Presidential Pens

[EJKorvette]

I wonder who the last U.S. President was who used a FP, whether regularly or ceremonially, while in office?

[blefevre]

Richard Nixon used a Parker 75 which I think was a gift from his secretary Rosemary Woods after the 68 election. Not sure if any POTUS afterwards used a fountain pen other than for perhaps a ceremonial signing.

 

Byron

[EJKorvette]

It would be interesting to find out. It makes sense that Mr. Nixon may have been the last, since by the time Mr. Ford took office ballpoints were more popular, and more reliable than they had been just a few years earlier. Not that I'm a pen historian by any stretch of the imagination, just going by my recollections of the era.

[rwilsonedn]

It would be interesting to find out. It makes sense that Mr. Nixon may have been the last, since by the time Mr. Ford took office ballpoints were more popular, and more reliable than they had been just a few years earlier. Not that I'm a pen historian by any stretch of the imagination, just going by my recollections of the era.

 

I'm thinking somewhere in the White House archives there is a piece of Nixon's personal memo-pad paper with a tea stain and a big blue Parker Quink smudge. Forensic analysis would reveal that before rendered unreadable by the tea spill it said "Rosemary ... please remember to destroy the tapes."

ron

[Brian Anderson]

I looked up Esterbrook on Ebay. There's a dip or dipless pen floating around Ebay that Lyndon B. Johnson used. It wasn't fancy. It might have been an Esterbrook. I'm not sure. How do you know if yu buy one on Ebay that the president actually used it?

 

Esterbrook bill signer pens came in a plain tan box with a slip of paper identifying which bill they were used for. This is one such example:

http://blog.andersonpens.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/president_box.jpg

[GTOZack]

FDR loved wet and bold pens, his assistant used to drape papers around the office and let it air dry.

 

I think there was a post about this on other topics. pretty interesting read.

[RMN]

Those bill-signing pens are not really presidential pens. These pens are bought en grosse and as POTUS needs ti sign each bill in several copies, he uses a different pen for each signature, then these pens are handed out to whoever was important on that bill, apparently with a little commemorative box like shown by Brian Anderson.

 

I would be interested to know what each POTUS, or other heads of states for that matter, use at home.

 

 

D.ick

[georges zaslavsky]

De Gaulle used the Waterman CF, Mitterand his venerable Waterman Le Man 100, The Queen her trustworthy 51, Kohl used a MB 149, Sarkozy used Duponts, Cartier and a 149 too

[Rhonlynn]

I visited the Clinton Library for my second time. Cllinton's pen is on display. I have a picture of it, I've not gone through them yet. He wrote with a black Waterman.

[Gerd W]

I visited the Clinton Library for my second time. Cllinton's pen is on display. I have a picture of it, I've not gone through them yet. He wrote with a black Waterman.

 

Across the years I have seen several pictures where he was using a Waterman LeMan, a Parker Insignia and a MB Meisterstück 164.

All ballpoints, all black with gold trim.

[_Stormin_]

The National Archives currently has quite a collection of pens on display from past and the current Presidents. A fountain pen is present in that collection, representing everyone up to Ronald Reagan. The next four Presidents are all rollerball pens on display, but they may have used FP's for other things.

Edited July 27, 2014 by _Stormin_

[GTOZack]

well i hope the next president uses a Fp, and at same time a fan of smoking out of a briar wood pipe,

[HBlaine]

I contacted Mr. Loring's daughter. I'm getting a copy of Presidential Pens from her as soon as I'm paid.

 

Loring's book is quite interesting, and he did a very good job of updating his website with new information as he came across it. I was sad to hear that he'd passed away.

 

You might check the PenWorld magazine back issues. There have been several with articles on Presidential pens. There was another gentleman, in addition to John Loring, who was really big into collecting bill signers, who wrote a good article on the subject. Unfortunately, I can't remember his name. (He also was big in collecting Presidential signatures, as well, iirc.) Check those back issues.

[Maria]

Presidential pens are something I've been looking into, as far as President U.S. Grant goes.

 

Grant was alleged to have been presented a Mabie Todd "Swan" in 1872 and in 1865, was presented a John Foley, No. 10 with a U.S. Seal and it commemorated the Battle of Vicksburg, with an ivory pen staff. Vanderbuilt who had loaned money to Grant and owed, Grant gave all to Vanderbuilt as payment of the debt (though its believed it wasn't but a small portion of what was really owed) -- on the death of General/President Grant, asked Mrs. Grant for permission to donate to the Smithsonian. After that--it seems Grant's writing instruments 'disappeared' and may be somewhere in a forgotten place.

 

The Appomattox Surrender, it is alleged that Robert E. Lee, General commanding of Northern Virginia Confederate troops, wrote the instrument of surrender with a John Foley, 1865 Banker Nib No. 10 --to which the Museum of the Confederacy has in its collection.

 

Grant allegedly borrowed the gold combination dip pen from an aide, First Lieutenant Jury, as he had not carried his own pen when called to meet at the house were Lee was to meet. The 'make' of that pen had never been identified but, described as a "Reamer" pen and gold in color.

 

Colonel Ely Parker, to whom wrote the surrender document after Grant and Lee created a pencil draft, borrowed Colonel Charles Marshall's personal pen and traveling inkwell, as the inkwell was crudded up and the pens removed before the Army took over the parlor. Too nervous, another adjutant gave Parker the task of writing and Parker was known for his beautiful handwriting. Unfortunately, the make and nib information of Colonel Marshall's pen is not known. Yet, judging from the writing by Parker, it had to have been a good quality fine nib.

 

It is 'alleged' that President Lincoln was presented with feather quills from American Eagles. There is an additional thought that the French delegation visiting Lincoln presented him with "French dip pen" (Plausey?). The White House Calligraphers have no information to say either way to these alleged nuggets of writing history. I for myself wouldn't mind knowing the facts.

 

Just some thoughts.

 

Maria

Edited August 17, 2014 by Maria