Primacy Effect?

[catbert]

Or: Did your first pen influence your current collection?

Expanding a little from the ongoing school pen thread, do you think your earliest fountain pen experiences, at school or elsewhere, shaped your current pen preferences?

What’s the primacy effect? As I understand it - actual psychologists out there, please correct - we remember and attach greater importance to the first in a series. So, in the case of pens, our first pen, if we liked it, creates a template for what we think of as a pen, and what pens we like.

So, the questions are:

1. What was your first pen?

2. Did you get it at an impressionable age?

3. What pen or type of pen best represents your preferences today?

4. What similarities, if any, do you see between the two?

My answers:

1. Sheaffer Imperial II Deluxe with a touchdown filler (I believe).

2. Yes, around 10 years old.

3. Post-war Italian piston fillers.

4. Similar appearance, superficially similar filling systems.

My first pen clearly influences my collection today:

- It was black with a silver cap. Most of my pens are black with silver caps.

- It was a touchdown filler. I seem to have a thing for plunger-type pistons. (Yes, I know the touchdown mechanism is totally different, but as a child I thought it filled on the upstroke, with interesting results. )

On the other hand, the Sheaffer was a nail and I prefer semi-flex if I can get it.

 

How about you? Can you trace any direct influences between your first pen and your current collection, or have you broken free of your programming?

[Pickwick]

I was introduced to the dip pen age in 1946 age 8 and taught cursive writing. I got my first fountain pen when I was 11 which was a lever fill.

 

What has influenced my collection are fountain pens with a distinctive Art Deco design. Some Chinese made pens are reminiscent of that era. Hero 892 and 752 are distinctive representations. In fact the 892 will accept the Parker 45 nib and feeds. In my opinion it's a better looking pen!

[Notgatherox]

I was introduced to the dip pen age in 1946 age 8 and taught cursive writing. I got my first fountain pen when I was 11 which was a lever fill.

 

What has influenced my collection are fountain pens with a distinctive Art Deco design. Some Chinese made pens are reminiscent of that era. Hero 892 and 752 are distinctive representations. In fact the 892 will accept the Parker 45 nib and feeds. In my opinion it's a better looking pen!

 

I agree, I quite like the abalone inlay. Sadly, the 892 has been discontinued

 

 

~Epic

[Notgatherox]

1. My first pen (upon getting back into the FP hobby) was the Pelikan M200 Demo.

 

2. Would you consider late teen an impressionable age?

 

3. Modern piston fillers with M nib or finer.

 

4. I used to love demos but OCD took hold of me and the love has slowly reduced to a liking. I still like demos, but can live with ink windows. The piston love remains, because I'm lazy to refill my pens

 

Is there an influence? Yes, in brand. I have a fertile breeding ground for these birds!

 

 

~Epic

[Markol]

I got my first pen in the time of a deep communism in our part of Europe. It was about 1975, and for this reason it couldn't be a good pen. As far as I remember it was a Polish pen called "żaczek", what means "a schoolboy". This pen has been writing with a very wet line and the ink used to leak, even if the pen was capped properly. I was 7 years old then.

 

The next pen was the one made in The Democratic Republic of Germany (yes, there was such a country in Europe years ago) and it was the firs pen for cartridges available in the East Europe I suppose. Recently I have identified this model during the discussion on a Polish pen forum. This was probably "Heiko", like this one, but my pen was red.

 

http://i.imgur.com/o30DvhH.jpg

That's why my first pen didn't affect my later choice. Now I have got several different pens. I appreciate especially vintage British pens, like Conways. I have got two CS now, one modern 58 and a vintage 388 and I would love to make a bigger collection of them.

[NinthSphere]

1. What was your first pen?

I still have it, but I haven't seen it since before I joined FPN. I think it's actually in a drawer across town. Chrome cap, bluish purple translucent barrel, black section, fine steel open nib. Cheap cart pen. It's the spitting image of an old Sheaffer school pen & in fact I think may be one.

2. Did you get it at an impressionable age?

I got it in 5th grade, so I suppose that's about 10.

3. What pen or type of pen best represents your preferences today?

Parker 51s, open nib italics, Sheaffer inlaids & Triumphs.

4. What similarities, if any, do you see between the two?

My preference is the opposite, in terms of appearance. I don't care for demos. I have a fondness for distinctive nib designs like the P51, inlaids, or Triumphs.

[jmccarty3]

1. What was your first pen?

2. Did you get it at an impressionable age?

3. What pen or type of pen best represents your preferences today?

4. What similarities, if any, do you see between the two?

My first pen was a Sheaffer student cartridge pen. We started writing with these all through elementary school. Everyone used them because they were inexpensive, although they had horrible scratchy steel nibs. My dad did business with a jeweler who was a Sheaffer dealer, so when I was in sixth or seventh grade, I got a Skripset 500:

http://i.imgur.com/OoPzZav.jpg

I know I was in seventh grade when I was given a maroon PFM I Snorkel. None of these pens have survived. It wasn't until I was out of high school that I was exposed to other brands of pens.

