Hungarian Stanhope Pen
A Glimpse into the Past
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.
Signature with a Stamp
Stampers built into fountain pens
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.
Time and Line
Pens and Watches in Unity
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!
Fountain pen and digitalisation
NFC tag in fountain pen
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.
Fountain pens on stamps
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.
Beyond the glass mountain
about the glass nibs
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.
The fountain pen for a phantom pilot
The Chevignon story
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?
The soul of the fountain pen
if it exists
I recently came across an interview with a fountain pen maker in a daily newspaper (print) called "Pens that have a soul". Since I have been working with pens, I have regularly come across similar sentiments that pens have a soul. In connection with this title, I decided to investigate the question and, if the pen has a psyche, to dive into the subject as a pen psychologist. The question is a tricky one, since if the conclusion of my reasoning is that pens are soulless, I could easily burn myself with the same diagnosis. So I will make it clear from the outset that whatever the outcome, the question is unprovable. But there are a few things to ponder about whether any object has a soul.
Hungary's fountain pen restorer lives in Budapest, and was received by Viktor Orban
interview by Tünde Tálas
We met Tamás Szűcs in the centre of Budafok, on the outskirts of Budapest, in the Spiller confectionery, where he brought the smallest and largest piece of his fountain pen collection. In our report we introduce the country's only pen restorer, who takes his own photos of his antique pens, which he assembles while reflecting on aesthetic issues and the abstract things in life. Statistically, there is no data on the percentage of the population that uses fountain pens, but it is safe to say that they are mainly used by intellectuals, so don't be surprised if the country's only fountain pen restorer presents the Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban with an antique pen and even initiates a correspondence with Queen Elizabeth II.
Stanhope, the medium hidden in a pen
When I was a primary school student in the early 1980s, my friend Lisa brought a strange pen to school. There was a tiny hole at the end of the pen, into which, when glanced, erotic images with content incompatible with socialism appeared. It had a rotating ring, which meant that several enlightening slides appeared when a tiny ring was wound around it. At the time, I had no idea that I was holding the last reminder of a fashion that was almost 100 years old.
Ringed Eversharp
repair of a broken Eversharp fountain pen
Some objects we are so attached to that we would give anything to have them repaired. Especially if a gift from our parents or grandparents is damaged. That's not the case here. The Eversharp pen in the picture was recently purchased from me by my client, but two weeks later it broke. The seemingly hopeless situation was resolved. I will detail the repair of the fountain pen below.
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Waterman Carene fountain pen nib repair
French-based Waterman pens have been a hallmark of high-quality writing instruments for decades. I use the past tense because I have encountered numerous cases of inferior quality modern Waterman pens being used for fountain pen repairs. Most of the time, either the inside of the nib was eaten away by rust or the metal quality was poor and easily warped. Many of the inscriptions are laser engraved by the Waterman company, which also seems to be a poor quality job compared to other brands. The Carene type is one of the higher quality pens, although the 18 carat gold tip is also laser engraved. However, gravity acts on all nibs, meaning that if dropped, the damage cannot be sustained by even the best quality nib. This was the case with the nib in the picture, but someone had previously tried to repair this nib without much success (the nib would not come out), but the repaired nib had to be repaired again because it often had a problem writing. The top picture is the one taken, the bottom picture is the one of the finished nib. But the work was not easy...
Kivi-Lyme biopen
creative use of the tick
At the temporary exhibition of the National Museum, I came across the aerial photographs of Milán Radisics, entitled Our Footprint - Man's Impact on the Planet (worth seeing as part of the World Press Photo exhibition). Because we rarely look from above, aerial photography alienates and beautifies our environment. From above, only the play of colours, lights and shadows prevails, and only we on the ground suffer the fine details. From a distance, distracting details disappear, but up close, a slice of reality can be shocking. That's how we might see this pen, which looks like a cheerful, lively kiwi, but on closer inspection...
Handwriting after printing the book
The inspiration for my short story is the exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts (Szépművészeti Múzeum) in Budapest. In some of El Greco's paintings, we can see some of the handwriting of the period, and we also have the opportunity to observe the master's handwriting on a page. After seeing the pictures, I wondered how handwriting could have survived in the 15th and 16th centuries after the invention of printing. Surprisingly, it made a big difference!
