My fascination with fountain pens traces back to my childhood. My father, a former local government employee, back in the 1950s, possessed a beautiful (then and now, in my memory) “Parker” fountain pen. It was probably a fairly common model, but in the eyes of a young child, it had the sparkle of uniqueness in the rather dull everyday life of the post-war era. This pen held a permanent spot on his desk, or rather, in its drawer. Of course, we children weren’t allowed to use or touch the pen. Occasionally, only when I was with Dad, could I admire it and even fill it with ink, which involved pressing the transparent latex button. Father used green ink for this pen. There was no mention of branded ink, and no chance of acquiring any.
During the initial years of my education, when I was learning to write, we used pencils at school, but towards the end of the first year, we were allowed our first attempts at writing with ink, using a penholder and nib. For a period of two years (second and third grade) we were also required to learn some calligraphy.
When Chinese HERO fountain pens appeared on the market, I was able to contemplate the possibility of realising my dream of possessing my own fountain pen.
When I was in either third or fourth grade of primary school, I decided to save up for the purchase of this object of my fascination. After several months of sacrifices (my parents couldn’t afford such an expense), I bought my first fountain pen. It was a dark grey colour, and now I know it was designated as “616.” (The Hero 616 fountain pen is a older model of Chinese fountain pen that is a clone copy of the Parker 51 fountain pen. The Hero 616 is a pen that so strongly resembles the Parker 51 model, so much so that is can easily be called a “clone copy” rather than more politely saying as just “inspired by” the Parker 51 design.) In fact, it was a Chinese copy of a Parker pen from the 1950s. My father advised me to use commercially available green ink, as he believed it was an ink that left the least residue in the pen, in the form of deposits, crystallised pigments, and everything that remains after the ink dries.
Because I wrote with green ink, I encountered some difficulties in both my primary and secondary schools. They even attempted to lower my behaviour grade “for disobeying the teacher’s instructions“. Schools back then, as well as now, struggle with behaviours and individuals who stand out from the majority and resist the unique process of “standardising” the student within the school.
Years later, history repeated itself, with a document I had signed with sepia-coloured ink (brown), considering it a significant flaw in a financial document. The pen I purchased while at elementary school remained in my possession and was used until almost my high school graduation. Unfortunately, I lost it irretrievably a few weeks before that exam.
In my professional career (which began in 1969), I used pens of various brands. These were often occasion-based gifts – promotions, job changes. During that time, I wrote with green, black, and eventually brown (sepia) inks. Whenever I changed jobs, I also changed the pen I used in that post. This small collection includes pens that I used – sometimes just for a single day. The exception is a Sheaffer pen that I received from my colleagues as a retirement gift. They knew I didn’t own a pen of that brand and that I had longed for one – they presented it to me as a farewell gift.
Among the pens I possess, there is only one Montblanc pen. It’s from a limited edition issued for the company’s 75th anniversary. I received it as a gift from my son years ago. I intend to present this beautiful and unique pen, with an appropriate dedication to my granddaughter upon her graduation from law school in London. May the next generation also inherit, through this pen, my emotions, and my vision of the beauty of extraordinary things, even though it might seem like a small thing.
Currently, in written communication, both casual and official, where the rapid production of written documents is essential, new digital text processing technologies are starting to dominate. It seemed as if this irreversible process would entirely replace handwritten documents. While this has nearly happened, it’s not the complete truth. In my opinion, the internal need for personalising correspondence, especially among emotionally connected individuals, as well as out of respect and regard for one another, has led to the adoption of an intermediate “solution“. The main text produced by a printer is accompanied by handwritten courteous expressions (Dear Sir; Dear Colleague; Yours sincerely; Yours respectfully; etc.). Interestingly, this is most often done using a fountain pen rather than, say, a ballpoint pen. The fountain pen has thus become not only a tool for work but also a kind of cult object with special significance. This state of affairs also prompts the use of handwritten notes for minor correspondence, annotations, and instructions, because it’s faster and more convenient. The element of individualisation in the text is significant both for the writer and the recipient.
Nowadays, after a period of infatuation with new text creation and processing technologies, we are entering a renaissance of a certain fascination with handwriting. The care with which it is produced gives its possessor the quality of uniqueness, reliability and what we call ‘class’ – in the best sense of the word.
It’s true that fountain pens are now widely available at relatively low prices. However, it’s a fact that even the most popular, for example “school” fountain pens, have always been and continue to be much more expensive than ballpoint pens. This observation also applies to more sophisticated and exclusive fountain pens. Due to the materials used in their parts that ballpoint pens lack (such as nibs), fountain pens cost more, hence their value is higher. It’s worth noting that fountain pens “impose” a certain style and aesthetic level on all objects used for handwriting and drawing. In sets sold under a specific brand and name, even potential ballpoint pens and pencils (if included) tend to adopt the aesthetics of fountain pens.
