Jorg Hysek - The most expensive dipping pen? ($495.00)
Topic: Nibs
Jorg Hysek -- "The act of writing something important calls for a break from the ordinary. For example, when you sign that big contract, or write that letter to the editor expressing your outrage about some injustice, or compose a special message to a loved...those moments are made more special when you take the extra few seconds to clear your desk, prepare your paper, carefully open the inkwell and just as carefully dip your pen into the dark liquid, pause to think and, finally, bring your thoughts or your signature into the world for all to see. That's why we made a dipping pen."

»Jorg Hysek dip pen
»Diamond dipping pens are also available!
»Jorg Hysek homepage
»Search eBay for Jorg Hysek pens and watches

Ackerman Pump Pen - New Design
Topic: Pens, Pencils
Ackerman Pens -- The Ackerman Pump Pen is redesigned. It looks interesting. The 'nib pump pen' costs $19.95 USD + shipping. Read more at ackermanpens.com

¶Download the Spring 2005 catalog [pdf 460kb]

Pilot Elite Photographs Redone
Topic: Pens, Pencils
Pens and Nibs Photography -- "The nib on the left was shot from directly above. Notice the reflected dark spot of the lens. The same nib on the right was shot with the lampshade tilted slightly. Probably around 10 degrees." Mark writes about tricks when shooting pens and nibs at Penpassion

Fountain Pen Display Case Company
Topic: Pens, Pencils
I like to use (and collect) pens, but I have no pens on my walls. The Fountain Pen Display Case Company says "Enjoy your favorite pens to the fullest and give your pens the display they desire..." Check out the Pen display cases, Pen stands, Old time pen chests and lots more at usadisplay.net

Chris Costello
Topic: Typography
Chris Costello -- Nice lettering and typography, graphic Design and illustration by Chris Costello

Ink Icons
Topic: Pens, Pencils
Inkbottles -- Desktop icons for Mac from Chateau d'Akila

Keith Tam
Topic: Typography
Keith Chi-hang Tam -- A Hong Kong expatriate who went to school in the UK and currently a Canadian citizen residing in Vancouver. Here you’ll find articles and essays on typography, type design and graphic design written by Keith Chi-hang Tam and Michail Semoglou.

Download 'Calligraphic tendencies in the development of sanserif type in the twentieth century' (PDF 943K) "This paper traces and analyzes the formal developments of sanserif typefaces through the use of written forms. It gives a historical account of the development fo sanserif typefaces by charting six distinct phases of sanserif designs that were in some ways informed by calligraphic writing."

Calligraphy and artwork by Rosemary Buczek of The Gilded Quill
Topic: Calligraphy
Rosemary Buczek's site The Gilded Quill is updated. (via the Ornamental Penmanship Group)

Kaweco Fountain Pens
Topic: Pens, Pencils
Kaweco (Koch, Weber and Company) was founded in 1883 in Germany and was one of the leading German pen companies in the early 1900's. I like the "K" in the Kaweco logo, but I have never used a Kaweco pen.

»Search eBay for Kaweco

Austrian Wants Credit For VW Logo Development
Topic: Logos
Nikolai Borg, born in 1919, claims he developed of the Volkswagen logo in June 1939 under the direction of Nazi engineer Fritz Todt. Borg does not want money but simply acknowledgment from VW. VW is denying Borg's involvement and claims the logo was submitted to the Third Reich patent office for copyright in 1938. The outer ring of the VW logo was a cog, not the current circle. That was later change by the British after WWII. Read more in adrants.com

Mince Mary advert the most complained about ad last year
Topic: Advertising
Mr Kipling's mince pies -- "The UK advertising watchdog Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) announced our favorite toplist on Tuesday by releasing their annual report. Top honor goes to an ad shilling mince meat pies, which became the most complained about advert in the UK last year." Read the story in adland

The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project
Topic: Motor Racing
The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project -- "With well over two thousand scans, the motor racing site is the biggest of it's kind on the 'net. With programmes dating back to the early 1900's right up to the present day, the site is a vast collection of racing and artistic history." (via PCL)

Handlettering Forum
Topic: Hand Lettering: signs
Hand Lettering Forum -- They are transferring the posts from the old Hand Lettering Forum to the new Hand Lettering Forum. When the project is finished, it will be one of the greatest resources around for tips and technical information related to the sign business.

"The New Forum has a fairly powerful search feature, allowing you to easily find posts on such subjects as: Gold, Varnish, Angel Gild, Sandblasting, Books, and so forth."

Cool Nib on flickr
Topic: Art
Nib Streetart in Brighton. From Hutch1000's photos on flickr.

¶Art by Hutch at hutchpiece.co.uk
¶Check out Hutch's Street Art links page

Rosetta Stone Paperweight
Topic: Pens, Pencils
Rosetta Stone -- This miniature version of the Rosetta Stone makes a useful and tactile paperweight. From the British Museum Company

Many Pictures of Road Signs
Topic: Signs
Teresco.org -- Many pictures of road signs. (via coudal)

PDF Online
Topic: Design
PDF Online lets you submit documents from your web browser. PDF Online then processes your document and, within minutes, generates and emails you an accurate PDF or HTML (complete with JPEG files) representation of your document. (Maximum upload file size 2MB.)

How to draw Girlie Cartoons
Topic: Advertising
Girlie Cartoons Ad -- The Kind We All like to see! -- "No talent or experience needed. Anyone may learn." Large scan in the Vintage Ads' Journal

Sausage Sculpture
Topic: Art
Learn how to do Sausage Sculptures at the Nippon Meatpackers site. Your complete guide to sausage sculpture. Even includes step-by-step videos. (via linkfilter.net)

Read an old post about Water Melon Carvings

A Century of Candy Bars : An Analysis of Wrapper Design
Topic: Design
A Century of Candy Bars by Dave Grager. "The purpose of this analysis was to gain a broad understanding of the design process of packaging in the confections (specifically candy bar) category. The aim was to, first, take an historical look at the development of the product category. Then, through the study of graphic design trends related to the product, understand what sociocultural, technical, and manufacturing events triggered such trends."
»Read more at Speak Up, a division of UnderConsideration. (via Boing Boing)

»Download A Century of Candy Bars: An Analysis of Wrapper Design [pdf 1.5 Mb], thesis, Syracuse University 2004.