Things that time forgot.

[mercia]

Ink Monitor at my Primary School.

I guess at that moment you realised you were destined for great things.

[vinteuil]

I guess at that moment you realised you were destined for great things.

... o, it was downhill from then on

.

[jean]

We were not allowed fountain pens until the top year of Primary School...

We weren't allowed them in Primary School at all!

...prior to that we had to struggle with dipping pens into the wells.

Did that post get edited since I first saw it? I could swear it made reference to relief nibs which I had to look up, and found this:

http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/9839-what-are-relief-and-falcon-nibs/

My first fountain pen I won in a Children's Newspaper competition, and it ruined my handwriting for years.

[vinteuil]

Did that post get edited since I first saw it? I could swear it made reference to relief nibs which I had to look up, and found this:

http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/9839-what-are-relief-and-falcon-nibs/

.

... yes, first draft had 'relief nibs' which is how I remember them - like this :

http://www.dippennibs.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=Esterbrook314

Mme v said she didn't recognise the term, so I amended to 'dipping pen'.

[Flay]

...it ruined my handwriting for years.

I think it ruined mine too. Being left-handed I had to write knuckles upwards to avoid smudging. Also a left-handed tends to push the nib into the paper, rather than gliding it over.

That or my career!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

We were not allowed fountain pens until the top year of Primary School - prior to that we had to struggle with dipping pens into the wells.

- the inkwells were mainly to supply the "fuel" for these - yellow wooded bodies with a steel stylus.

As SIBELIUS progressively deteriorates in its ability to provide scores for the music I write, I'm increasingly using pens: the idea of using "dippers" appeals more and more (I have a lovely desk set, which positively invites such an option) - I might even see if I can find any quills, in honour of Ronald Stevenson! (But probably not.)

[jean]

...I might even see if I can find any quills...

You'll be needing a penknife, then.

[ahinton]

- the inkwells were mainly to supply the "fuel" for these - yellow wooded bodies with a steel stylus.

As SIBELIUS progressively deteriorates in its ability to provide scores for the music I write, I'm increasingly using pens: the idea of using "dippers" appeals more and more (I have a lovely desk set, which positively invites such an option) - I might even see if I can find any quills, in honour of Ronald Stevenson! (But probably not.)

Ah, so you've seen examples of Stevenson's calligraphy, then! It's gorgeous, n'est-ce pas! I recall years ago someone coming up with a silly verse about Stevenson composing quadrilles with quills but cannot remember it now. And I know what he'd have said about bottles of Stephenson's ink - exactly as he did when assuring people of how his surmane should be spelt, namely "v for victory, not ph for phailure!". I never saw him use Sir Michael Tippex, though...

[mangerton]

I moved schools between P3 and P4, and the school I went to had already started "joined-up" writing, so I got a crash course, and that is my excuse for my fairly dreadful hand-writing. We started with pen holders, steel nibs, and desk inkwells a year or so later, and certainly nobody produced a fountain pen at primary school. In secondary, we were on our own, and I think we either had fountain pens with the side lever, or the Platignum cartridge pens which were new on the market. Plutocrats amongst us had more than one, and could therefore have a choice of ink colour.

The most serious use of ink then was our weekly Latin ink exercise - a ball point pen was definitely not acceptable - which had to be handed in on Mondays at 9.00 am. What a start to the week!

While tracing my ancestors, I have been most impressed with the beautiful cursive handwriting of many of the registrars and census recorders, all of course long before fountain pens.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Ah, so you've seen examples of Stevenson's calligraphy, then! It's gorgeous, n'est-ce pas! I recall years ago someone coming up with a silly verse about Stevenson composing quadrilles with quills but cannot remember it now. And I know what he'd have said about bottles of Stephenson's ink - exactly as he did when assuring people of how his surmane should be spelt, namely "v for victory, not ph for phailure!". I never saw him use Sir Michael Tippex, though...

For when one is Knot Guardin' one's spellings, perhaps? No - I've never had the pleasure of seeing any of RS's calligraphy (and have only seen a handful of his works in print); I have seen the photographs of him at work.

[ahinton]

For when one is Knot Guardin' one's spellings, perhaps?

I'll buy you a coat if you've already run out of them (and a belated Happy Hogmanay - I mean New Year - to you too!)...

No - I've never had the pleasure of seeing any of RS's calligraphy (and have only seen a handful of his works in print); I have seen the photographs of him at work.

Then let me assure you that it would indeed be a pleasure when you are able to see any such examples!

[Tevot]

Jackanory

Play Away

The Adventure Game

Play For Today

[Flay]

Tales of the Unexpected

[Serial_Apologist]

K Shoes

They were taken over by Clarks I believe; although I have had a few pairs of Clarks I've never found them as comfortable or as hard-wearing as Ks.

[Flay]

Do you remember the foot x-ray machines they had in the shops to show if the shoes fitted properly. I'm still glowing from the radiation exposure!