Promotional Pens

[Jeff E]

In this day and age we are accustomed to seeing disposable pens with advertising (medication, hotels, etc). Being all too close to the half century mark myself, I can think back to childhood and remember ballpoint pens with advertising.

 

My question to fellow FPNers is whether it was ever a common practice for fountain pens to be used for advertising. I assume if this were the case, there would be a fair number of survivors, yet I never see any mention of these pens. I further assume that pens would be lower tier pens, such as Wearevers, Eversharps, or Scriptos.

 

 

[drew49]

Hi!

I have a seen a HANDFUL of fountain pens that had corporate logos on them. There is currently a large black Sheaffer on eBay with a Cadillac logo on the cap (late 30's?). I have seen a Waterman 92 or 94 recently with 100% stamped all over it that was an award for an IBM sales contest way back in the day pre-WW2. Also, somewhere I have a seen very rare pre-WW2 Cross fp with a Packard logo on the cap. (I think David Nishimura had it for sale some time ago on his website.) It seems possible that the pens with the automotive logos could have been awards for sales as well.

Idea- why not have a big lot of 10k Gold nibbed or steel-nibbed Hero or Fuliwen fountain pens personalized for a business or educational institution? They could be either for sale as a fund-raiser or given in return for an institutional gift of a certain amount.

Best regards,

drew49

[Will Thorpe]

I had a blue and white celluloid, probably 1940's, from Italy that had an ad for an appliance store in Torino, Italy impressed in the celluloid. I figured that maybe if you bought a washing machine they gave you a free pen!

[lallin]

My question to fellow FPNers is whether it was ever a common practice for fountain pens to be used for advertising. I assume if this were the case, there would be a fair number of survivors, yet I never see any mention of these pens. I further assume that pens would be lower tier pens, such as Wearevers, Eversharps, or Scriptos.

I'm not sure the ones I have seen were for advertising or merely a method to reduce theft.

 

I have seen, and own a couple of instances, of Esterbrooks imprinted with "Property of .." various Bell telephone entities. I also own a Belmont, which are normally Rexall in-house brand pens, which is identified as UP (Union Pacific); I have an identical Rexall Belmont (most likely made by Moore, whose pens of that time were of identical design and patterns).

 

Having been in banking for 30 years prior to retirement, I have collected a few fountain pens imprinted with various bank names. I also have a "Fount-O-Ink" ceramic double deskset, with inverted class ink bottle; it has two dip pens, both pen holders are black marked Bank of America in white lettering.

[rroossinck]

I saw that Cadillac-emblemed Sheaffer too...that's a sweet pen!

[caspirin]

Jeff,

 

I had a Sheaffer Balance with an enameled Pontiac logo on the clip, just gorgeous...used it for years until I left it on an airplane some years ago.

 

Casipirin

[dcwaites]

They are certainly available new. See here.

 

Perhaps we should get a batch of the Sheaffers done with the FPN logo...

 

 

[LedZepGirl]

^ That would be cool.

 

 

I've never seen any pens with advertisements, but I've seen loads of mechanical pencils probably from the 40's and 50's with ads.

[Elaine]

I've got a black Esterbrook "J" with the AAA logo on it.

[FarmBoy]

I've got a black Esterbrook "J" with the AAA logo on it.

 

The Bell System seemed to have a close association with Esterbrook. Lots of black Esties around with a Ma'Bell logo of one kind or another. The AAA logo also pops up now and then but not as frequent. I've also got the AAA logo on a black J and a matching pencil.

 

I've seen Standard Oil on an Esterbrook also.

 

In the Sheaffer line I have had a few cartridge pens that had auto dealers advertised on them.

 

Belmont Pens often had Rexall Drug logo or name on them as well.

 

I find the ad pens interesting but I don't hunt them down. They make an interesting diversion.

 

Todd

 

 

[rroossinck]

I've seen a few higher-end models used as advertising (or more typically, contest prizes for employees). I'm certain that I've seen an Aurora Optima emblazoned with the Lexus logo.

[RitaCarbon]

I got a handsome Waterman form e-bay with "Harley Davidson" inprinted on its M nib. Excellent fountain pen, wet an silky smooth. Does it count as a promotional ad?

 

I think they still sell it there with Buy-it-now option.

[Kaha]

I have a Aurora Talentum (red) marked with 'Lancia'

 

It was sold (probably still is) by Lancia car dealers.

[lallin]

Mickey Mouse souvenir pens were sold in the thirties; fountain pens and mechanical pencils were made by Inkograph. They had a MM head mounted on the cap/top, MM emblems on the body. In addition, the pens had a MM head imprint on the nib and "Walt Disney" stamped on the lever .

 

There were also pen holders (dip pens) that had MM emblems on them; I have no idea who made those.

Edited February 15, 2008 by lallin

[RitaCarbon]

Mickey Mouse souvenir pens were sold in the thirties; fountain pens and mechanical pencils were made by Inkograph. They had a MM head mounted on the cap/top, MM emblems on the body. In addition, the pens had a MM head imprint on the nib and "Walt Disney" stamped on the lever .

 

There were also pen holders (dip pens) that had MM emblems on them; I have no idea who made those.

 

Oh, and I also have a Shaeffer's Balance "Walt Disney" limited edition: #868 out of 1000. Is it a promo FP?

 

[BobR]

How about an old red Scripto (believe it's called the "Ink Reserve" model) from Javorsky Produce in Crete, Nebraska? I checked, they're no longer around. I received it in the original box with instructions, and it appeared to be unused. I think it's from the 1940's or 1950's. It's a lever-filler and works quite well actually.

[FarmBoy]

Crete, Nebraska?

 

18 minutes from my home town. It is a real place. Haven't been there in years.

 

Now, how did that pen make it to CT?

 

Todd

 

[Dima]

Modern promotional pen with logo of Israeli Discount Bank from my collection. I have some more.

[BobR]

Crete, Nebraska?

 

18 minutes from my home town. It is a real place. Haven't been there in years.

 

Now, how did that pen make it to CT?

 

Todd

 

From Ebay about 3 years ago. The seller was apparently a "professional" Ebay seller located in Nebraska. This was during my "buy anything and everything" phase (which I still haven't recovered from).

[EventHorizon]

I have the obligitory Black Esterbrook J with Bell Systems on it (I think they made a bazillion of them) plus a Black Esterbrook LJ with "Birdie Brown" on it. Someones name but I couldn't pass it up.

 

I recently purcahsed a Esterbrook J with "D.C Byrer Co. Mortgage Loans" on it which I discussed in the Esterbrook forum. If I do a Google or Yahoo search, my post in said forum is about all that pops up.

 

Beyond that, I remember when my Dad worked for the EPA we had Skilcraft BP click pens by the dozen that had "U.S. Government" on them. I can't remember if it said "Property of" or not.

Edited February 26, 2008 by EventHorizon