The issuance and production of fountain pens in so-called limited series or individually ordered editions still primarily pertains to fountain pens, not ballpoint pens or pencils. The latter are, at most, embellished with commemorative inscriptions and modest graphical symbols for individualisation.
Indeed, the availability of relatively inexpensive fountain pens in the “general” market is a result of existing demand. In more economic terms, it’s a response to existing consumer demand. In today’s globally connected world and market economy, supply doesn’t emerge without identified demand. This situation also leads to an increase in psychological, mental, and emotional individual needs, including those for exclusive goods. Market needs for such items grow alongside the expansion of the new middle class, which exhibits the highest growth dynamics in the global society.
As a social being, humans have always sought to possess something unique and individual – a sentiment amplified by the practical nature of fountain pens, which can serve as tools for daily tasks and responsibilities.
The potential or compulsory use of fountain pens in some schools, in my opinion, could stem from two reasons. One is the result of certain delays in reforming and adapting the school education system, which should ideally keep pace with the progress in the lifestyles of contemporary societies. The other reason seems to be the preservation of certain traditions in the education of children and young people. Using fountain pens serves as a recognised and necessary method to establish a lasting hand position for manual activities, a skill that’s vital in everyday penmanship.
This approach is based on the recognition that certain manual habits and skills should be acquired through practice from early school years. It’s during the initial stages of forming lines in children’s writing that the repetition of certain letters helps develop the ability to create loops, circles, and rounded strokes. It’s worth noting that the process of writing with a fountain pen or a ballpoint pen involves a similar approach in guiding the hand, which is incomparable to writing with a traditional nib dipped in ink.
In certain societies, such as Chinese culture, calligraphy is a national tradition that involves writing characters with a carefully guided brush. There are certain literary and aesthetic effects that can’t be achieved through ballpoint pen writing, as it lacks the ability to emphasise the necessary graphic effects in forming letters. Calligraphy enriches handwriting with numerous visual elements, making it multidimensional. Writing with a ballpoint pen tends to be less meticulous and flat, sometimes even less careful, as it’s considered “easier” to execute.
In everyday life, not only does the education system fail to promote the use of fountain pens, but the trend extends to offices and government institutions as well, where the digitisation of written documents has not only become possible but also an obligation. The mandatory shift towards digital documentation, which is almost universal now, does not favour handwriting, including the use of fountain pens. While it’s certainly possible to convert traditional (“paper”) text into digital formats, this process presents certain challenges and at the very least requires extra time for such conversion. In schools, the widespread move away from the obligation to take notes or maintain notebooks for specific subjects, not only distances people from handwriting in general, but also from using fountain pens. These facts, along with the commonly used email communication, don’t foster the development or even the preservation of most important and critical written correspondence, even among close family members.
Epistolary writing, the art of composing letters and maintaining personal correspondence, is on the decline, but it seems that its worst period is behind us. Let us remember that even the “Neolithic” human who felt the need to record their thoughts and observations with pictorial symbols on the walls of caves or rocks wasn’t a common phenomenon but rather an original individual, certainly not ubiquitous.
Currently, there is still a group of people who have the inclination to write letters. Epistolary writing is indeed closer to an art form associated with emotional attachment to the author than merely a “craft” for conveying information or messages. Art demands tools for its practice, and the more refined the writer’s self-perception and imagination, the more sophisticated the tools become. Alongside exquisite fountain pens, particularly impressive stationery, letter pads, and envelopes are also produced. Just as I mentioned earlier, each product is developed based on an identified market and trade needs. Thus, the existence of such items is a result of prevailing demands.
What is the role of a fountain pen in this? In my opinion, it’s a significant one! A fountain pen is perceived as an exclusive and uncommon object. On the other hand, ballpoint pens are commonplace. That’s why they are attached to strings at the post office or in offices, serving customers. I’ve never seen a fountain pen in such a role. A letter, a greeting card, or any expression of remembrance, written with a fountain pen, is subconsciously treated as something that, if not special, is certainly more than ordinary. Handwriting a letter with a fountain pen enhances its emotional and sentimental value. It lends such correspondence a sense of uniqueness and emotional significance. It’s an expression of respect and esteem.
The modern individual, often busy and perpetually rushed, might not outwardly express this sentiment verbally, but the impressions linger within and are subconsciously nurtured. Epistolary writing, like any art form, isn’t and cannot be mass-produced or widespread. It should be practised by individuals who are conscious and willing to cultivate and refine it, based on their personal inner needs. I am convinced that the majority of those who engage in this art will use a fountain pen, which is considered special, as their “tool” for practising this skill. For those who haven’t yet recognised this, they simply need more time to understand the significance of their actions, whether performed instinctively, in haste, or out of necessity, without reflection.
June and July 2023.
Classic Hero 616 Plastic Fountain Pen Hooded Fine Nib 0.5mm