Can't say that I have any single preference currently. Right now on my desk I have inked pens from Franklin-Christoph, Sailor, Montblanc, Visconti, Pelikan, Platinum, Sheaffer, Faber-Castell, and Waterman. I must admit that I have a soft spot for vintage Sheaffer pens.

[WaskiSquirrel]

1. What was your first pen?

 

 

Parker Vector

2. Did you get it at an impressionable age?

I was in 4th grade, probably age 9 or 10.

3. What pen or type of pen best represents your preferences today?

Lamy 2000

4. What similarities, if any, do you see between the two?

They're both fountain pens.

[Dronak]

1. What was your first pen?

2. Did you get it at an impressionable age?

3. What pen or type of pen best represents your preferences today?

4. What similarities, if any, do you see between the two?

 

1. A fine nib Waterman Phileas.

2. No, I think I got it either late in college or early in grad school.

3. Well, I generally like modern pens with medium nibs that aren't too expensive. I'm not sure I can specify much more than that, because I haven't thought much about it.

4. Assuming 3, then the Waterman is pretty similar except for it having a fine nib. Overall, I'm not sure. I wasn't buying pens with any particular theme or goal in mind besides getting what I like, thought I'd use, and didn't cost too much.

[Sailor Kenshin]

1. What was your first pen?

 

A Skrip school pen with chrome cap and translucent yellow barrel.

 

2. Did you get it at an impressionable age?

 

Got it in the sixth grade, so probably? The strongest impression it made on me was, blue ink doesn't belong in a yellow-barrel pen.

 

3. What pen or type of pen best represents your preferences today?

 

I'm all over the map, from Cheap Chinese and Student Specials, all the way up to MB and Sailor and Parker and vintage Sheaffer Triumph nibs. Can't be metal or have a metal section. Must be lightweight, and fat. I like every type of nib from XF hairline to big juicy Sailor Zoom.

 

 

4. What similarities, if any, do you see between the two?

 

Probably my mania for harmonizing ink color with barrel color.

[dms525]

1. What was your first pen?

My first fountain pen was an Osmiroid 65, purchased in about 1962 when I was a Freshman in College. I bought it to learn italic writing.

2. Did you get it at an impressionable age?

Yes. But then, 50+ years later, I continue to be impressionable, I hope.

3. What pen or type of pen best represents your preferences today?

Any pen that is beautiful to look at, comfortable to write with and has an italic nib (stock or custom-ground) that is smooth but still has good line differentiation. These vary from limited editions of high-end pens to 1960's and '70's student pens (Osmiroid, Reform, Elite).

4. What similarities, if any, do you see between the two?

Two? My collection is probably over 100 pens. (I'm afraid to count.) "Similarities" are described in #3, above.

 

David

[Water Ouzel]

1. What was your first pen?

 

- Sheaffer cartridge student pen, chrome cap with transparent blue body @ 1964.

 

2. Did you get it at an impressionable age?

- 14 is pretty impressionable

3. What pen or type of pen best represents your preferences today?

- Fountain pens. (Tend to be Japanese, F nib, piston or vacuum fillers. But there are also German, Taiwanese, English, American and Indian pens with them.)

4. What similarities, if any, do you see between the two?

- They use nibs and ink.

[perfaddict]

1. What was your first pen?

Level-filler plastic/acrylic Platignum pen made mandotory for use in primary school in the late 60s, though we wrote free-hand, not formally taught cursive.

2. Did you get it at an impressionable age?

I was 8

3. What pen or type of pen best represents your preferences today?

My preferences have diversified radically from the first pen. I use and love many different pens

4. What similarities, if any, do you see between the two?

Not much

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

1. What was your first pen?

• My first FP was a Parker Sonnet + 18K M nib. Still used as my daily writer at the office.

2. Did you get it at an impressionable age?

• In my teens. I remain impressionable, just harder to impress.

3. What pen or type of pen best represents your preferences today?

• By and large I prefer pens with a bit of heft, a long smooth section and M+ nibs, yet I love to use some of my much more petite featherweight pens because of their nib.
• If I were to purchase another pen as a daily writer, I'd give in to my penchant for Sterling Silver, only to be torn between a Parker 75 or a Sheaffer Imperial TD or a Namiki Silver Series.

4. What similarities, if any, do you see between the two?

• Good nibs.
• Comfy.

Bye,

S1

Edited June 13, 2015 by Sandy1

[LisaN]

1974. It was a sheaffer school cartridge pen. I remember that it was really good at throwing ink drops if you shook it over the paper. So I made a lot of ink blots to see if I could see anything. In those days, a fountain pen wasn't really weird- about half the kids had them. Aside from the fun of throwing blobs on purpose, it was an annoying pen because it threw blobs when writing as well. I went through a string of them- they usually got broken- stepped on, sat on, etc. Looking back, no wonder I never had a good pen as a kid.

 

In college I had a pair of Parker vectors, which did NOT cause any trouble ever. I still have one of them. The other I gave away to a friend last year.

