Buster Keaton, Fountain Pens, Starry Skies (And A Dog Rescue)

This has been a full weekend.

Friday night, I attended a screening of Buster Keaton’s 1928 silent movie Steamboat Bill, Jr., surrounded by historical instruments at the Nethercutt Collection. The Nethercutt not only has a world renowned collection of classic cars, but also restores and exhibits historic reproducing pianos, Nickelodeons, phonographs, striking watches, Orchestrions, cylinder and disc music boxes. The engineering of these things has always fascinated me. Dean Mora, a top expert for 1920s and 1930s music, performed on the Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ. (The instrument in the Nethercutt Collection is one of the largest of its kind).

Detail of the Nethercutt's Mighty Wurlitzer Pipe Organ. Photo: Reinhard Kargl

Saturday night, friends and I spend time observing the night sky in the mountains outside of Los Angeles. (The mountains of Southern California still have relatively dark sites in proximity to populated areas).

At the entrance to Charmlee Park in the Santa Monica Mountains, California.

With SMAAC founder Robert Lozano and our Newtonian refractor.

Back in the city after midnight, I accidentally ran over a small shaggy dog! Luckily, the animal was not hurt — just tremendously frightened. I noticed the dog had a collar tag, but each time I tried to approach him, the terrorized animal tried to bite me. With lots of patience and smooth talking, I was able to inch closer and closer until he finally allowed me to inspect his collar tag. Finally, an address! Together with my friend Thor, who happened to have a pet crate in his nearby apartment, I sat out on a mission to find the dog’s owner. (Getting the dog into the crate was another problem to be solved. I was bitten, but my leather gloves prevented an injury).

After some difficulties, we were ultimately successful. I ended up banging on doors in a bleak, gang infested, rough neighborhood where hardly anyone spoke English. This generally is not a bright idea in the middle of the night.

But it was all worth it. Roused residents at the building (who at first probably thought we were immigration agents or police officers) directed us to the right apartment and ultimately, to the dog’s family.

It turned out the dog had been lost two days ago and had since been wandering some of the roughest streets of Los Angeles. Happy ending for one dog and his overjoyed family – including a very cute (and very sleepy) little girl in pajamas.

Photo: Dave Gooley

Being a writer, I have a fascination with fine fountain pens. So on Sunday, I attended the annual International Fountain Pen Expo in L.A./Manhattan Beach. Each year, traders, collectors and pen aficionados from all over the world get together to exchange information and trade in vintage and new writing instruments, inks, accessories and ephemera. All of these are prized collectors items.

Photo: Reinhard Kargl

Fountain pens, inks and nibs have become a highly specialized, serious craft. The picture above shows John Mottishaw, one of the world’s most skilled experts for fountain pen nibs. He restores vintage nibs and pens and even customizes them to suit individual preferences. There is such a backlog that the waiting list for new orders is now 8 months!