Fountain pen chronology

[simp]

Hi,

 

I'm reposting an updated fountain pen chronology.

 

It's an updated version respect the previous one I already posted in this post:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=56790

 

I tried to summarize all the information I got about brands, models, technical innovations and materials. These are distributed inside pages dedicated to single brands and models on www.fountainpen.it , but that site is in Italian (I'm not good enough to write it in english). Because I got a lot of info from other people, and also from here, I tried at least to write this chronology in english.

 

Al the information is about brands of American, European and Japanese pen producers and historical facts and models I'm interested in. Information on minor brands and recent models is absent. I maintain the chronology as wiki page here. Obviously I cannot give any warranty about correctness of events. All the informations are obtained from books, researches on the net and from a few catalogues and ADs I own. So there could be a lot of errors, and also my english writing is quite poor. If someone is interested on helping on this, just let me know, I can also give write access to wiki to interested people.

 

I'll try to maintain the chronology also in this post (like I did for few days the last time) editing it here, but is seems that editing time is limited. So if this is not considered wrong I can repost the chronology every some months, when enough new events will be added.

 

----------------------------- FOUNTAIN PENS CHRONOLOGY ---------------------------------

 

1761

 

* Kaspar Faber starts a pencil production in Stein, is the beginning of Faber-Castell

 

1813

 

* Thomas De la Rue starts its activities, founding a company on his name, that will later produce the Onoto

 

1832

 

* Carl Hornemann starts a paint production factory, is the beginning of the Pelikan

 

1842

 

* Mallat is founded

 

1845

 

* Mabie Todd Swan is founded

 

1846

 

* Richard Cross and E. W. Bradbury begin their activities in the United States

 

1848

 

* Morton is founded

 

1856

 

* Esterbrook is founded as the United States Steel Pen Manufacturing Company

 

1862

 

* Holland is founded

 

1863

 

* Gunter Wagner acquire the Carl Hornemann factory and start using the Pelikan trademark

 

1864

 

* Jean Benoit Mallat patents the Siphoïde, a fountain pen ancestor

 

1875

 

* Soennecken is founded

 

1878

 

* Pelikan is registered as trademark

* Johan Faber starts the Johan Faber A. G., part of what will be the Faber-Castell

* Swan starts fountain pens production

 

1879

 

* Alonso T. Cross patents the stilographic pen and a new mechanical pencil

 

1881

 

* Cross Pen Company is founded in Boston

 

1883

 

* Lewis Edson Waterman starts fountain pens production in New York

* Heidelberger Federhalterfabrik, that will become Kaweco, is founded

 

1884

 

* Lewis Edson Waterman get the first patent for his feeder

* Paul E. Wirt is founded

* Swan starts exporting fountain pens in England under the Swan trademark

 

1885

 

* Cross starts fountain pen production

 

1888

 

* Waterman is incorporated as L. E. Waterman Company

 

1889

 

* George Safford Parker get his first patent and starts the Parker Pen Company

* Holland is incorporated

 

1890

 

* Waterman introduces the first desk pen with conical end

* Eagle create a glass cartridge pen

 

1891

 

* Parker is incorporated as The Parker Pen Company

 

1892

 

* Waterman introduces the tapered models

* Heidelberger Federhalterfabrik, that will become Kaweco, begins fountain pen production

 

1894

 

* Parker patents the "Lucky Curve" feeder

 

1896

 

* Mooris W. Moore patents a retractable nib filling sistem

 

1897

 

* Roy Conklin patents the crescent filler

* A. A. Waterman is founded (not sure)

 

1898

 

* Roy Conklin found the Self Fountain Pen Co. with C. B. Gundy

* Alexander Castell renames the A. W. Faber in A. W. Faber-Castell

* Parker patents the slip-on cap

 

1899

 

* Waterman introduces the n.10 nib, the spoon feed and the first version of its pump filler

* Parker patents the Jointless Pen

* Moore is founded as American Fountain Pen Company and launch of the Moore Non-Leakable Fountain Pen

* H. Koch and R. Weber acquire the Heidelberger Federhalterfabrik, that becomes Kaweco

