PDA

View Full Version : What did They do With "old" pens?



fountainpenkid
November 6th, 2012, 08:23 AM
Hi all!

This came to my mind a little while ago: lets make a hypothetical person: John H. Doolittle. He was born in San Francisco, CA in 1881. In 1901, apon his graduation from ____college, his parents gave him a Waterman's saftey pen; a beauty in molted red HR. He goes into the financial business, and moves to N.Y to take part on wall street. In 1911, he has made a name for himself on Wall street, and his wife buys him a 3rd anniversary present: a fine Onoto de la Rue pump filler, with a wonderful sterling silver overlay. He uses that for many years. When the famed Parker Duofold comes to the market, he buys one of those, at age 40. And he buys a vacumatic when they come out, and a DJ Parker 51 at age 61 (I think my math is right). So the question is, what did he do with his old pens? They were perfectly nice, fine fountain pens, but may have been considered out of style by the 40's. Did he through them away? Put them in a box? What do YOU think people who experienced the hey-day of Fountain Pen-dom did with their "old" pens?

Best!

jar
November 6th, 2012, 09:18 AM
Fountain pens usually went into two locations, a desk drawer or a cigar box.

Dee8go
November 6th, 2012, 10:23 AM
I'm always hoping I will one day run across a whole stash of those that nobody wants anymore . . .

fountainpenkid
November 6th, 2012, 10:56 AM
I'm always hoping I will one day run across a whole stash of those that nobody wants anymore . . .

Me too!

proudscotsman
December 4th, 2012, 06:23 PM
I remember as a kid, my Grandmother had a drawer full of fountain pens. I remember playing with them when I was very young. Now I’m 44 and wonder what ever happened to them. I cry myself to sleep thinking of what has been lost.

fountainpenkid
December 4th, 2012, 07:45 PM
Yeah...most people don't realize that old pens can be revived! :(

manoeuver
December 5th, 2012, 04:00 PM
The heyday of fountain pens is right now.

fountainpenkid
December 5th, 2012, 04:09 PM
The heyday of fountain pens is right now.

If only...

manoeuver
December 5th, 2012, 04:13 PM
It is Will. Back in the day, they were just pens.

fountainpenkid
December 5th, 2012, 04:48 PM
It is Will. Back in the day, they were just pens.

And what are they now? ;) Are you referring to the depth into which people like us have interest in them--collecting etc....?

Tracy Lee
December 5th, 2012, 06:34 PM
A friend of mine who grew up in Paraguay used them in grade school (so 40+ years ago) and they threw them like darts to try and stick them in the floorboards and desks or each other. The story made me want to throw up - I cannot imagine. Different time, no separate appreciation for the tool as it was just that to her. Something she HAD to use, not wanted. She still feels the same way.

snedwos
December 5th, 2012, 06:37 PM
I've just had a thought: there's a good chance that fountain pens will outlast ballpoints. They will become obsolete, but the fountain pen will live on in this niche we've all crawled into and are fighting to preserve. Will anyone fight the demise of the ball point?

snedwos
December 5th, 2012, 06:41 PM
And I'm with Will on this one. The heyday is when something is mainstream. A household name. Fountain pens now have a dedicated cult following, but they are far from being the hugely mass-produced indispensable items they once were. Even the ballpoint pen is past its prime.