Before buying antique fountain pens, research the price and quality of the antique by reading "Fountain Pens: Past and Present.&quot ...

27.04.11
"I would like my envelopes to look like someone with interesting handwriting wrote it, not like a calligrapher wrote it. I like them to convey expression and mood rather than just being pretty," he says. Gustafson is a 54-year-old calligrapher, map and monogram designer, and artist from Somerville with a sense of humor and a dedication to character-based calligraphy. To understand Gustafson's work is to first know his apartment and work studio at the Brickbottom Artists Association in Somerville. It is an invitation to someplace special and if Gustafson has done his job right, then it should make you smile. "I want it to look like there's going to be an open bar and a fun orchestra. When you receive an envelope from Pier Gustafson , you know you have been delivered something special.

Source: Boston Globe

Source: Barnes Auctioneers Diary

Now, here is the problem - as soon as I took the loupe from my pocket and inspected the green marbled Conway Stewart fountain pen closely in front of the entire shop, it became clear to all and sundry that I was an antique dealer. There are few things dumber than a socialist in a polling booth but the colleague that bet £20 against me doubling my money on a broken Conway Stewart fountain pen is a prime candidate. That's because fountain pen collectors are usually retired, wealthy, and obsessive in acquisition. Most of us may be tightening the purse strings, but not fountain pen collectors. They are good buyers in a buoyant market and, let's be honest, the proletariat don't buy fountain pens because they can't even write....

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Source: Teaching Adventures

After they sang the song in English some of the staff sang the song in Spanish, and then one of the staff sang the song in Garifuna. After dinner Miss Olive (principal) asked Jesse to sing a song (he sang 'You are my Sunshine' and me to sing a song ('Tomorrow' from Annie). After we finished laughing the tears from our eyes due to so much laughter, the teachers sang us a song that they wrote for us. As they sang I felt the goose bumps forming. I began thinking about all the wonderful times we had at St. Benedict's and felt so proud to be a part of such a wonderful school. On Wednesday of last week (April 13th), Jesse and I met the St. Benedict staff at Marion's Restaurant in PG. The principal treated us to a chicken dinner, salad, fresh fruit juice, rice pudding, and great company....

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