this craft.

In case you don't already have it, I thought I would provide you with a link to Russ Fairfield"s Pen Pages including his story of how and when he got started on his journey to becoming the father of handcrafted pens. The link is from the Internet Archive Wayback Machine project.

Link to RF's Pen Pages: Russ Fairfield, woodturner

Link to his story: PenPages-2

Looking forward to your tome.

 

[tbroye]

It will be interesting to read the history especially since I am a relative newcomer.

LeRoy I was the boy looking through the window. He wanted me to grab the key on the kite. They sure had good penmanship back then Old Tom did beautify job on that paper he wrote, beautiful Johnny sure had a big signature.

 

[Argo13]

Ed, thank you.

You talk at the MPG was very interesting. Can't wait to hear what else you uncover.

Jason

 

[magpens]

Thanks for doing this, Ed. Very interested to read your history.