Results 1 to 13 of 13

Thread: Presidents and Pens

  1. #1
    Member Baisao's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2020
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    77
    Thanks
    93
    Thanked 40 Times in 22 Posts
    Rep Power
    4

    Default Presidents and Pens

    What pen is Biden using to sign executive orders? It resembles a Cross rollerball of some sort. Are there notable pens that have been used by past presidents?

    (Please avoid partisan bickering. I hesitated to post this for the possibility of passively inciting vitriol. I am really just curious about what pen is being used and perhaps what past presidents have used.)

  2. The Following User Says Thank You to Baisao For This Useful Post:

    BlkWhiteFilmPix (January 23rd, 2021)

  3. #2
    Senior Member Yazeh's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Montreal, Canada
    Posts
    8,352
    Thanks
    9,830
    Thanked 6,098 Times in 2,213 Posts
    Rep Power
    14

    Default Re: Presidents and Pens

    Cross Century II Rollerball Pen in a classic black lacquer finish with 23KT gold-plated appointments

  4. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Yazeh For This Useful Post:

    Baisao (January 21st, 2021), BlkWhiteFilmPix (January 23rd, 2021), Ole Juul (January 21st, 2021)

  5. #3
    Member Baisao's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2020
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    77
    Thanks
    93
    Thanked 40 Times in 22 Posts
    Rep Power
    4

    Default Re: Presidents and Pens

    You have an eagle's eyes!

  6. #4
    Senior Member Yazeh's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Montreal, Canada
    Posts
    8,352
    Thanks
    9,830
    Thanked 6,098 Times in 2,213 Posts
    Rep Power
    14

    Default Re: Presidents and Pens

    Quote Originally Posted by Baisao View Post
    You have an eagle's eyes!
    I don't. I love find answers....

  7. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Posts
    256
    Thanks
    51
    Thanked 244 Times in 116 Posts
    Rep Power
    6

    Default Re: Presidents and Pens

    Quote Originally Posted by Baisao View Post
    You have an eagle's eyes!
    Cross sent out a promotional e-mail this morning teling us about it.

  8. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Sandy For This Useful Post:

    Baisao (January 21st, 2021), BlkWhiteFilmPix (January 23rd, 2021), Yazeh (January 21st, 2021)

  9. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Posts
    369
    Thanks
    115
    Thanked 247 Times in 125 Posts
    Rep Power
    11

    Default Re: Presidents and Pens

    For some reason, I associate those Cross type ballpoints with the 1980s. My father carried a silver-colored ballpoint and pencil set with length-wide lines engraved on a daily basis in the 1980s. I find them wickedly uncomfortable for sustained writing.

  10. #7
    Member Baisao's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2020
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    77
    Thanks
    93
    Thanked 40 Times in 22 Posts
    Rep Power
    4

    Default Re: Presidents and Pens

    Quote Originally Posted by Ray-VIgo View Post
    For some reason, I associate those Cross type ballpoints with the 1980s. My father carried a silver-colored ballpoint and pencil set with length-wide lines engraved on a daily basis in the 1980s. I find them wickedly uncomfortable for sustained writing.
    I do too! I liked the smoothness of the mechanism but I had a very difficult time writing with the skinny plated ones for longer than a few minutes. Cross pens were the ones I saw most given as a presentation gift in business.

    I found a close up of the pens just now and have added it here.

    3A3B0353-2D11-44D1-B810-CF26BE995373.jpeg
    Last edited by Baisao; January 22nd, 2021 at 07:25 PM.

  11. #8
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2020
    Location
    Maryland
    Posts
    21
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 6 Times in 3 Posts
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Re: Presidents and Pens

    Have there been presidents that used fountain pens (assuming they used permanent inks) since the ballpoints became widespread?

  12. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    East Coast of US
    Posts
    171
    Thanks
    276
    Thanked 238 Times in 83 Posts
    Rep Power
    7

    Default Re: Presidents and Pens

    Ike had Parker 51 desk pens on his Oval Office desk, presumably gifts from his friend, Kenneth Parker. There were Esterbrook desk pens on JFK's desk in the Oval Office. LBJ had Esterbrooks on his desk too, but haven't seen a photo of him writing with one. I read once that Nixon used a Parker 75 for personal writing, but do not recall seeing a photo.
    Last edited by Barry B. Gabay; January 22nd, 2021 at 07:29 PM. Reason: verb tense error

  13. The Following User Says Thank You to Barry B. Gabay For This Useful Post:

    Baisao (January 23rd, 2021)

  14. #10
    Senior Member BlkWhiteFilmPix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Looking up at the sky
    Posts
    539
    Thanks
    1,076
    Thanked 788 Times in 335 Posts
    Rep Power
    10

    Default Re: Presidents and Pens

    CNN posted this yesterday about the history of pens used to sign bills.

    In 1963 when German Chancellor didn't have a pen with him, JFK handed the Chancellor his Montblanc 149 to use to sign a guest book in Berlin.

    I too found the Cross ballpoints a bit too skinny for prolonged writing, and was glad I had a Montblanc rollerball to write with during a couple of three-hour writing exams.
    Last edited by BlkWhiteFilmPix; January 23rd, 2021 at 08:45 AM.
    Bob

    Making the world a more peaceful place, one fine art print and one handwritten letter at a time.

    Paper cuts through the noise – Richard Moross, MOO CEO

    Indiana Jones used a notebook in the map room, not an app.

    www.bobsoltys.net/fountainpens

  15. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to BlkWhiteFilmPix For This Useful Post:

    Baisao (January 23rd, 2021), Yazeh (January 23rd, 2021)

  16. #11
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2020
    Location
    Maryland
    Posts
    21
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 6 Times in 3 Posts
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Re: Presidents and Pens

    Quote Originally Posted by Barry B. Gabay View Post
    Ike had Parker 51 desk pens on his Oval Office desk, presumably gifts from his friend, Kenneth Parker. There were Esterbrook desk pens on JFK's desk in the Oval Office. LBJ had Esterbrooks on his desk too, but haven't seen a photo of him writing with one. I read once that Nixon used a Parker 75 for personal writing, but do not recall seeing a photo.
    Thanks! They should use them more.

  17. #12
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Posts
    8
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 7 Times in 4 Posts
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Re: Presidents and Pens

    Quote Originally Posted by Yazeh View Post
    Cross Century II Rollerball Pen in a classic black lacquer finish with 23KT gold-plated appointments
    The CNN video linked above says the pens were navy color not black. I can't really tell from the photo, which is why I only buy black socks by the way.

  18. The Following User Says Thank You to fc2464 For This Useful Post:

    Yazeh (January 24th, 2021)

  19. #13
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Posts
    369
    Thanks
    115
    Thanked 247 Times in 125 Posts
    Rep Power
    11

    Default Re: Presidents and Pens

    And it's a decent quality pen that can be customized and then handed out to the people who paid for your campaign. "$20 million and all I got was this pen!"

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •