December 2, 2011 - Just in time for the winter season! Icicles and a few more select Esterbrook fountain pens.

November 30, 2011 - Sure to please pen collectors, writers and those who are weary of machine made inferior writing stationery! Our hand made correspondence sets are one of a kind, each is hand made just for those with with discriminating tastes.

November 27, 2011 - Vintage pencil leads for you today. The leads write and the containers are very cool. Eversharp, Eagle, E. Faber and Dixon added to our current offerings.

November 21, 2011 - Inkwells once graced everyone's desk. There are an endless amount of different styles, sizes and they are made of a wide variety of materials. The inkwells we have listed today are both clear glass, but each quite different from each other, one being a more utilitarian design and the other being more elegant. We hope you'll have a few moments today to peruse our selection of over 50 different antique inkwells.

November 18, 2011 - We have a big gaggle of vintage mechanical pencils for you today. USA, UK, Germany. Metals and Celluloids. Famous names like Mabie Todd, not so famous names like Remington and a bit of everything in between.

November 17, 2011 - Our weekly issue of Inky Greetings went out to subscribers at 8AM CDT today. If you're reading this now you missed a cool Skagen fountain pen from Denmark, a Skyline yellow taxi set complete with fountain pen and the taxi, an unusual Chinese Ink Stone in lacquer case, the Oakes Pen Filler and some other unusual writing equipment. Inky Greetings goes out to our subscribers almost every Thursday and contains some bits of news, ramblings about pens & other things and a list of writing related items for sale. You can sign up today right here on the website.

We don't do Black Friday! Most of our customers prefer an unusual gift, not one like everyone else around the world is getting! Did you really want to go to the Big Box Store on Thanksgiving at 10pm to stand in line for hours hoping for that big buy?!? Civilized shopping for the holidays is right here at Pendemonium!

November 14, 2011 - Our OTHER Pen section is the place to visit today! Large group of early Reynolds Rocket ballpens listed along with Pilot 78G italic fountain pens, a sterling silver Tiffany ballpen, a Platinum fountain pen and several other ballpoints.

November 14, 2011 - Pendemonium is pleased to participate in Fort Madison's Annual Wine Walk. Stop by our shop or any of 23 other shops in downtown Fort Madison on Friday, November 18 from 5-8pm to taste wines from local vineyards, beer from local breweries and even some spirits from an Iowa distillery. We'll have hors d'ouevres to go along with our wine selections. Plus, we'll have special offers on all merchandise in our shop during the Wine Walk. Civilized holiday shopping! We look forward to seeing you on Friday.

November 9, 2011 - We WANT your eraser measurements! If you have an older mechanical pencil and an accurate way of measuring the diameter of the eraser on your pencil, we hope you'll share the info with us so that we may include it in our Mechanical Pencil Eraser Reference section.

The more details the better, and accuracy is of utmost importance! We just added some new Sheaffer listings for the Targa, but we'd love to add more pencils to this list. So many different mechanical pencils and erasers, so little time to measure. Will you help us and other people who need eraser refills out? Thanks!

November 8, 2011 - We are back from the Ohio Pen Show! Rolled in late Monday and got the truck unloaded. We're unpacking today. The orders that came in while we were in Ohio will start shipping today. We are still answering email - if you're awaiting a reply, it is coming soon!

The Ohio Pen Show itself was great and we thank all of you who stopped by to see us. Thanks also to Terry Mawhorter and team who make this show very special. We hope that all of you who were there enjoyed the show, too!

November 7, 2011 - Today is a Sheaffer Day! 1930s Balance boxed pen and pencil set, Sr. Balance in black radite, a Voyager V-Mail Kit and a fun Sheaffer calligraphy pen on a lanyard.

November 3, 2011 - Your inbox hasn't failed you! There isn't an Inky Greetings this week because of the Ohio Pen Show. It will return next week, and Midnight Madness will be there on Monday, as always.

Not yet a subscriber? Click here to change that!