 

1900

 

* Parker introduces the gold filigree Lucky Curve

 

1901

 

* the 'Self Fountain Pen Co. is renamed as Conklin Pen Manufacturing Co

* Pelikan introduces the Pelikan 4001 inks line

* Seth Sear Crocker patents the blow filler

 

1902

 

* Crocker is founded

* A. A. Waterman get the patent for the twist filler

 

1903

 

* Eclipse is founded

* Waterman introduces the second version of its pump filler

 

1904

 

* Waterman introduces its first overlay model

* Parker introduces a first filler system based on rubber sac squeezing

 

1905

 

* Waterman introduces the riveted Clip Cap

* Onoto is founded

* Frank Jarvis and Thomas H. Garner begin fountain pen production under the name Conway Stewart

* Holland introduces the sleeve filler and the Eureka model

* Parker introduces the spear-head feeder and the Black Giant

 

1906

 

* Holland introduces the pull filler

* Parker introduces the Emblem Pen

 

1907

 

* Waterman introduces its first safety

* Parker introduces the Snake models

 

1908

 

* Montblanc is founded as Simplo Filler Pen Co. GmbH

* Walter A. Sheaffer get the first patent for his lever filler

* Holland introduces the hatchet filler

 

1909

 

* Montblanc introduces the Rouge et Noir model

* Conway Stewart is founded as Conway Stewart & Co. Ltd

* Kaweco patents a safety pen with threaded bottom to be turned by screwing the cap

* Swan starts fountain pen production in England

* Maurice Jandelle sell Conway Stewart pens in France under the Gold Star name

 

1910

 

* Montblanc introduces the first model called Montblanc

* Waterman introduces the sleeve filler

* Morrison is founded

 

1911

 

* Kaweco publish the first catalog, showing their initial models and the 616, forerunner of the Sport

* Sailor is founded

* Parker patents improvement on the "Lucky Curve" feeder

 

1912

 

* Waterman introduces the coin filler

* Parker introduces the Jack Knife model

* the first fountain pens marked Sheaffer were produced

* Holland retires the hatchet filler

* Gold Starry becomes a registered trademark

 

1913

 

* Sheaffer is founded as W. A. Sheaffer Pen Company

* Waterman introduces the coin filler

 

1914

 

* Wahl Adding Machine enter the writing instrument market as Eversharp

* Waterman retires the coin filler

* Kaweco acquire Morton, taking their know how and starts its nib production in Heidelberg

* Montblanc introduces its star logo

 

1915

 

* Waterman introduces the lever filler and retires the sleeve filler

* Holland retires the pull filler

* the England branch acquire the whole Swan

 

1916

 

* Tibaldi is founded

* Conklin introduces its spring clip

* Parker introduces the button filler and patents the washer clip

* Météore is founded as Manifacture Parisienne de P.P.R.

 

1917

 

* Waterman introduces the new Waterman Standard Numbering System

* Eversharp introduces the Tempoint model

* Parker produces the Trench Pen for the U. S. War Department, given to soldiers to write from the front line

* the American Fountain Pen Company becomes the Moore Pen Company

 

1918

 

* Pilot is founded as Namiki Manufacturing Company

* Columbus is founded

* Moore introduces the firsts lever filler models

* Franck LeBouef patents a pen production method from celluloid tubes

 

1919

 

* Aurora is founded

* Osmia is founded as Böhler und Cie

* Conway Stewart introduces the first lever filler and safety models

* Holland retires the hatchet filler

* Uniq is founded

 

1920

 

* Sheaffer introduces the Lifetime warranted models

* Conway Stewart get the The Conway Stewart trademark and introduces the Duro model

* Morton ceases operations

* Ancora is founded

* Holland start using the lever filler

 

1921

 

* Parker introduces the Duofold

* Wahl Eversharp introduces the Wahl Pen, or Wahl All Metal Fountain Pen

* LeBouef is founded

* Dunn is founded

* Montblanc retires the Rouge et Noir model and introduce some lever filler models

* Conklin introduces the first lever filler models

* Astoria is founded

* Stylomine is founded

* Gold Starry starts producing fountain pens in French

* Manifacture Parisienne de P.P.R. is renemed La plume d'or

 

