Vintage Christmas Ads

[donnie]

They're decanters to put cologne and perfumes in.

Even like, the telephone?

Did you notice snoopy in a bathtub???

Yes, I did.

I didn't know you had to burp them.

[Kitty]

I have no idea what they're talking about. I've never had to do anything like 'burping' a fountain pen. Maybe they're made differently now?

[donnie]

I have no idea what they're talking about. I've never had to do anything like 'burping' a fountain pen. Maybe they're made differently now?

Yes. I think I know what they’re talking about. Instead of using cartridges, the fountain pens at that time just had an ink reservoir inside that you filled by sticking the nib down in an ink bottle. I know some of them had little levers on the side you used to pump the ink in, but some of them just drew it in automatically by capillary action, somehow—this must be one of those, as I don’t see a lever anywhere.

So I'm guessing what they’re referring to would be a trapped air bubble inside that would prevent the reservoir being filled fully. I don’t know how you “burped” the pen to get that air bubble out, though.

[Kitty]

Yes. I think I know what they’re talking about. Instead of using cartridges, the fountain pens at that time just had an ink reservoir inside that you filled by sticking the nib down in an ink bottle. I know some of them had little levers on the side you used to pump the ink in, but some of them just drew it in automatically by capillary action, somehow—this must be one of those, as I don’t see a lever anywhere.

So I'm guessing what they’re referring to would be a trapped air bubble inside that would prevent the reservoir being filled fully. I don’t know how you “burped” the pen to get that air bubble out, though.

You're probably right, but I have pens that fill that way, and you just have to make sure all the air is out of it before you start filling. No burping needed!

[donnie]

You're probably right, but I have pens that fill that way, and you just have to make sure all the air is out of it before you start filling. No burping needed!

So you have the kind that just draws ink out of the bottle? How do you make sure the air is out?

[Kitty]

You're probably right, but I have pens that fill that way, and you just have to make sure all the air is out of it before you start filling. No burping needed!

So you have the kind that just draws ink out of the bottle? How do you make sure the air is out?

I actually have a converter that I put in the pen. You twist it all the way down so there's no air and then you put the nib in the ink and carefully twist it back up so it sucks the ink into the converter.

I have been doing a bit of googling, and it looks like the burping thing exists in eyedropper pens, which I don't have.

P. S. It must be eyedropper pens that are being depicted in cartoons where ink gets squirted into people's eyes.

[donnie]

The complicated world of fountain pens... I wonder what it is that makes a fountain pen so pleasurable to write with. Ball points just aren't exactly the same.

Meanwhile:

Have you an adequate supply of Q-Tips?? Christmas is here, better get on board!

[Kitty]

I'm not so sure about that advice about making cards with mom's nail polish....