Over the years, the Eversharp Co. was so well recognized for their quality mechanical pencils that many people came to call all mechanical pencils an Eversharp. To this day, I have people stop in the shop with a mechanical pencil they refer to as their Eversharp only to look at it and see that it is a Parker or Sheaffer or some other brand.

Now that is branding at it's best! We have some new Eversharps for you today and they're the real thing, just good old fashioned reliable pencils.

November 1, 2011 - Many, many people are starting off November with pen in hand and participating in National Novel Writing Month, more commonly referred to as NaNoWriMo. We have quite a few friends and customers taking part in NaNoWriMo this year and we want to take this opportunity to wish them all great success in writing a novel this month! We're cheering you on! Write, write, write with your fountain pens!

October 31, 2011 - Thanks to everyone who emailed in their entries for our Midnight Madness Mystery Contest. Those of you who subscribe and sent entries, now know the answer was Sheaffer Pencils. No contest winners this time around. Keep an eye out right here for future contest notices!

Happy Halloween to All! Tonight in Fort Madison, we celebrate Beggar's Night. The main street through our downtown business district is closed to vehicle traffic and we turn the streets over to the trick or treaters. The kids come begging at the local businesses. We're expecting right around 1,500 kids tonight. Always fun to see all the costumes.

October 31, 2011 - Esterbrook - every man and every woman's desk set! Traditional style that's made to be used. Three Dip Less style desk sets went up for sale today, there's only one of each, so don't put this one off.

October 27, 2011 - Using a dip pen makes one stop and think a bit about what they are writing, time to pause for thought between dipping into the ink and putting nib to paper. We have a wide variety of dip pens for those of you just starting out to those who make writing with a dip pen a part of daily life. Our latest additions to the website include a vintage dip pen and blown glass stand set, a ca. 1920s celluloid dip pen and a neat traveling dip pen from ca. 1900. Plus we've added some mini boxes of Esterbrook and Hunt vintage dip pen nibs today.

October 27, 2011 - Inky Greetings is in your inbox today, that is, if you are a subscriber. If you don't already subscribe to our eNewsletters, Inky Greetings and Midnight Madness, click here!

October 26, 2011 - Lots of new, actually old collectible ink bottles added to our Vintage Ink section today. These include Sheaffer SkripWell bottles (handy to refill and use as an inkwell!), Parker Quink WWII era bottles, an unusual Carter's Stamping Kit and a fabulous Carter's Junior Cube Stand. Click on the Carter's image below and see these new listings.

October 24, 2011 - Excellent example of a late 1920s-early 1930s Wahl Eversharp Gold Seal fountain pen and pencil set with roller clips and Deco bands. The color doesn't get much nice than this when it comes to black and pearl celluloid!

October 24, 2011 - Today's issue of Midnight Madness awaits you! A rather unusual and eclectic issue today filled with bakelite collectibles for your desktop. The real desktop, not the one you may reading this note on! If you don't subscribe, click here, we hope you will.

October 22, 2011 - Write Happy with a Writersblok notebook!

October 21, 2011 - If you like vintage pens, you'll love our section on vintage inkwells! Don't stop at the inkwell listings, keep scrolling on this page to see some unusual desk top accessories, too.

October 20, 2011 - It's Thursday! The weekend is almost here, and if you are a subscriber to our Inky Greetings eNewsletter, it is waiting for you in your email inbox! If you don't already subscribe to our eNewsletters, Inky Greetings which is sent most Thursdays, or Midnight Madness, our short and fun Monday eNewsletter, click here and sign up today!

October 18, 2011 - Sheaffer updates to the site today include No Nonsense, Snorkel, Fineliner, early cartridge fillers, a neat Targa threesome and a stunning Balance boxed set in black ebonized pearl. Hurry on over to our Sheaffer aisle to take a look.

October 17, 2011 - Good day to all! Those of you who subscribe to our eNewsletter Monday Midnight Madness should have received that by now. Some great deals on pen repair kits were featured today. Midnight Madness goes out through cyberspace every Monday at midnight Central Time, but you have to act fast, the good deals expire at noon on Monday or while they last. If you don't already subscribe to Midnight Madness, click here and sign up today!