1922

 

* Parker adds Junior and Lady models to the Duofold line

* Sheaffer replaces SHEAFFER-CLIP mark on clips with Sheaffer'S

* Eversharp retires the Tempoint model

* Panici Freres & Co is founded, they will produce the Bayard pens

* Conway Stewart introduces Dinkie, Pixie and Universal models

* first model marked Météore, engraved on the cap

 

1923

 

* Chilton is founded in Boston

* Conklin introduces the Duragraph model

* Sheaffer introduces the White dot

* Waterman introduces the mottled hard rubber

* Swan introduces the Eternal (or 1924)

* Eversharp introduces the Signature ? model

 

1924

 

* Carter enters the fountain pen market

* Chilton introduces its new pneumatic filler

* Dunn get its first bankrupcy filing (?)

* Conklin introduces the Endura model, retiring the Duragraph

* Sheaffer introduces the celluloid, converting the production of its Flattop models to the new material

* Conway Stewart introduces the Dandy model and coloured celluloid, Dinkie and Duropoint become trademarks

* Columbus is registered as trademark

* Montblanc introduces the first Meisterstück models and a pneumatic filler

 

1925

 

* la Conklin retires the crescent filler

* OMAS is founded

* la Aurora introduces the Duplex model

* Wirt is sold

* Parker introduces first celluloid Black Tipped Jade models

* KWG (Badische Federhalterfabrik Knust, Woringen & Grube), that will acquire Kaweco, is founded

* Theodore Kovacs invents the piston filler

* Stylomine begins fountain pen production

* Moore introduces Red Dot warranty

* Gold Starry introduces 256 and 257 models

 

1926

 

* Parker converts all production to celluloid, starting from Duofold

* Waterman introduces the rippled hard rubber

* Chilton moves to Long Island and introduces celluloid models

* Carter starts selling its first fountain pens

* KWG introduces the Arumia pens

* Eversharp introduces the Rosewood hard rubber (???).

 

1927

 

* Waterman introduces the Ripple model in both number 5 and 7 and the nibs colour classification

* Eversharp introduces celluloid models in the Jade Green, Lapis Blue and Coral Red colours.

* Carter converts its production to celluloid

* Chilton introduces the second version of its pneumatic filler

* OMAS patents the Penna del dottore

* Pilot starts producing mechanical pencils

* Moore introduces its first celluloid models

* Bayard introduces its first lever filler models

* Columbus introduces its first celluloid models and patents a spoon filler

* Conway Stewart patents its button filler

* KWG introduces the Arumia Original and the Colleg line

* Dunn ceases operations

* Swan introduces celluloid on the production line

* Parker introduces the Pastel models

* Gold Starry introduces a lever filler model

 

1928

 

* Parker introduces the True Blue model and the De Luxe Duofold; acquire Osmia for the european production

* Eversharp introduces the Gold Seal, the Personal Point nibs and the Deco Band model

* KWG introduces the "U" line for the Arumia Original and Arumia Meisterklasse

* Montblanc introduces celluloid models

* Waterman introduces the Rose Ripple, Blue-Green Ripple and Olive Ripple hard rubber colors

 

1929

 

* Pelikan introduces 100, the first piston filler

* Waterman introduces the Patrician model in Onyx, Turquoise, Jet, Emerald and Nacre colours

* Sheaffer introduces the Balance

* Parker introduces the Streamlined version of the Duofold and retires the True Blue

* Eversharp introduces the Equipoised model and retires the Wahl Engine Turned pens

* Aurora starts the sub-brands Olo and Asco

* Conklin introduces the Streamlined Symetric (or 1930?) model and retire the Flattop Endura

* Carter introduces its Pearltex models

* Columbus patents its spoon filler

* first Kaweco bankrupt, KWG acquire the trademark and the Kaweco Badische Füllhalterfabrik is born

* Montblanc retires lever filler and pneumatic filler and introduces button filler and push-knob

* Moore retires Red Dot warranty

* Gold Starry retires previous models and convert all production to celluloid

 

1930

 

* Lamy is founded

* LeBouef introduces its sleeve filler (or 1931?)

