But Norman is not only a customer pleaser. He also brings new horizons to the fountain pen lovers. He imports brands such as Hero that can hardly be found anywhere else, or Duke that he introduced to the American market. Norman found his niche, letting us discover new products widely used in Asia but that were almost unheard of in the US.

In this interview, you will get Norman's views on his enterprise and his customers. You will also discover some parts of his life on the other side of the screen, and his sense of humor.

I probably started in the late '80's, but my passion really bloomed in the early '90's. I was in Barcelona in '92 (competing in the Paralympics as the U.S. Disabled Table Tennis Champion) and was in Heaven there, as it seemed that every other store had fountain pens (an exaggeration of course, but only a slight one). I was able to pick up a significant number of 'no-name' pens there, and greatly increased my nascent collection. Some of them still find their way into my rotation even to this day.

I wish they did! I would love to have inherited a family fountain pen, but no such luck. I do recall my mother using Sheaffer cartridge pens when she returned to graduate school when I was a child -- which made quite an impression, as everyone else used ballpoints -- but *she* has no recollection of using them herself.

More of an accumulator rather than a focused collector. I purchase what appeals to me at the moment without thought as to how the pen might fit into a specific category. I have predilections, certainly. I'm attracted to unique nib designs for instance. I generally prefer two-toned nibs with intricate engraving, but am also a sucker for semi-hooded nibs as well. I don't actively collect, or accumulate, quick as much as I did prior to entering the business. So many pens pass through my hands that it really has to be special for me to want to acquire it personally.

Very much so. Every order that I send out to a customer includes a handwritten note, which I actually consider a perk of the business for me! We have so few opportunities in our computerized world to actually write with a pen, that I'll take any chance that I can to do so. If I send out 10 orders in a day, I might make use of 5 or 6 pens in the process. My desk is strewn with fountain pens -- perhaps 35-40 at any one time, with 10 or so inked and ready to go. When I occasionally find the time to write in my journal, I also always use a fountain pen, and record next to the entry the pen used, type of nib and ink. It's fun to look back over the years to see what were favorites when, and how my taste in ink might have changed as well.

If I had to select only one pen however (I think I'm getting a headache)...I'd have to say that my most used pens over the years are Sheaffer Legacy or Legacy 2 models with stub nibs. They're just perfect pens to me, with terrific weight, balance and the sweetest stub nibs I've ever found -- superior to me even over those I've had especially made by nibmeisters. In Sheaffer's long and illustrious history (very sadly threatened now by parent company BIC), this is one of the best pens they've -- or anyone else -- has ever produced.

I have a fair number of vintage pens, and certainly cover most of the bases from the '40's on with a collection of Parker Vacumatics, 51's, Sheaffer Balances, Eversharps, etc., but the vast majority of my pens are modern (patiently waiting to become vintage). I definitely think we're living in the 2nd Golden Age for fountain pens, and it's exciting to me to see all of the new designs and models produced each year...whether limited edition or regular production. Although they don't generally fall within my purchasing budget, I'm equally enamored with the Maki-e output from so many companies in Japan. There are some really wonderful pens being produced in Asia now, in addition to the European output and the few remaining sources in America.

I started out as a computer programmer in the '70's, moved into managing a coffee, tea and gourmet food shop while I trained for table tennis competitions, and eventually returned to the computer field and became CIO (Chief Information Officer) for a logistics company.

I'd say the majority of my customers are professionals, with a large contingent of doctors, judges, attorneys, and those in the computer or technical fields. I've always felt that the more rapid life becomes, the more we're pulled in a thousand directions at once, the more important it is that we find something to 'slow us down'. I think that was my own initial attraction to fountain pens, coming from the computer field, and I've heard many of my customers echo that over the years.

I have lots of regular, repeat customers, but it always surprises me the number of new people that seem to find their way to my virtual doorstep each week. I always think that there must be a small, finite group of people that have an interest in fine writing instruments, but that group seems to be ever-expanding.

As for what you refer to as 'extreme buyers', I do have several who seem to want to snap up whatever new I have to offer, such as with the new Duke and Uranus lines. These are often customers who have been steady buyers of Hero pens over the years, and are building collections with an Asian or Chinese focus.

From your own experience, what makes the FP business special ?

Even though almost all of my business is conducted over the Net and through emails, there's a real sense of one-on-one service and communication inherent in the pen business. I've made many friends and have been blessed with many extremely loyal long-time customers through His Nibs.com. Pen people, and in particular fountain pen collectors, are not too surprisingly among the most erudite and discerning of consumers. They really care about the quality of their pens, and are generally extremely knowledgeable about the field. It's a joy to interact with people who have as much passion about their pens as I do. It's more like being part of a fraternity than anything else, which I suppose is in part due to my starting out as a collector myself.