October 12, 2011 - Just a head's up that our retail shop in Fort Madison will close a little early this Saturday, October 15th at 2pm. We'll be here 10-2, so stop on by while you're enjoying Autumn in southeast Iowa.

October 12, 2011 - All of our individual dip pen nib listings are now updated. We have hundreds of different antique dip pen nibs and sometimes keeping up with them can be quite a challenge! These updates included adjustments to quantities, some deletions - remember these old nibs don't grow on trees, so when you see the one you are after, that is the time to buy it! Plus some additions from a recent nib sorting session. Bogue Pen, Brause, Eagle, Esterbrook, Gillotts, Holley, Leon Isaacs, Kindel, Miller Bros, Pacific Railroad, Perry, Sampson's, Soennecken, Spencerian and Turner & Harrison all saw changes.

Click the Gillotts nib tin below to view our Antique Dip Pen Nib listings:

October 11, 2011 - We have some nice ephemera for you today. John Holland and Spencerian. Old stuff! Should have been tossed, thankfully someone saved it. That's what ephemera is all about!

October 5, 2011 - Vintage ink bottles aplenty today! Over 15 different ink bottles, ink eradicators and a couple of glue-paste bottles, too!

September 29, 2011 - Sometimes It is hard to know where to start! Updates today - Pilot Crystal fountain pens, Platinum pin stripe fountain pens plus vintage Reynolds and Conway Stewart pens. Check them out on our Other Pens section of the website.

September 28, 2011 - It's Cursive Italic Day!

September 27, 2011 - A Pendemonium Exclusive! Solid oak pen rests for your fountain and dip pens. Limited supplies available so don't delay!

September 23, 2011 - Big day for vintage mechanical pencils, not even sure where to start to tell you my favorites! Conklin, Jumbo Autopoints, Norma Sterling four color, unusual Eagle Simplex and more! We hope you'll take a few moments to look over our Other Pencils section, now filled to the brim!

September 22, 2011 - Today is a Sheaffer Day at Pendemonium! We've added some cool old Sheaffer executive stationery with an inlaid nib imprint along with several old style No Nonsense fountain pens. Oh! Iowa Hawkeye fans take note of the special imprint on one of the No Nonsense pens, it'll be hard to resist.

September 21, 2011 - Duofold, Vector, Big Red and Parkette added to our Parker Pen selections today. Don't miss the Hopalong Cassidy Parkette, Parker's first ballpoint pen.

September 20, 2011 - Today we have a couple of nice vintage Dip Pens for you, along with some mini boxes of Esterbrook dip pen nibs. Take a dip into history!

September 15, 2011 - Additions today to the place where the oddest and most off the beaten track items go - the Pen Paraphernalia page!

September 13, 2011 - Waterman started advertising in the 1880s and is still making pens today. We have adverts from most decades including some new ones listed today from the 1930s-1940s-1950s.

This Sunday marks ten years since the devastating attacks on the U.S.A. occurred in New York City, at the Pentagon just outside Washington, DC and in Shanksville, PA. We hope that you will join us today and take a few moments to reflect and remember all of those that died and all of those who gave of themselves to help others during this tragedy.

Always Remember.

September 9, 2011 - Have you checked out our Other Pens section lately? New listings today! This is the place to look for fine pens that are not from the Big 4 makers. You never know what you'll find here!

September 7, 2011 - Join us at the Ohio Pen Show this coming November! We've listed details on the Ohio Pen Show and our pizza party at this show along with other updates to our pen show listings.

September 6, 2011 - Jewelry for Writers!

September 2, 2011 - Check out our antique Dip Pens and dip into history!

August 30, 2011 - We have some hometown pens for you today. Yes, that means we've updated our Sheaffer selections. Targa, Ergo, Lazer, Desk sets, Flat Tops, and Balance all newly listed. Hope you'll take a look at these and the other Sheaffer writing instruments we have for sale.

August 28, 2011 - We're sending out good thoughts to all of our friends and customers on the east coast of the US who were and are in the path of Hurricane Irene. We sincerely hope everyone was well prepared and hunkered down to ride Irene out. Stay safe pen friends!