* Aurora introduces the Novum and Optima models

* Cross introduces an enamelled bands fountain pen pairing with pencils

* Parker retires from Osmia and the Osmia Gmbh is founded

* Eversharp introduces the Brasilian Green celluloid

* Montblanc starts engraving "4810" on nibs

* Parker introduces the Vest Pocket Duette model

 

1931

 

* Conklin introduces the Nozac model

* Parker introduces the Quink ink

* Eversharp introduces the Doric model and the Oxford sub-brand

* Sheaffer introduces the Feather Touch nib

* Aurora and Edacoto join in the french market with the Duo Moderne

* Columbus introduces its first lever filler models

* A. W. Faber-Castell and Johan Faber A. G. start to join

* Pelikan introduces the Rappen model and two rings on 100 cap

* Gold Starry introduces the Rapex model

 

1932

 

* Parker test the Golden Arrow, the Vacumatic forerunner

* Parker introduces the Trift Time models

* OMAS introduces the Extra model

* Eversharp introduces the Bantham model, the Adjustable Point nibs and retires the Equipoised and Deco Band models

* Sheaffer produces a blue Balance model, only for this year

* Waterman introduces the Moss Agathe Patrician

* Bayard introduces the Special 8 and Superluxe models

* Carter retires from fountain pen market

* Astoria is sold to Montblanc

* Montblanc introduces the III line

* Swan introduces the leverless filler

 

1933

 

* Parker introduces the Vacumatic model and retires Trift Time

* Eversharp produce some Bantham with the Century of Progress Exhibition mark

* LeBouef ceases operations

* Aurora introduces the Superna model

* Conway Stewart introduces the Scribe and International models

* Bayard introduces the Luxe and Superluxe Grosse Containance models

* Waterman introduces the n.7 and n.5 plastic models

* Gold Starry introduce small pen in preciuos metal from Viala Lilliput

 

1934

 

* Montblanc is renamed in Montblanc-Simplo GmbH, piston filler is introduced

* Parker introduces the economic line Parkette

* Conklin introduces the Word gauge

* Sheaffer introduces the economic brand Wasp

* Aurora introduces the Asterope model

* Panici Freres & Co is renamed Stylo Bayard and the name Bayard is engraved on clips

* Conway Stewart introduces the Cracked Ice celluloid

* Waterman reduces Patrician colours to Onyx, Moss Agate and Jet only

* Kaweco introduces the Dia model

* Pelikan introduces the 111T Toledo model

 

1935

 

* Chilton introduces the Wing-flow model

* Esterbrook introduces the Dollar Pen model

* Parker retires the Duofold

* Sheaffer introduces the Vac-Fill (or 1934?)

* Aurora introduces the Etiopia model

* Conway Stewart become a public company, and introduces the diamond clip

* Faber-Castell begins Osmia acquisition

* Osmia introduces the Supra Luxus, Supra, Osmia, Osmia Brilliant, Supra Progress, Progress and Brilliant models

* Bayard introduces a decorated band on Superluxe model

* Kaweco introduces the Sport model

* Montblanc introduces the telescopic piston filler and reorganize models in a three digit numbering system

 

1936

 

* OMAS introduces the Lucens model and the stantuffo tuffante filling system

* Waterman introduces the InkVue (or 1935?) model and retires Patrician

* Parker introduces the Challenger model (or 1935?) and the Vacumatic Golden Web

* Wahl Eversharp introduces the Coronet model

* Sheaffer introduces the radius clip on the Balance

* Jif-Waterman create the first cartridge filler

* Faber-Castell introduces a Faber-Castell model

* Montblanc stops production of Astoria marked pens

* Pelikan introduces the 100C and Ibis 130 model

* Swan introduces the Visofil

 

1937

 

* Sheaffer introduces the 57 model, that will be named Crest

* Parker introduces the Speedline Vacumatic

* Wahl Eversharp introduces the plunger filler Doric

* Bayard rename the Luxe line ad Special Luxe

* Kaweco introduces the Elite model

* Pelikan introduces the 100N model (or 1938?)