 

These got lost for 15-20 years. In between I bought a Waterman Phileas. I used it to write my PhD dissertation. Still a great pen with a lush smooth nib. Looks like an expensive pen to civilians.

 

That was my only pen for a while.

 

2. Yes, 8 is an impressionable age. That is when you start using pens in school. I have absolutely no idea why my parents bought me fountain pens. I also had bic crystals, bic bananas, and flair pens.

 

3. My current preference is for Pelikan M800s.

 

4. I don't like school pens.

I prefer heavier pens, with big, smooth, wet nibs. Using a pen is more ritualistic now- there is the fiddling with the case, the dealing with the cap (I never post, except a pocket pen), and the checking the ink levels. Except for the Kaweco... which is a quick go-to pen in my pocket at all times. But it is the heavier AL-Sport.

[catbert]

I was introduced to the dip pen age in 1946 age 8 and taught cursive writing. I got my first fountain pen when I was 11 which was a lever fill.

 

What has influenced my collection are fountain pens with a distinctive Art Deco design. Some Chinese made pens are reminiscent of that era. Hero 892 and 752 are distinctive representations. In fact the 892 will accept the Parker 45 nib and feeds. In my opinion it's a better looking pen!

 

I was not previously aware of the Hero 892. That's a pretty pen!

[catbert]

1. My first pen (upon getting back into the FP hobby) was the Pelikan M200 Demo.

 

2. Would you consider late teen an impressionable age?

 

3. Modern piston fillers with M nib or finer.

 

4. I used to love demos but OCD took hold of me and the love has slowly reduced to a liking. I still like demos, but can live with ink windows. The piston love remains, because I'm lazy to refill my pens

 

Is there an influence? Yes, in brand. I have a fertile breeding ground for these birds!

 

 

~Epic

 

Late teen is definitely impressionable. I am well past my teens and still pretty impressionable.

 

My soft spot for Sheaffers is also residual brand influence. I keep eyeing desk sets.

[catbert]

I got my first pen in the time of a deep communism in our part of Europe. It was about 1975, and for this reason it couldn't be a good pen. As far as I remember it was a Polish pen called "żaczek", what means "a schoolboy". This pen has been writing with a very wet line and the ink used to leak, even if the pen was capped properly. I was 7 years old then.

 

The next pen was the one made in The Democratic Republic of Germany (yes, there was such a country in Europe years ago) and it was the firs pen for cartridges available in the East Europe I suppose. Recently I have identified this model during the discussion on a Polish pen forum. This was probably "Heiko", like this one, but my pen was red.

 

http://i.imgur.com/o30DvhH.jpg

That's why my first pen didn't affect my later choice. Now I have got several different pens. I appreciate especially vintage British pens, like Conways. I have got two CS now, one modern 58 and a vintage 388 and I would love to make a bigger collection of them.

 

Yes (again, actual psychologists, please correct me) this is what can happen if our first experience is not totally positive. Our preference can go the other way from the 'prototype'. It's great that your experience with the żaczek and Heiko didn't put you off fountain pens completely. Conway Stewarts are certainly handsome pens - I really like the faceted clip.

[catbert]

 

1. What was your first pen?

I still have it, but I haven't seen it since before I joined FPN. I think it's actually in a drawer across town. Chrome cap, bluish purple translucent barrel, black section, fine steel open nib. Cheap cart pen. It's the spitting image of an old Sheaffer school pen & in fact I think may be one.

2. Did you get it at an impressionable age?

I got it in 5th grade, so I suppose that's about 10.

3. What pen or type of pen best represents your preferences today?

Parker 51s, open nib italics, Sheaffer inlaids & Triumphs.

4. What similarities, if any, do you see between the two?

My preference is the opposite, in terms of appearance. I don't care for demos. I have a fondness for distinctive nib designs like the P51, inlaids, or Triumphs.

 

 

Could this be an example of a not totally positive first pen sending you in the opposite direction from the 'prototype'? (Actual psychologists, please correct.) I think it's great that you still have it somewhere.

[catbert]

 

1. What was your first pen?

2. Did you get it at an impressionable age?

3. What pen or type of pen best represents your preferences today?

4. What similarities, if any, do you see between the two?

My first pen was a Sheaffer student cartridge pen. We started writing with these all through elementary school. Everyone used them because they were inexpensive, although they had horrible scratchy steel nibs. My dad did business with a jeweler who was a Sheaffer dealer, so when I was in sixth or seventh grade, I got a Skripset 500:

http://i.imgur.com/OoPzZav.jpg

I know I was in seventh grade when I was given a maroon PFM I Snorkel. None of these pens have survived. It wasn't until I was out of high school that I was exposed to other brands of pens.

Can't say that I have any single preference currently. Right now on my desk I have inked pens from Franklin-Christoph, Sailor, Montblanc, Visconti, Pelikan, Platinum, Sheaffer, Faber-Castell, and Waterman. I must admit that I have a soft spot for vintage Sheaffer pens.

 

 

Yes, despite diversifying brands and eras, I have a soft spot for vintage Sheaffers for pretty much the same reason.