Needless to say, here in Iowa we're not feeling any Irene-effects. However, our website is maintained and updated by an east-coaster, as are our eNewsletters.

We have pre-scheduled Monday Midnight Madness to go out, but there is only so much we can do ahead of time and still be timely! Depending on which way Irene tilts and whirls, you may see a lack of updates on the Pendemonium website for a few days, Thursday's Inky Greetings could be delayed. Pendemonium-East is always on top of things and we suspect there will be no interruptions, this is a "just in case" message!

As long as Twitter stays connected, we'll stay connected, too. Expect usual messages unless something un-expected happens and in that case we'll be there to let you know what is going on.

August 25, 2011 - Oodles of antique ink bottles for you today; Sheaffer, Parker, Carter's, Sanford's, Worden's, Freund and a nice stoneware bottle. These cover dates from the 1870s to the 1960s.

August 23, 2011 - All pen lovers need the appropriate desk accoutrements be it an inkwell, stamp box or memo holder. Ours are vintage to go with your beloved vintage fountain pens! New items listed today.

August 22, 2011 - Added to our Parker Duofold section today.

August 18, 2011 - Our newest vintage advertisement up for sale is from 1963, what a departure from Carter's pre-1950s advertising we are more accustomed to!

August 17, 2011 - Parts section updated today! Pen repair people and tinkerers take note!

August 15, 2011 - We wanted to thank everyone who came by to see us at the Washington DC Fountain Pen SuperShow over the weekend.

As always, this is an amazing show filled with fun pen people and a never ending parade of unusual pens and writing collectibles to gaze at. We'll be on the road for a couple of days back to Fort Madison. Once we get back, we'll get unpacked, sort out your orders and emails and get back to shipping again on Wednesday. We certainly appreciate your patience while we're away for pen shows. Thanks!

August 12, 2011 - A few select vintage advertisements for you today from the Parker Pen Co, ca. 1940s. Check them out!

August 11, 2011 - Many newly listed vintage Sheaffer advertisements for you today. Most are from the 1940s. Enjoy!

August 11, 2011 - We're on the road to the Washington DC Fountain Pen SuperShow! Just a reminder that we'll acknowledge your orders and inquiries while we travel, but shipping will be delayed until we return to the shop next week. Appreciate your patience and understanding, our customers are the best!

Just a heads up to those of you attending the DC Pen Show that are Sheaffer fans - we have a small batch of merchandise with us from the Sheaffer Pen Museum. Hats, t-shirts, polo shirts, denim shirts, key chains and some other fun trinkets. Since not everyone can get to the museum, we'll bring a little bit of the museum to you!

August 10, 2011 - Can't wait! The Washington DC Fountain Pen SuperShow is just days away! If you're new to pen shows or going to the DC Pen Show for the first time, take a deep breath before you walk in the door. This is the largest pen show in the world and sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming. Take your time, slow down to chat with people and stop to rest and let everything sink in every now and then. You will see row upon row of pens in all shapes, sizes, brands, ages and price ranges. Sometimes your neck gets a little stiff from looking down at the tables.

We try to make our exhibit a little different at the DC Pen Show! You'll still have to look down at some things (I can't totally save your neck!), but we spread things out and up and try to keep things interesting by mixing pens, pen cases, books, pen repair stuff, new inks, old inks, inkwells to hold your new and old inks and much, much more. We'll have some unusual wall decor this year made from old Sheaffer factory bits, pen repair kits in old boxes, pen jewelry and yes, more fountain pens plus pencils, dip pens and other unusual writing equipment. It's never dull at Pendemonium!

August 9, 2011 - We're honored to be an authorized ONOTO Pen dealer and hope you'll stop by to see the ONOTO Magna No. 261 Fountain Pen at the Washington DC Fountain Pen SuperShow this weekend. Along with this beautiful pen, we'll have the ONOTO Pen Repair Book written by four expert English pen repair specialists and a set of the O and the N ONOTO Fountain Pen Drawings.