 

1938

 

* Conklin introduces the Glider model and retire the Endura Symetric and Nozac

* Conklin is sold to a Chicago investor group

* Wahl Eversharp introduces the Pacemaker and Airlite models

* Parker introduces the Shadow Wave version of Vacumatic

* Pilot is renamed as Pilot Pen Co., Ltd. and the logo take the "P" letter instead of "N"

* Bayard introduces another band in the Special Luxe

* Montblanc starts producing piston filler only

* OMAS introduces an arrow clip on the Extra Lucens model

 

1939

 

* Chilton introduces the Golden Quill model

* Parker introduces the Duofold Geometric retires Parkette and Challenger

* Conklin production is transferred to Chicago

* Waterman introduces the HundredYear model and retires 94 and 3 models

* Bayard introduces the Niveauclair model, with visible ink level

 

1940

 

* Sheaffer introduces th Tuckaway model and the Balance Defender

* Parker introduces the Blue Diamond life warranty (or 1939?)

* Parker introduces the Laidtone Duofold and retires the Duofold Geometric and the Shadow Wave Vacumatic

* the Wahl Company Co. and Eversharp Inc. are fused into Eversharp, the Bantham is retired

* Aurora introduces the Selene model

* Esterbrook introduces the 9000 line

* Bayard introduces the Superstyl model

 

1941

 

* Parker introduces the 51

* Chilton ceases operations

* Eversharp introduces the Skyline model and retires the Doric, Coronet, Airlite and Pacemaker models and the Oxford line

* Bayard introduces the Super Luxe model

 

1942

 

* Sheaffer introduces the Triumph line and retires some Balance models

* Morrison introduces the Patriot model

 

1943

 

* Eversharp introduces the Fifth Avenue model

* Waterman introduces the Commando (or 1942?) and 1003 models, and a smooth HundredYear

* Esterbrook begin using the twist filler

* Bayard introduces the Excelsior model with changeable nib

* Mallat introduces the Plexigraf model

 

1944

 

* Esterbrook introduces the Model J line converting the twist filler to the lever filler

* Pelikan retires the 100 model

* Montblanc plant is destroyed by a bombing

* Mallat introduces the Junior Plexigraf model

 

1945

 

* Eversharp introduces the CA, ballpoint pens starts appearing

* Waterman introduces the Taperite model

* Sheaffer introduces the Craftsman model

 

1946

 

* Parker introduces the VS model

* Sheaffer retires all Balance models

* Moore introduces the Fingertip model

* Eversharp retires the Fifth Avenue model

* Waterman retires the Commando model

* Mallat introduces the Plexicolor model

 

1947

 

* Sheaffer introduces the Fineline model

* Parker introduces the 51 Demi

* Aurora introduces the 88 model, designed by Marcello Nizzoli

* Bayard introduces new version of Special 8, Special Luxe and 4 models

* Montblanc starts Danmark production

 

1948

 

* Conklin ceases operations

* Eversharp introduces the Symphony model, designed by Raymond Loewy and retires the Skyline

* OMAS introduces the 361 model

* Parker introduces the 21, turns the 51 to the aerometric filler and retires Vacumatic and Laidtone Duofold models

* Bayard retires the Excelsior

* Montblanc introduces 14x, 24x and 34x line

 

1949

 

* Parker introduces the 51 Flighter and retires the VS

* Sheaffer introduces the Touchdown filler

* Conway Stewart introduces the 58

* Bayard introduces a new version of Superstyl, the Capostil and the Special 8 economic version

 

1950

 

* Parker introduces the 41 and the 51 Special and reintroduces the Parkette

* Sheaffer introduces the TM - Thin Model and retires the Tuckaway

* Waterman introduces the Skywriter

* Bayard introduces the Super Bayard

* Faber-Castell introduces the Gentleman

* Kaweco introduces the Carat

* Holland ceases operations

* Pelikan introduces the 400 model (or 1951?)

