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HisNibs.com update -- Are you a Dragon or a Tiger?
March 31st, 2014

Greetings,

Now that warmer weather is finally arriving and I can once again put the top down, be on the lookout for the His Nibs car as I tool around a neighborhood near you, flinging fountain pens through the air as I drive!

http://youtu.be/4Sf3JdEsAIk

It's been awhile since we've focused on some of the Chinese overlay pens -- or those that are more overtly Chinese in design. In the former category we have the Tiger Overlay http://www.hisnibs.com/tiger_overlay.htm and the Dancing Dragons http://www.hisnibs.com/dragon_overlay.htm models from Jinhao.

In the latter category I'd include the Pagoda http://www.hisnibs.com/pagoda.htm, Dragon Pearl http://www.hisnibs.com/dragon_pearl1.htm and Dragon's Offspring http://www.hisnibs.com/dragon_offspring.htm models.

I've also added some new, old stock pens to a clearance page http://www.hisnibs.com/clearance_sale.htm, as I start spring cleaning. These are all mint, single items --and about 55%-off of retail, so the first "I want it" email orders@hisnibs.com gets it, and I'll try to keep the webpage updated with 'sold out' labels as frequently as possible.

As this newsletter goes out to a mailing list of thousands of customers, please understand if there's a delay in answering your email queries or orders after one of these is sent. We will respond in order received and as soon as possible!

Join us on our Facebook HisNibs.com fan page which can be reached directly at https://www.facebook.com/HisNibs1. Come join us for what has become a lively meeting place for news about pens, ink and handwriting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~in this issue
* Jinhao Tiger Overlay
* Jinhao Dancing Dragons
* Jinhao Pagoda
* Jinhao Dragon Pearl
* Jinhao Dragon's Offspring
* Clearance sale
* 'His Nibs' page on Facebook
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Jinhao Tiger Overlay


I think Jinhao has done a very nice job with the chromed-steel overlay. The cap top is a latticework placed over the underlying red (with black flecks) or black lacquer. The pattern is repeated on the barrel, with the addition of the intricately detailed growling tiger and cartouche.

The cartouche encloses four Chinese characters. The top two are for 'Tiger', 'Tiger', while the bottom two are loosely translated as 'power', 'strength' 'ferociousness'.

See more photos here... - http://www.hisnibs.com/tiger_overlay.htm

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Jinhao Dancing Dragons


Here's another gorgeous pen from Jinhao...the Dragon Overlay. This slim pen measures 5-1/4" capped, 6-1/4" posted and 4-3/4" with cap held aside.



The overlay is quite intricate, and features a dragon on both the cap and the barrel. The underlying red lacquer on the brass pen really makes the gold-plated overlay 'pop'!

The barrel also displays a cartouche or seal which displays the Chinese characters for 'Dancing Dragon' or 'Dragon Dance'.

More photos here... - http://www.hisnibs.com/dragon_overlay.htm
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Jinhao Pagoda


When we think of Asian cultures -- perhaps especially China -- an image of a dragon often first comes to mind (the Chinese actually refer to themselves as the 'Dragon's Offspring'). Another image that frequently arises is that of a pagoda, an architecture often associated with Asian temples. Well, with this pen, you get both!

These lacquer-over-brass pens are full-to-oversized, measuring 5-7/8" capped, 6-1/2" posted, and 5" with cap held aside.

When first seeing the pen, one's attention is immediately drawn to the 3-tier pagoda (a traditional odd-number), topped with an impressive finial (sometimes referred to as a "demon-arrester") in Chinese crimson.

See more here... - http://www.hisnibs.com/pagoda.htm

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Jinhao Dragon Pearl


Often called the Dragon's Precious Pearl or Stone, the mythological connection between the dragon and the precious pearl apparently goes back millennia. The myth usually portrays the dragon as protecting the pearl, partially symbolized on these pens with the dragon's eyes seemingly transfixed by it.

Measuring 5" capped, 5-1/4" posted and 5" with cap held aside, these hefty metal pens are clipless. So, unless the pen is left as your desk pen, you'll want to transport the pen in a secure, enclosed pocket, case or pen roll.

The cap's top, which screws on both ends of the pen, depicts the Tian'anmen Gate of Heavenly Peace, which was the principle entrance to the Forbidden City during the Ming and Qing dynasties, as well as one of the huabiao, which is one of a pair of10-meter-high white marble columns that stand before the entrance (you can read more about those by following the link above).

See all versions here... - http://www.hisnibs.com/dragon_pearl1.htm
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Jinhao Dragon's Offspring


Dragon's offspring is a self-referential name for China and the Chinese people, and this copper-over-brass pen captures that spirit beautifully. As my wife Lai Yee translated the characters from the cap, the essence is that the dragon is the soul of the celestial tribe (China)...and we are proud to meld with the gifts of nature. The characters for Jinhao and Dragon's Offspring are also etched on the cap and the cap band.


Aged Silver version


Aged Gold version

See all three versions here... - http://www.hisnibs.com/dragon_offspring.htm

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Clearance sale


I've added some new, old stock pens to a clearance page, as I start spring cleaning. These are all mint, single items -- and about 55%-off of retail -- so the first "I want it" email orders@hisnibs.com gets it, and I'll try to keep the webpage updated with 'sold out' labels as frequently as possible.

Assorted FPs, RBs and BPs here... - http://www.hisnibs.com/clearance_sale.htm
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'His Nibs' page on Facebook



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Regards,

Norman Haase
http://www.hisnibs.com