Two misplaced fountain pens
mistakes at the Money Museum (Budapest)
On 15 March 2022, the Money Museum, founded by the Hungarian National Bank, was opened on Széll Kálmán Square (the political opposition name for it is Moscow Square, although this has now been given a special meaning), in the former Postapal Palace. An exhibition on the history of money is housed in a quarter of the building's floor space. Unfortunately I was unable to make it to the opening ceremony, but I recently made up for it by visiting the museum. During my trip, I came across two fountain pens on display. I shouldn't have.
The magical Parker 61 fountain pen
Like most other pen companies, Parker had been working for decades to find the perfect filling system, and when the Parker 61 pen was finally introduced in 1956, it was truly as otherworldly as it was initially advertised. It had many features in common with the then predominant Parker 51 fountain pen, but it was thinner and, most importantly, it filled itself. No one knew how it worked, but it worked. 
Visit to the Prime Minister Viktor Orbán
Before I talk about the meeting, a few lines on the background. My father, Lóránd Szűcs, was a staunch supporter of Viktor Orbán for the last 20 years of his life. I enjoyed discussing politics with my father, he was well-informed, and in many cases we had constructive political debates, but we considered it important not to mix emotions and passions. He had several pens, one of which he had long wanted to donate to the Prime Minister (he did not specify which one), but he was unable to do so as he passed away in 2017 (I created a memorial page about him: lorand.hu, and a longer piece about him was published on fortepan).
Letter from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth
Response from Buckingham Palace
About a month ago, I gathered my questions and, with a measure of boldness, took up a calligraphy pen to write a letter to Queen Elizabeth II. Composing it was no small feat — the writing alone consumed nearly half a day. I had no real hope of receiving a reply, yet today a registered envelope arrived from Buckingham Palace.
The letter revealed that Her Majesty had indeed appreciated my words, though she was unable to respond in person. The Queen is in good spirits, despite some frailty, and—much to her regret—has had to set aside her daily dry Martini. Even monarchs face their own sacrifices. The questions I posed to the Queen can be read here. For my part, I am deeply grateful for her reply, which I shall treasure as a keepsake of great significance.
Inspired by this exchange, I also dared to write to Hungary’s own “king,” Viktor Orbán. To my surprise, he extended an invitation for a personal meeting. You can read about that here.
2021.10.
Her Majesty Elizabeth II, Queen of Feathers
I recently observed the fountain pen of Viktor Orbán, and now I'm looking at the pens of a similar prominent person, Queen Elizabeth II. And Elizabeth II is known to favour the best of the best, whether it's the vast collection of sparkling gems, the simple sunglasses she often wears or the hundreds of magnificent hats she wears. Of course, his writing instruments are no exception. There must be at least as many pens as there are hats, with more and more beautiful writing instruments in the photos. Recently, an article appeared on 24.hu, referring to Yahoo, that the Queen refuses to use anything but Parker 51 pens, "The Queen has several Parker models, which she changes, but has stuck with the brand for nearly sixty years." Gliding on the wings of Pegasus, I gathered all the facts and asked the question, is this really true?
Star is born / Montblanc fountain pen repair
The star at the end of the cap is the jewel of every Montblanc pen. Especially on older models, this star sometimes falls out. In a lucky case, if you notice the falling star in time, you can breathe a sigh of relief, but if it disappears forever, it has to be replaced in some way. This is what happened to this antique 132 Montblanc Mesterstück pen. The birth of a new star is shown below.
Exploding fountain pen
Many newspaper articles appeared in Hungary after 1942 about fountain pens that exploded on contact. These pens were allegedly dropped from aircraft into enemy territory during the war. The latest is an article published in 2012 in Magyar Nemzet, which analyses whether such weapons existed at all. No physical evidence has survived, but there are stories and legends. A collection of newspaper articles on the subject will give the reader an idea of how much propaganda and how much reality the exploding fountain pen was.
Am I a target?
