Another WW2 surrender pen.

[Barry Gabay]

Why look! Not only can pigs fly, they can sit at a table and apparently use a fountain pen. Almost human.

 

I don't intend any criticism of those interested in the historical aspects of the photo. My apologies if I have.

Edited April 8, 2017 by Barry Gabay

[AAAndrew]

I suspect the dip pen and open inkwell were there as backups. A fountain pen may fail, but an appropriately prepped steel pen and inkwell will not fail. I'm sure no one there wanted to fail the signing ceremony by having a fountain pen fail on them.

 

BTW, took a closer look at the big picture. The dip pen, if anyone cares, is a spoon shaped pen with a turned up tip. Only about a bazillion companies made one. About the best you're going to get. But it's a nice inkwell.

Edited April 11, 2017 by AAAndrew

[Sasha Royale]

In mid-1945 ? Signing an official document ? Wilhelm Keitel was a 19th Century man. Fountain pen. I can see the nib. Odds are against it being a ballpoint pen. I does have features similar to a Pelikan. I wonder whether it was his pen being used.

 

In most armies of the period, the dip pen was standard for any office. Fountain pens were personal. The dip pen likely belongs with the inkwells. It is there for all to use. Some gentlemen carried personal pens. As late as 1960, the public pens of US banks and US Post Offices were dip pens.

 

BTW, they botched the hanging. It was a ghastly twenty minutes. (HISTORY Channel)

[Barry Gabay]

I agree with both Andrew & Sasha regarding the presence of dip pens and ink well on the signing table. There are a number of photos showing FDR signing documents with a dip pen throughout his presidency. Although I have read that he owned & used a solid gold Waterman, I've not seen a photograph of him writing with it.