... 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:

Read more: 🇺🇸 Interview with Tamás Szűcs fountain pen restorer

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, ...

Read more: 🇺🇸 The Pen Weapon / Fountain Pen as a Revolver

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).

Read more: 🇺🇸 World Congress of Fountain Pen Manufacturers in Budapest

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.

Read more: 🇺🇸 Fountain pen and ballpoint pen repair in Budapest

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.

Read more: 🇺🇸 The danish pen maker Chistian Olsen