Hungary's fountain pen restorer lives in Budapest, and was received by Viktor Orbán
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 pieces in his fountain pen collection. In our report we introduce the country's only pen restorer, who photographs his own antique pens and reflects on aesthetic questions and the abstract aspects of life while repairing them. 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 Orbán with an antique pen and even initiates a correspondence with Queen Elizabeth II.
What is your original profession?
I graduated in photojournalism from MÚOSZ, the Association of Hungarian Journalists. My professional role model was Péter Korniss, a well-known Hungarian photographer. I envied his many exciting trips to Transylvania and the photographs he took there. I worked as a photographer for Bravo magazine. I found that my colleagues considered themselves artists, although none of them had a clear understanding of what art meant, so I applied to study art and communication in Pécs. I was interested in the historical background of basic concepts such as truth, goodness and beauty, and in what art really is. What makes a pen beautiful is also very relative. Sometimes a client calls wanting a beautiful pen for their mother. I ask what they mean by a beautiful pen. People and tastes vary greatly, and our tastes often change over a lifetime. Everyone goes through different phases.
How did you become interested in the world of pens?
I inherited many pens from my father, along with some knowledge of how to repair and restore them. Eleven years ago, I was dismissed from my job the day after my son was born. Under some pressure to find work, I felt that repairing pens was something I would enjoy. I tried to find work in another field, but became increasingly absorbed in pen repair. The older a pen is, the more carefully it needs to be taken apart: many can break if their parts are forced.
Did you inherit any valuable pens?
Some were valuable, while others were worn pieces whose value could be increased through repair. I also exchange pens with other collectors. I used fountain pens even in primary school, and they were more common in the 1970s and 1980s than today. Lower-priced pens from the Rákosi and Kádár eras, such as the Pioneer and Luxus brands, were widely used. Besides Chinese pens, many people used Czech Centropen and Romanian Flaro pens, alongside older Tintenkuli and Pelikan models. Pen repair is not especially complicated, but it requires practice. If there is a hairline crack, the repair has to be approached very carefully. Some pens are 100–150 years old, although dip pens without filling mechanisms are now rarely used. Fountain pens became particularly popular in the 1920s as self-filling mechanisms spread, but the later arrival of the ballpoint pen dealt them a serious blow.
The smallest and largest pieces in the collection, together in one photo
What are the parts of a pen?
The nib is the heart of a fountain pen. Nibs used to be made of gold because the acidic inks of the time would otherwise have corroded them. Gold-plated nibs also withstood soaking well. I have never held a nib weighing more than a gram, so the weight of the gold does not greatly increase the price of a pen. Some older nibs are flexible: a light touch produces a thin line, while greater pressure produces a thicker one. Flexible nibs are interesting because the rhythm and pressure of a person’s writing are characteristic of them. Calligraphy was once taught because handwriting was considered a good reflection of personality. It has taken a back seat in the information age, but fountain pen writing is enjoying a revival in many parts of the world. Handwritten letters used to matter because they were thought to reveal what kind of person the writer was. Even in the 1990s, handwritten CVs were required, but this practice has now disappeared in Hungary. The other part is the pen body. It is more durable, and the nib can often be replaced. I have 70–80-year-old pens with steel nibs that are in excellent condition, though I also have examples of the opposite. Grinding the nib is the hardest part and takes real skill. I work under a microscope, doing the rough grinding by machine and the finer work by hand. I also repair luxury fountain pens. It is a hobby I love: the pens give me wings. At the moment, it is all I do.
How many times a day are you called for pen repairs?
Sometimes several times a day. Luckily, gravity is my friend! Anyone who drops a fountain pen is likely to call me. They soon discover that I am the only person offering this service, so they end up at my workshop. A pen usually lands on its nib, just as a slice of bread lands butter-side down.
What percentage of the population uses a fountain pen?
I do not know, but even if only 10,000 people use fountain pens—0.01% of the population—that would still be a large number. Fountain pens undoubtedly have a stronger following farther west. You might be surprised by who uses them in Hungary: many university students and other intellectuals. In ancient Egypt, Thoth was the god of writing, wisdom, science and magic, as well as the patron of physicians. He was often depicted holding a papyrus and a scroll. Writing still connects these professions: lawyers, politicians, teachers, doctors and priests are typical fountain pen users.