* Montblanc introduces the spaden clip for the 24x line

 

1951

 

* Parker retires the 41

* Moore retires the Fingertip

* Faber-Castell complete Osmia acquisition

* Pelikan introduces the 400

 

1952

 

* Sheaffer introduces the snorkel

* Lamy introduces the Lamy 27

* Montblanc retires the 139 model and introduces the 149 and the 64x e 74x lines

 

1953

 

* Waterman introduces the CF model

* Eversharp introduces the Ventura and retires the Symphony

* Parker retires the Parkette

* Sheaffer introduces the TIPdip and retires the Fineline

* Pelikan introduces the 140 model

 

1954

 

* Waterman USA ceases production, but Jif-Waterman is still active

* Conway Stewart introduces the Conway Stewart 100

* Pelikan introduces nibs with its logo and starts engraving cap band on 400

* [Montblanc]] retires the 24x line and introduces the 25x and 26x line

 

1955

 

* Conway Stewart introduces the Conway Stewart 22 Floral

* Pelikan introduces the 400N and 120 models and retires the 400

* Montblanc do a restiling of the 34x serie

 

1956

 

* Parker introduces the 61

* Moore ceases operations

* Bayard use the accordion filler for the Souverain de Luxe

* the Pulsa Pen is produced by Stylomine. Meteor

* Montblanc remove Montblan engraving on caps

 

1957

 

* Sheaffer introduces the Skripsert using cartridge filler

* Waterman USA completely ceases operation, but Jif-Waterman continues introducing the X-Pen

* the Eversharp writing instrument division is sold to Parker

* Aurora introduces the Duo Cart

* Conway Stewart introduces ballpoint and turns production to plastic

* Parker introduces the 61 Jet Flighter

 

1958

 

* Sheaffer introduces the Lady Sheaffer as a Skripsert model

* Onoto ceases operations

* Bayard introduces the Souverain de Luxe line

* Montblanc introduces wing nib on 64x and 74x series, produces 25x and 34x in green, red and gray, and with clear window

 

1959

 

* Sheaffer introduces the PFM and retires other snorkel models

* Pelikan introduces the P1 model

* Montblanc retires all models except 149, ceased Danmark production and introduces 1x, 2x, 3x, 7x, 8x and 9x series

* the Visor Pen is produced by Edacoto, Evergood, Mallat, Gold Starry, WalkOver and Soma

 

1960

 

* Parker introduces the 45

 

1961

 

* Sheaffer introduces the Imperial similar to PFM

 

1962

 

* Parker introduces the VP

 

1963

 

* Parker introduces the 75

* Sheaffer retires the TIPdip

* Aurora introduces the 98

 

1964

 

* Kaweco introduces the VP

 

1965

 

* Parker retires VP and 21

 

1966

 

* Lamy introduces the Lamy 2000

 

1967

 

* Soennecken ceases operations

 

1968

 

* Sheaffer retires the PFM

 

1970

 

* Parker introduces the T1

* Aurora introduces the Hastil, designed by Marco Zanuso

 

1971

 

* Parker retires the T1

* Esterbrook ceases operations

* Jif-Waterman acquire the Waterman trademark and become Waterman S.A.

 

1975

 

* Parker retires the 51

* Conway Stewart ceases operations

* Ancora ceases operations

* Faber-Castell retires from fountain pen market

 

1981

 

* Kaweco ceases operations

Edited May 30, 2008 by simp

[johnboz]

Wow, that will take a while to look over. Thanks!

[Shangas]

That was EXTREMELY interesting! A wonderful reading experience!

[Roger W.]

Couple of changes/suggestions I didn't make to detailed a review.

 

Sheaffer introduces the white dot in 1924 not 1923.

 

Wahl starts from Boston and you've nothing on Boston. Wahl merely changed the name to tempoint in 1917 which is hardly an introduction.

 

Overall big piece of work though.

 

Roger W.

[simp]

Couple of changes/suggestions I didn't make to detailed a review.

 

Sheaffer introduces the white dot in 1924 not 1923.

 

Wahl starts from Boston and you've nothing on Boston. Wahl merely changed the name to tempoint in 1917 which is hardly an introduction.

 

Overall big piece of work though.

 

Roger W.

 

Thank you for the appreciation.

