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Not long ago I wrote an article titled Stanhope, the Medium Hidden in a Pen, about tiny photographs embedded in pens, glued to a magnifying lens and viewed by holding them up to the light. In this article, I present a Hungarian Stanhope pen through which we can see the past of Herkulesfürdő (Băile Herculane, now in Romania) through a small window on its side.
Pairing writing instruments with other devices is a long-known solution. Perhaps the process began with the image-viewing Stanhope devices, which I wrote about here, but a watch was also a common accessory (article here), and there was even a revolver fountain pen (article here). Below, we will discuss a stamp pen with decades of tradition, which is still manufactured today and available as a ballpoint pen, but it has not managed to become popular. Older pieces are quite rare.
There are several common threads between the art of fountain pens and watches: both are precision masterpieces, embody timeless beauty, and represent the pinnacle of human ingenuity. Some luxury brands have combined the tools of writing with the marvels of timekeeping. Let's take a look at pen-watches!
When cataloguing their fountain pens, many collectors use small pieces of paper, labels, to register important data. This is being replaced by the development of the tompens, using digital labels, NFC tags.
Writing has always been an integral part of human culture, and the ways in which people have recorded their thoughts and messages have changed over time. The transmission of ideas was boosted by the advent of the postal service, with the appearance of stamps on letters (1840), which gave rise to the world of stamp art, including mail art as a separate genre (1960). In parallel, fountain pens have followed a similar evolutionary trajectory. I have collected memories of the meeting of stamps and pens.
Old glass-tipped pens are a real rarity these days. Drop or tap the end of a nib once and the irreparable breakage only adds to the value of the remaining intact nibs. However, you can also buy new glass pens to enhance your handwriting experience, especially if you use them on a sunny day.
There is a famous French brand in the world, many of whose products have a 1957 date. Although the company Charles Chevignon was founded in 1979, the backdating doesn't really bother either the sellers or the buyers. The odd thing is that not many people have thought about it before, but tompens.com has found out who (or rather who isn't) Charles Chevignon?
Read more: 🇺🇸 The fountain pen for a phantom pilot, Chevignon