Shadow of a star / Ilie Nastase
In an unusual twist, a fountain pen in honour of living celebrity Ilie Năstase has been created by the Italian company Montegrappa. The tennis star from Romania won the men's doubles at Roland Garros in the 1970s with Ion Tiriac and reached the Davis Cup final three times. Nastase won more than a hundred singles and doubles tournament titles in the 1970s and 1980s, was one of the fastest players of his time, renowned for his powerful serve and brilliant strokes, and entertained the crowd while playing. But the recent past of Romania's star is less glamorous. He could face several years in prison.
... the newspaper wrote about me!
interview with Tamás Szűcs (tompens owner)
For almost three years after the first invitation, I was wondering whether I should give an interview to the press about what I do. At about the same time, I was approached by two newspapers, a left-wing liberal (ballib in jargon) and a pro-goverment news. But it is more an opinion that I finally said yes to a newspaper that is not published in Hungary, but in Slovakia, in "neutral" territory. From there it is transported to Hungary every week. They do this because no printing house in Hungary dares to print it. So at least I can say that I am published in foreign press. Below you can read the full text from the 24 May (2019/21) issue of Magyar Hang:
The Pen Weapon
Fountain Pen as a Revolver
Even if we haven't reached the point where hoes are firing, we're getting close. Brooklyn Police Chief Richard C. Patterson used posters to alert the public to the latest trick of American bandits, which has already claimed many victims. These criminals are making miniature revolvers that look deceptively like fountain pens and are no larger than one. If the tip of such a fountain pen gun is unscrewed, ...
World Congress of Fountain Pen Manufacturers
In the month of July 1935, the World Congress of Pen Manufacturers was held on Margaret Island, Budapest (Hungary). It was primarily a meeting of businessmen and manufacturers. Unfortunately, the report does not mention who represented Hungary at the congress. The article about this was published in 'Az Est', in which the head of the English Fountain Pen Industry, Mr Alexander Raphael Zoccola, who was also the head of the Parker company and attended the meeting in that capacity, was interviewed. Pester Lloyd mentions that Parker in Hungary was headed at the time by Hermann Klein, who organised the conference at the Palatinus Hotel (Budapest). This was the date from which Parker products started to be sold in Hungary. Read the article by clicking on the link to read more (picture below).
Vintage fountain and ballpoint pen buying
You can view my own collection of fountain pens in the image galleries on the website. Most of them are family heirlooms, a heritage that I commemorate with this website. I am constantly adding new pieces to the collection.
On this site you will find mainly American-made pens, including Eversharp, Esterbrook and Sheaffer, but also a number of old Parker, Eagle, Wearever, Watermans, Montblanc, Snapfil, Morrison, Penol, Reform. Pelikan and Hoover, as well as Hungarian-made fountain pens. Some items are for sale or exchange. If you have a fountain pen of this brand or similar type for sale, please let me know!
The purchase of a complete fountain pen estate is also possible. Please send me pictures of the fountain pen (nib, cap, internal mechanism) and a short description of its condition (by email). As I have no appraisal qualifications, I cannot judge the value of the pens. I am in favour of the traditional market situation: I expect the seller to quote a price for the pen to be sold. In other words: tell me what you want for the pen.
Pietro Antonio Rotari (1707-1762)
Young girl writing a love letter (1755)
Fountain pen and ballpoint pen repair in Budapest
In Hungary, the fountain pen repair profession was buried in 2012. The last mohican was reportedly the Tollklinika Workshop in Budapest, on Kossuth Lajos street. After three years of lethargy, the profession was ceremoniously resurrected. The champagne is popping, the sick feathers can breathe a sigh of relief! Thanks to a family legacy, hundreds of fountain pens have passed through my hands in nearly 12 years. With this experience, I can confidently undertake all kinds of fountain pen and ballpoint pen repairs. I guarantee most of the work I do for one year. Not for cracked pens in a very "difficult" condition.
The pen maker to whom a marble plaque was erected
Sören Christian Frederik Olsen is perhaps the first fountain pen manufacturer to whom a plaque has been dedicated by a grateful posterity. Anyone who has an old Parker pen could easily have been the man from Copenhagen who marketed it, since he was the first Parker pen distributor on the old continent at the turn of the 20th century, from 1903 to 1963 to be precise. This was made possible by a business agreement between George S. Parker and Soren Christian Olsen, when the American Parker company was looking to expand into Europe. These are the so-called Danish Parker pens.
