Fountain pens aren't as care-free or convenient as a roller-ball or ball-point pen, but they have an elegance about them. The ink flows smoothly onto the paper as each letter and word is formed, just as the pen glides smoothly across the paper.
When I was at university, I bought my second fountain pen, and the first in my adult life. There was no special thought which went into it at all. I was at an office supply company and saw a case of pens. The green marble pen seemed to call to me and without a moments hesitation I decided to buy it on the spot.
Pelikan Triari
This was a green marble Tirari model medium point pen made by Pelikan of Germany. Pelikan was founded in Hannover, Germany in 1838 as an ink and paint manufacturer and began making fountain pens in 1929. I've had it longer than any of my pens and it still holds up very well, a large portion of the pen being made of metal. But for me, it was lacking a few points, the pen itself was a pen thin to be completely comfortable and the medium nib seemed to be a bit fine for my personal tastes. But I've never fully replaced it, I simply filled it with black ink, which is not my primary ink choice and kept it for specific times I need to use black ink.
It was only a couple of years later when I was once again drawn to the pen case at the very same office supply store. This time it was the blue marble Laureat model pen made by Waterman of Paris. Waterman was founded in New York City in 1884. Waterman shut down in 1954 and what was left was absorbed by its French subsidiary. With it I also selected the Florida Blue ink from Waterman. The Laureat was introduced in the early 1990s and discontinued about 2000. The pen, being not as thin as the Pelikan seemed to fit my hand better and the medium nib seemed to be a bit wider than the same medium from Pelikan, both being much more my style. Like the Pelikan, the Waterman was composed mainly or metal and became my work horse for writing for nearly two decades.
Waterman Laureat
I initially had bought a bottle of Waterman ink, with hopes that I would use that to keep my pen at the ready, but those plans were never realized and I relied mainly on cartridges to fill my pen.
The next pen which entered my inventory was this octagonal brown marble Double Eight by Retro51 of Texas. Retro 51 was founded in 1990. They have made an attempt to capture the style of the fountain pens of yesteryear and have produced a very lovely pen. This particular model was introduced about 2005 and is made of solid bars of cellulose acetate. This material was developed in 1865 and has long been known for its strength, deep gloss, and high transparency, providing a warm, natural feel in the hand. And I must say the German made iridium nib is a pleasure with which to write. I'm not sure why, but it never made it into my daily rotation and has remained on my desk.
Retro 51 Double Eight
Last year, I bought my most recent fountain pen. It had been twenty years since I had bought my Pelikan and Waterman, so I decided to shake things up a bit, with a Parker of England. Parker was founded in Janesville, Wisconsin in 1888. In 1987, a management buyout moved the company headquarters to Newhaven, England and as of 2009 all pens are made in France.
Parker Sonnet with Bottle of Washable Blue Quink Ink
I was intrigued with the Sonnet, which was introduced in 1993, in red lacquer. The pen writes beautifully. The nib glides over the paper and is a pleasure to hold in my hand. For the first time in 20 years, I switched from Waterman ink and moved to the Parker Quink in Washable Blue. Quink was first introduced in 1931 as an ink which would eliminate the need for blotting. And with the new ink, I have also begun to use bottled ink from which I refill my pen as needed.
And the ink from which you can choose is truly amazing, with wide variations in color and shade from manufacturer to manufacturer.
Fountain pens are not easy items to carry while traveling. they do require some extra care and consideration. On airplanes, for example, you should be sure they are pointing "nib up" in case the pressure changes cause them to leak and probably should be kept in a "zip lock" bag just to be safe. And the bottled ink will cause issue with your carry on luggage. Just another reason why i prefer to travel by train, but that is another story altogether.
Writing for many seems like a daily chore rather than a pleasure. But sitting down with a nice pen and writing a quick note or even paying bills just seems nicer with a fountain pen. You don't need a stable full of fountain pens, nor do you need to spend a fortune. Just take your time and find one which suits your personality, one which feels like an old friend in your hand. Find the nib which meets the paper to create your own line and an ink which expresses your individuality.
Fountain pens aren't for every one in every situation, but for me, they are a means to an end, relaxing and enjoying life, one day at a time.
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