From the flint tool to the stylus, from the quill pen to the fountain pen and felt-tip marker, this book invites one to develop anew or deepen one's love for beautiful old writing instruments. Hundreds of contemporary engravings, illustrations, advertisements, photos, and catalog and brochure excerpts accompany the reader through the written history of the quill pen, pencil fountain pen and paper and their use. Here editors and journalists, salespeople, architects, students, and above all, collectors of historic writing instruments, will find facts about the origin, variations, and further...

Santa Claus, elves, gnomes, wizards. These fanciful characters delight and mesmerize us. All of them are magical creatures, possessing great and wondrous powers. Tom Wolfe has a bit of this magic himself. In his hands a piece of wood, carved with the simplest tools, is transformed and takes on a personality of its own. They come to life. The projects he shares in this book are perfect for the beginning carver, or the person who likes to whittle for fun and relaxation. They also give the opportunity for the more experienced carvers to be creative and expand their repertoire. Whether the carver...