Gimpel Beynish the Matchmaker
(Gimpl Beynish der Shadkhn)
Yiddish Comics of the early 20th century

Translation and commentary by Jane Peppler
Click here to read about and order the seven Gimpel books I've published.

Comics read right to left. Click on any comic strip for larger view.

Friday, July 7, 2017

Fountain pens were as bad back then as they were in the 1970s. 2-15-1915

In the 1800s various inventors worked on alternatives to the dip pen. I see on Wikipedia that Walter A. Sheaffer patented the lever filler which became widely used by 1912. I used to use a fountain pen and had the same problems Gimpel has.



February 15, 1915: Go try and get started with a fountain pen.
  1. GB: My pen won't write today for some reason, it's useless.
  2. Jake: Take my fountain pen and write my address.
  3. GB: Yes, the ink is flowing, but it isn't writing.
  4. GB: You give the pen a good shake like this...
  5. Jake: You'll pay for my suit. It cost me thirty dollars.

2-15-1915
געה פֿאַנג זיך אָן מיט אַ פֿאַנטען פּען.

1
גימפּעל בײניש: עפּעס װיל מײַן פּען הײַנט ניט שרײַבען, אַזױ װיא אומיסטנע.
2
דזשײק: נעהמט אײַך מײַן פֿאַונטען פּען און פֿאַרשרײַבט מײַן אַדרעס.
3
גימפּעל בײניש: דאָ געהט עפּעס יאָ טינט, נאָר שרײַבען קען מען אױך ניט.
4
גימפּעל בײניש: מען דאַרף די פּען גוט אַ טרײסעל טהוען – אָט אַזױ.
5
דזשײק: איהר װעט בעצאָהלען פֿאַר מײַן סוט. ער קאָסט מיך דרײַסיג דאָלאַר.

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