 

I investigated about the White Dot, and I found the 1924 reported in a sort of official history published by Sheffers itself (its on a Sheaffer marked CD) that a friend gave me. I also found the same reference on this article:

http://www.penhero.com/PenGallery/Sheaffer...rJadeSenior.htm

Having no direct knoweldge I used this date, but if you have a more details I-d like to know.

 

Unfortunately I have very little information about the beginning of Wahl, I just know they started with the Eversharp pencil in 1914 (I mentioned this, but I'm making it more clear now) but you are right, I forgot to mention the acquisition of the Boston Pen Company in the chronology. I corrected the wiki page. I tried also to edit the post here but it seems impossible now.

 

Simone

[Vintagepens]

This is a very ambitious project.

 

The problem is that there is so much bad information out there. What is in print is bad enough; when you add in online sources, it gets even worse. I fear that by simply collecting and combining as many putative "facts" as possible, one ends up with a compilation so full of errors that it is more likely to mislead than inform. Although it might not be as immediately impressive, I would be more inclined to start from scratch, including only those dates that can be confirmed with solid evidence. In a reference work, accuracy is much more important than completeness.

 

In any event, I would suggest that entries be footnoted, which would help assess the reliability of the underlying sources. I would also suggest that a very critical eye be turned on any date of discontinuation. More often than not, it is not known when a particular model was completely discontinued; production often continued for years after a model was dropped from ads and catalogs -- the classic Parker Duofold being a case in point.

 

If you want an illustration of how messy pen history can be, take a look at the story of the Eversharp pencil. Two completely different stories, confused and combined, then repeated and elaborated upon by virtually every pen authority from 1981 on, and only finally corrected 20 years later. And you still see the Waterman ink blot story repeated as fact.

[CharlieB]

This is great stuff. Thanks for posting it.

 

As you continue to expand your list, I hope you will add entries about the introduction of the cartridge filling system and the ballpoint pen, as these were the two events that caused the end of the fountain pen industry as it existed from its inception through the 1960s, and resulted in its transformation into what is primarily a subset of the luxury goods industry.

[Roger W.]

David makes an excellent point. To be succinct - if you can't footnote it it is not worth doing. I think this should be the level we are at with putting out facts now and not merely regurgitating what is out there in various forms.

 

So white dot 1924 is the trademark application in which they state it is first in use September 25, 1924.

 

Wahl buying Boston happens in January 1917 but, I don't have the reference handy! So it won't be easy if you want to do it right.

 

Roger W.

[MYU]

I think it's great to list a chronology of writing instrument developments by company, model, and certain notable features. True, without footnotes there is always a question of accuracy. But that would require a lot of work.

 

I don't mind there being some inaccuracies, so long as we get a gist of the overall chronology. Perhaps the list can just slowly evolve, whereby Simp can add footnotes when known. And if people can volunteer information they know, that would help accelerate the project.

 

Thanks for doing this!

Edited June 1, 2008 by MYU

[rhr]

Most of the complaints about footnoting are taken care of by clicking on on the website links within and at the bottom of Simone's initial post. The first post in this FPN thread is a text-only version of Simone's website, which has HTML links throughout that route you to hyperlinked pages with detailed pen company histories. There is an English translation of the site, http://www.fountainpen.it/Chronology, but there is one big problem. When you click on the links within the English site, you get the highly detailed and footnoted hyperlinks in Italian. So if you want to read about Crocker, and Chilton, and Conklin, etc., in Italian, that's fine, but for the rest of us it's a real roadblock. Perhaps the main website should be in English, which has become the lingua franca of the age of the Internet.

 

George Kovalenko.

 

Edited June 1, 2008 by rhr

[simp]

This is a very ambitious project.

 

The problem is that there is so much bad information out there. What is in print is bad enough; when you add in online sources, it gets even worse. I fear that by simply collecting and combining as many putative "facts" as possible, one ends up with a compilation so full of errors that it is more likely to mislead than inform. Although it might not be as immediately impressive, I would be more inclined to start from scratch, including only those dates that can be confirmed with solid evidence. In a reference work, accuracy is much more important than completeness.