Why use a fountain pen?
Ink has a scent—some inks are even perfumed—and a nib makes a sound. These sensory qualities make the instrument more personal. Distinctive, beautiful handwriting gives us an individual style. A good fountain pen stirs our thoughts, makes writing an experience and, with effortless movements, helps turn our thoughts into words and sentences. It also reflects our mental and emotional state: harmony, or its absence, immediately appears in our writing. A pen can accompany someone throughout their life. If we see our tools as extensions of our bodies, the hammer extends our fist, the bicycle our feet, and the pen our brain, projecting our thoughts onto paper. A pen is a curious instrument: its ink can be likened to blood or a stream of thought. When pens had to be dipped in ink, each dip gave the writer time to formulate the next sentence, keeping thought and writing more closely in step. If you have never written with a fountain pen, try it at least once.
Do you feel that the spread of mobile phones is reducing the demand for fountain pens?
No. Those who use fountain pens remain attached to them. Some of my clients use a single pen; others use several or are obsessive collectors. People with hectic lifestyles, or those who frequently misplace things, need to think carefully about how they use a fountain pen. Repairing a loved one’s pen after 30 or 40 years of disuse can bring great joy. Hearing it move across the paper again is a sensory experience. Many people leave their pens in a drawer because they assume repair is impossible, although 95% of pens can be brought back to life.
Can you pass on your knowledge to the next generation?
I have been asked to teach, but I have no interest in training my competition. When my son is older, perhaps I will share a few secrets with him. Repairing pens is a meditative activity, which I often combine with listening to music.
Your workshop is at the beginning of Nagytétényi út. When did you move here?
We moved to Arany János út in Nagytétény in 2009, then in 2018 to the former first savings bank building in Budafok, built around 1890. The workshop is part of our home, much to my partner’s “delight”. Clients find me online through my website, tompens.com, and also locally. I repaired Mayor Ferenc Karsai’s pen after it landed on its nib. He uses a beautiful modern Parker.
There is a photograph on your website suggesting that you met the Prime Minister in connection with a pen.
Yes, I recently put the photographs on my website. I met Viktor Orbán at the end of 2021. My father was a strong Fidesz supporter and often mentioned that he would like to give one of his pens to the Prime Minister, but never had the opportunity. Remembering this, I wrote a handwritten letter offering a beautiful Hungarian pen from my inheritance. A few weeks later, I was invited to the Carmelite Monastery.
What pen did you give Viktor Orbán?
An antique Turcsány Transparent fountain pen from the 1930s, with a flexible gold nib. Antal Turcsány ran a pen factory between the two world wars and was Hungary’s first fountain pen manufacturer; I have written about him in detail on my website. Turcsány pens were a household name in the 1930s. He made beautiful, stylish pens. The Prime Minister was delighted with the gift and gave me his own fountain pen as a kind gesture. He also showed me around the Carmelite Monastery. I felt it was an opportunity not to be missed, so I took my ten-year-old son with me. I knew I would receive criticism—and I did—because appearing alongside any politician in Hungary can provoke strong feelings. Viktor Orbán is a divisive figure, and few people feel neutral towards him. I knew this and accepted it. I told my son that he should not miss the chance to meet someone who had shaped the history of Hungary and perhaps Europe. I met neither God nor the devil when I shook hands with the Prime Minister on 29 November 2021. His welcome surprised me. It was an important meeting in my life, and I think in my son’s too. I also wanted to meet Queen Elizabeth II because I knew she was fond of pens, and something in the photographs of her had always caught my attention.
Did you manage to meet the British Queen?
Unfortunately, the Queen was unable to meet me because she was indisposed. I wanted an answer to a question that mattered to me. Parker is the official pen supplier to the Queen and the Royal Household, yet the pens I saw in photographs were Pelikans or Cartiers, rather than Parkers. I did not understand this and wanted an explanation. I know the Queen is fond of pens as well as the feathers on her hats. Fountain pens have a much stronger following in the West than here.
Did you get an answer to your question?
I received a polite letter thanking me for taking such a close interest in Queen Elizabeth II and for drawing attention to the matter. Perhaps next time…
Read the article here (Hungarian language).
2023. 03.