Imperial Pen Company fountain pen from 1943

February 14, 2021

Further research and consulting have let me know this is a Frankenpen. The cap is German from Imperial Pen company. But they never made lever fillers. The barrel labeled Rikkers and Eton is most likely Dutch made by one of those companies. I have no details as to the association of Rikkers or Eton. Anyone that knows something about these companies would love to hear more. I am reposting this in the European forum.

So Myk Daigle sent this to me as a practice repair pen. The plating on the clip was gone, covered in verdigris as was the lever. It used to have a metal band on the cap lip, but that is long gone. It looked like it had gone through a war and on careful examination we found writing on the cap and the barrel. The cap reads "Imperial" 1943. The barrel end reads "Rikker" Eton Fountain Pen.

The nib reads:

"Warranted"

Ptes IRIDIUM

INOXYDABLE.

Inoxydable is French for Stainless.

I can see that there are a couple of posts regarding The Imperial Pen and Pencil company here on the site, but I am not familiar with it at all. Any idea about the markings 1943 (year made?), and "Rikker" Eton Fountain Pen would be appreciated.

It has a nice feed, a very corroded nib on the back side, but the tipping is still good and it flexes very nicely. (Nib most likely stainless steel plated with gold)

Anyone familiar with this pen company, I would love to hear details.

Repair consisted of a thorough cleaning, polishing with micromesh and some metal de-corroder to clean up the clip and lever.

This pen will never look like new, but it is a lovely writer and I am glad to have it to play with.

Comments please.

Edited February 15, 2021 by GlennNevill
found out more about the pen

May 9

I'm surprised no one has linked to this fountain pen. So it's not a common writing instrument. I recently came across a similar one, Imperial Privat. Apparently it had never been used before. Have you been able to find out more about the manufacturer since then?

May 9

that was also my idea. This is mine:

May 9

Imperial FPs were made during WW2, and they are rare.

They were made by this company: Imperial (Gerlach, Pardubice, 1940-45, German owner of confiscated Brod factory)

In spring 1940 the J.BROD factory was taken by Alfred Gerlach, the owner of Imperial FP company from Leipzig in Germany. He installed himself in Pardubice and with help of another german Mr. Bezner runned the factory. They produced their own pens, huge variety of piston fillers and button fillers.

in 1941 they have built another factory site in Pardubice center, but in this new place FPs were never produced, they had to produce army material there as subcontractors. On the contrary the original Brod factory was fully operational and never stopped to produce FPs. In 1944/5 it suffered some minor damages during an US air raid against Fanto mineral oil refinery which is located nearby.

Another twist came right after the war when the Imperial factory was nationalised as it was German property. Mr Bezner who was younger was successful to run away during first days in May 1945. Alfred Gerlach was not that lucky and was arrested and set in prison in Přelouč town nearby Pardubice. The factory was immediately given an emergency management and in May 1945 they get their first big contract: fountain pens for the Red Army officers! This contract was fulfilled in September 1945. The factory was exclusively working on Red Army command for 3 months. It was a large amount of pens. According to archives files, the factory produced 7500 pens/week in may 1945! The company had changed its status into cooperative ltd. in 1946, the owners were the employees. They officially used the Imperial trademark and they added the "Penco" trademark, their pens were branded with Penco or Pardubice Coat of Arms logo early 1946. After 1950 it used Penco only, the Imperial name disappeared from official documents. The Penco cooperative ltd. existed until mid 1950´s when it was partly integrated into Centropen (ex P&LCo.) facilities in Pardubice.

Edited May 10 by Wil D
typo and added info