I'm aware of the possible confusion, also because sometime I found myself fooled by some of the bad information.

 

But unfortunately I'm living in Italy and I can have some more direct knowledge only for a very limited set of italian brands. So the work I did (in my limited spare time) was exactly that of collecting all news and infos I could, putting them together. Just doing that lead me to find some contraddictions, but sometime I also got some better infos.

 

To try to solve the problem of the accuracy my choice has been the use a wiki system to write everything putting all the contents under a free content license (the same of Wikipedia) so that anyone can correct mistakes. I also asked many time here about single questions, having often them solved. And it was in the hope to get some good revision and advice that I posted a textual version of the chronology (the original page is here).

 

But you are right about the risk, I'm just hoping that the errors are a little part of the whole and that they can be hunted down with the help of other interested people. I'm a computer professional working with open source, and I'm just trying to apply the same development method on this issue. As I told many times, I'm willing to give write access to the wiki to any people wanting to help. We can also put everything directly on Wikipedia, but there the risk of merging wrong informations is probably bigger.

 

In any event, I would suggest that entries be footnoted, which would help assess the reliability of the underlying sources. I would also suggest that a very critical eye be turned on any date of discontinuation. More often than not, it is not known when a particular model was completely discontinued; production often continued for years after a model was dropped from ads and catalogs -- the classic Parker Duofold being a case in point.

Fortunately the software I'm using support adding notes quite easily. It can also track discussion about every modification, like Wikipedia (is the same software). When I found some contraddictions or uncertainty in the informations, I already wrote down some footnotes, but unfortunately they are on the italian pages of the site, in the sections about models or brands, where I wrote also the references I got.

 

I was not smart enough to put this info also in the chronology, but I started it just to have a single page (and it was only in italian) to track dates when writing other pages about brands and models, and that's the reason why most of the references are just inside the italian pages. From now I'll try to add footnotes for every new entry, and also to add notes to some of the old ones when doing revisions (I already did for some). But this is a lot of work, and I'm afraid it will take a lot of time.

 

You are also absolutely right about the issue of discontinuation, I'll try to be more careful adding a general disclaimer about this issue and giving more advice for each case.

 

Anyway many thanks for the directions, I hope to get some better results next time.

 

Simone

 

Edited June 2, 2008 by simp

[simp]

Most of the complaints about footnoting are taken care of by clicking on on the website links within and at the bottom of Simone's initial post. The first post in this FPN thread is a text-only version of Simone's website, which has HTML links throughout that route you to hyperlinked pages with detailed pen company histories. There is an English translation of the site, http://www.fountainpen.it/Chronology, but there is one big problem. When you click on the links within the English site, you get the highly detailed and footnoted hyperlinks in Italian. So if you want to read about Crocker, and Chilton, and Conklin, etc., in Italian, that's fine, but for the rest of us it's a real roadblock. Perhaps the main website should be in English, which has become the lingua franca of the age of the Internet.

 

George Kovalenko.

 

 

Unfortunately I'm not good enough to write everything in english. Sometime I hope to get the time to at least starting translate some pages, but now I really cannot afford this effort.

 

Simone

[Blackandwhite]

This is my very first post to this Forum - I just read with a lot of interest Simone's Fountain Pen History post. I am a complete newbee to this, although I do own a couple of Fountain Pens and i do not remember to ever have written much with anything else ( except some yellow or translucide BIC ball pens at school during the sixties ... but even then, I preferred the Pelikano and Geha ). Now, at a certain age, I start being interested in the pens otherwise than just as a (beautiful) tool.

I think this History is really not bad as an introduction. As I read the postings that followed, I believe that those who know this or that better than in the actual version just might mention it. I do believe that for someone who is looking for some newcomer information this really is an interesting and important thread and posting.

[pencils+pens]

One former major US player is completing missing - Scripto. For some reason there is next to no information about them on the web. There is one Scripto mechanical pencil site I found.

 

 

To get the ball rolling, Scripto was party to an early, maybe the first, interstate sales tax case and the nexus issue. See Scripto v Carson. The case was decided in the US Supreme Court in 1960.