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This is the second question and answer blog post with some of our fans. We met Deb through a Facebook contest. She won a contest and in talking with her we found out she was a serious Retro collector!

Name: Deb Hays

How many Retro pens and product do you own:
I’m not sure — but over two hundred pens

Which Retro was your first one? Was it a gift or purchase for yourself?
I honestly don’t remember which one I got first, although I’m pretty sure it was a Tornado, probably one of the lacquers.  I bought it for myself.

What characteristic about our products are you drawn to?
The pens are a superior quality for a very reasonable price.

Do you have a favorite or a top five favorites?
Not in any particular order:
1. Swish – I bought the “Swish” for myself and my son to add to our collections.  When I got the pen, I realized that it was such a cool pen, and I am such a basketball fanatic (Hoosier from Indiana, and graduate of Indiana University) I really wanted to show the pen off and use it during basketball season.  Torn between that and the desire to keep my pen pristine for my collection, I decided the only solution was to buy a second one.  That pen is now safely tucked into my pen case with the rest of the collection, and I am showing off my first Swish every chance I get.
2. Lincoln
3. Marlin
4. Joker
5. Pretty much all the lacquers
But honestly, it’s like asking a mom which child she loves best.  Each is different, and beloved in its own way.

How long have you been collecting Retro 51’s?
Probably since the early 2000s.
 
What made you start collecting Retro products?
They are beautiful pens, reasonably priced, and when I started, I had 2 kids to put through college.

Which Popper theme do you think we need to come out with next?
I love the Sports themes, so I’m expecting a baseball pen; but I also like the idea of superheroes. (I know someone else has superhero pens, but I also believe you could do it much better.) Ialso wish you had a larger inventory of fountain pens, as I have begun using them regularly.  In fact, at this point, yours are the only non-fountain pens I do use.

What is your next Retro 51 purchase?
The Jackie and the Dimples (thanks, I just bought the Cherry Blossoms pen from Fahrney’s and I had promised myself to lay off for a little bit — not now.)

Thanks Deb for taking your time to answer these questions and share your collection with other Retro fans and us!

-Retro51 Team

One of the great things about Facebook and Twitter has been getting to know and interacting with you, our fans. Over the years we have gotten to know some of you through your posts and interactions on our social sites and we started to notice some of their large Retro 51 collections! We were stunned (and honored) at the size of their collections and how much they love Retro products. Below is a Q&A with Mike Gfeller, a local Dallas resident we met online and later at the Dallas Pen Show where we discussed his collection.

Name:  Mike Gfeller

How many Retro pens and product do you own?

Too many to count!  My best guess is around 500, with about 325 being Tornados (some are duplicates & spares).  I have a lot of the products as well, from games to desk accessories to reading glasses to display stands.  I don’t write with my collection any longer.  I did at first, but when I got serious about collecting I bought spares and now only write with the spares.

How long have you been collecting Retro 51’s?

About 7 years collecting and using them since 2001.
Which Retro was your first one? Was it a gift or purchase for yourself?

My first one was a gift from a co-worker, a red lacquer Tornado given to me in 2001.  I remember really liking the weight and balance of the pen in my hand.  I was actually getting a nib replaced on my Waterman at Paradise Pen in the Dallas Galleria when I saw a Retro display and I remembered the red Tornado I lost.  I bought a Big Shot Blue Curacao and I was hooked!  That was the beginning of my collection.

What characteristic about our products are you drawn to? 

They are elegant in their simplicity.  The Tornadoes just feel good in my hand, especially the heavier ones.  I like the Retro look and feel and the creativity shown by Retro in designing their products, and that is across the board.  They are also very well made and last forever if you treat them well.  I have become particularly fond of the acrylics over the years.  The Sundance, Spumoni, Smoke, Camel Maize, Amber Blaze, Prairie Blue, Purple Storm, Boeing, et al, are all beautiful pens.  The new Calico and Marlin are a wonderful continuation of that fine tradition of acrylics.

Do you have a favorite or a top five favorites?

My favorite non-Tornado would probably have to be the Honey Almond Double Eight Fineliner.  It is a beautiful pen.  Simply stunning.  It is hard picking a single Tornado so I’ll pick 5:  Copper Rallye, Camel Maize,  Boeing, Round & Round, and Cioppino.  I write most often with the Copper Rallye and continuously get positive feedback about it.

What made you start collecting Retro products? 

I mentioned earlier that the pens felt good in my hand, but the brand itself really connected with me for some reason I can’t explain.  I like the retro packaging and the retro look and feel.

Which Popper theme do you think we need to come out with next?

I have a lot of ideas about that.  Maybe an acid-etched steam engine celebrating trains?  There was a big “clear” phase about 20 years ago (remember Pepsi Clear?), so perhaps a clear acrylic tornado would be cool so you can see the insides.  I’m also thinking  brushed aluminum in several colors.  My grandparents had these old aluminum tumblers in multiple colors and I remember when we drank iced tea out of them they would sweat something fierce!  I think some type of linoleum pattern or even a pen covered in linoleum (similar to the leathers) might be cool.  My wife thinks a series of poppers dedicated to certain decades, starting of course with the 50’s, would be pretty cool.  So the 50’s pen would have various objects/symbols related to the 50’s.  Then 60’s, 70’s, etc.

What is your next Retro 51 purchase?

Probably the next Fahrney’s Cherry Blossom Tornado.

A BIG THANKS from the Retro 51 team to Mike for taking part in this Q&A and being such an awesome fan!

Thank you to all that entered the competition, it was fun getting these images!

Congratulations to the two best handwriting winners (please DM us on Facebook or Twitter with choice of pen – winners get first choice/ first to reply)

1. @MSCollis

2. @Tanglebucket

Random Drawing Winners (Please send us a DM on Facebook or Twitter with choice of pen, although 2 winners above select  first/ first to reply after that)

Chris Currin, @Mishellereine and Dolf van Munster

Today is National Handwriting Day, so in its honor we decided to have a contest! Read the rules below for your chance to win a one-of-a-kind Tornado plus a Retro t-shirt.

Rules:

1. Hand write our tagline “Life is too short to carry an Ugly Pen!” (Must be your handwriting).

2. Photo your handwriting with your Retro pen of choice.

3. Post on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with #NationalHandwritingDay (type this out please). On Twitter or Instagram tag us @Retro1951

4. Reread the above three steps

5. One entry per person. Contest ends midnight CST on Sunday, January 25th.

Winners:

Two will be selected for best handwriting by the Retro 51 team (first option to select prize)

Three winners will be selected by random drawing (prize options available after two best have chosen, first come…)

We will announce the winners on Monday 2 pm CST. Please check back here and our social sites to see if you won.

Prize:

Five unique one of a kind Tornadoes! These are samples we have produced by the factory but have never put in our line (with exception of the wooden Goncalo shown). You will also win a Retro t-shirt.

Top – Glow in the dark owl and floral print in purple

Second – Black fade to silver with linecut barrel

Third – Aluminum with purple fade to pink

Fourth – Green barrel with brushed barrel and heavy gloss varnish on top (very cool finish that we produced in our Lollipop series in Blue, Purple and Yellow only)

Fifth – Goncalo wooden Tornado. This is not a one of a kind but was a customer favorite.

You also win this…

Good luck!