These ONOTO items are also available right here on our website, just in case you won't be at the DC Pen Show this weekend. We're pleased to ship them to you upon our return.

Details about the Washington DC Fountain Pen Supershow are in our Pen Shows & Events section. Click on over for information!

August 8, 2011 - There are times when only a pencil will do!

August 8, 2011 - The Washington DC Fountain Pen SuperShow is right around the corner! If you have special requests for us to bring to you at the show, we'll need to know by the end of the day today, Monday August 8 so that we can pack on Tuesday. We're always happy to make personal deliveries at the pen shows. If it's in stock, we'll haul it! Just drop us an email with your wishlist.

We'll have a wide range of all things Pendemonium with us at the DC Pen Show. We've put together some special Pen Repair Kits that are a great value, less than buying repair supplies individually & they come with some freebies, too! Of course, we'll have Da Book, a must for pen repair.

We'll have some great fountain pen books with us at the show and you can save on the shipping - Waterman Past & Present, Parker 51 Book, Parker Vacumatic Book, limited quantity of hardbound Parker Duofold Books (out of print & hard to find!) and Steve Hull's fabulous book on Conway Stewart. Also Jim Marshall's series Monograph Series of books on writing items that you don't find much info on at all. The elusive Parker Jotter book may be available, too, please refer above to info on ordering the Parker Jotter book. If you see other books on our website you'd like us to bring to you specifically, just email by end of day Monday.

August 5, 2011

Parker Jotter Book Alert!!

We've been storing a small amount of the recently released Parker Jotter book for author David Shepherd here in the US. David had planned to come to the Washington DC Pen Show and sell the books. David has told us he will be unable to attend the show and asked us to take care of selling this small quantity of Parker Jotter books for him. There are less than 40 books available and at this point it sounds as if Parker will not release more to the U.S. market.

The Jotter Book is fabulous! Those of you who have David's previous Parker 51, Duofold and Vacumatic books already know what a remarkable job he does in detailing history, providing superb photos and laying out am enjoyable to read and informative book. The Jotter book is no exception.

We'll take orders online for the Jotter book through Monday, August 8th and ship on Tuesday, August 9 before we leave for the DC Pen Show on Wednesday, August 10. If any remain, we will bring to the DC Pen Show and sell on a first come, first serve basis.

Ordering information: Item #JOTTER-BK Parker Jotter Book $110 Shipping is additional at actual cost. Please use our secure online order form to order today!

August 5, 2011 - Get Inky! Lamy, Pelikan, Pilot-Namiki, Private Reserve and Sheaffer inks are restocked and ready to ship. Don't miss the new Private Reserve DC Super Violet ink just released for the DC Fountain Pen SuperShow. We can ship to you before the DC Pen Show next week.

Please note our retail shop hours the week of August 1st!

This coming week we'll have some rather sporadic hours at our retail shop in Fort Madison.

Our retail shop will be closed:
Tuesday, August 2nd and Wednesday, August 3rd. Then again on Friday, August 5th.

We'll continue to acknowledge orders and answer email, so no major interruptions to Pendemonium online.

August 4, 2011 - A l'il bit of A.T. Cross for you today, one of the oldest pen companies.

August 2, 2011 - How well do your know pen history? We have listed a few vintage ads today from a pen maker who was well known for this tag line in the 1940s: What's YOUR answer to the $64 Question?

Click Right Here to see if you have the correct answer!

August 1, 2011 - Some of the more desirable Esterbrook Renew Points have arrived! Flexxies, stubs and others. Limited supplies so grab them while you can.

July 28, 2011 - We personally think that the Waterman Pen Company designed some of the most eye-appealing advertisements over the years, clever tag lines and great illustrations, not to mention absolutely stunning fountain pens and pencils! Today, we have listed 22 different vintage Waterman advertisements dating from 1904 to 1930. Hope you'll find one that suits your fancy!

July 27, 2011 - Targas, No Nonsense, School Pens from the '60s to the '80s up for sale today! Browse our Sheaffer listings to see these and more.

July 26, 2011 - The Private Reserve DC Super Violet has arrived! That also means the DC Pen Show isn't far away.

Click for details

July 23, 2011 - It's Cursive Italic Day! (You're not seeing double... a couple of the pens were a bit shy and didn't make the first trip. We didn't want you to miss seeing them!)

July 21, 2011 - It's Cursive Italic Day!

July 19, 2011 - A little new, a little old, but all made in Fort Madison, Iowa! Sheaffer Crest, Balance, Triumph Imperial, Tuckaways, Desk Sets, Levenger Seas writing instruments and even a Prelude key ring. Take a stroll down our Sheaffer aisle today.

July 18, 2011 - Write Red! Write Black! Just a few Dur-o-Lite and Autopoint Double Ender 1940s pencils listed in our Other Pencils Department today, as well as an unusual A.W. Faber German pencil with ivory finial. ca. 1900 and in perfect condition.

July 15, 2011 - We just completed a major and I do mean major update to our dip pen nib listings. Quantities update, plus new nib listings from the following companies:

B.B. Co., Baer's, Esterbrook, Hunt, Perry, Spencerian, Wm Mitchell, Bell System, Bentleys, Birmingham, Blymer Bros, Brown's College, Eagle, Fabrik Mark, Leon Isaacs Industr, Kimball Storer, RE Kindel, Miller Bros, Pacific Mail, Palmer, Paragon, Perfection, Francis Pratt, Prof Maas Feder, Quill Stub, Standard Oil Co, United Drug Rexall, Universal, W.E. Co, and Writewell Special.

Betcha' haven't even heard of some of these rather obscure dip pen nib makers!

Need a dip pen nib? We've got you covered! Full listings of individual nibs are on our Dip Pen Nib page. Dip Pen Nib assortments, some small boxed nibs and dip pens are on our Dip Pen page.

Juy 13, 2011 - Several new to the site vintage ink bottles for you today! Sheaffer, Fount-O-Ink, Sanford's and a lovely turn of the century aqua cone bottle.

July 11, 2011 - Re-purposed antiques for displaying your fountain pens!

July 8, 2011 - We've listed several collectible vintage Parker fountain pens today; several ca. 1940s WWII era Parker Senior Duofolds along with a couple of Parker Classics.

July 7, 2011 - Ink bottle and inkwell information is much scarcer than fountain pen information and far fewer books have been published on the subject over the years. One of the most desirable books was written by William Covill in 1971. We're pleased to offer two different copies of this book to you.

July 5, 2011 - Take a dip into history, slow down and think about what you're writing and how you're writing with a vintage dip pen or hand cut goose quill. Many to choose from.

July 1, 2011 -

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MIDNIGHT MADNESS
Midnight Madness goes out via email to subscribers at the stroke of midnight in Iowa every Monday. Midnight Madness is short, sweet and not really very newsy! Always great deals on pen and writing related items.

INKY GREETINGS
Inky Greetings goes out via email to subscribers on Thursdays unless we're on the road for a pen show. You get a little news, a little bit of pen talk, exclusive specials and a heads up on new items before they are added to the website.

SPECIAL OFFERS!

We periodically post special offers on several different internet pen forums. Look for unusual items, new stuff, extra special specials and just some plain old good deals!

• Zoss Pens List, to subscribe go to http://www.zoss.com/pens
• The Fountain Pen Network   http://www.fountainpennetwork.com
• Pentrace   http://www.pentrace.com

PEN COLLECTORS of AMERICA

The PCA is the only organization in America devoted entirely to collectors of vintage pens and related items. Members of the PCA receive the Pennant newsletter. The Pennant is filled with informative and authoritative articles. Membership also gives you access to the PCA's Reference Library. The Reference Library keeps an archive of hundreds of old catalogs, brochures and other ephemera. For complete information, visit the PCA website at http://www.pencollectors.com

SOCIETY of INKWELL COLLECTORS

The SOIC is an international organization dedicated to the establishment and enhancement of collecting inkwells and writing accessories as a hobby, the study of inkwell design and manufacture across periods and materials, and the scholarly study of the role of inkwells and writing accessories in history. Visit the SOIC website at http://www.soic.com