Greetings from Stockholm, Sweden

[Band105]

Hi all,

In order to make a short story long I'll tell it all... and You might all learn something about Sweden...

 

My first memory of fountains is from the early 80's, when I was about 15, and I found an old pen of unknown brand lying around, all dried out, on my fathers desk. In the way 15-year old's sometimes thinks that strange things are cool, I thought it was really cool and I was okay'd by my dad to have it and for some time I tried to use it at school Now followed a short time of constant problems including ink-stained fingers and notebooks and schoolwork ruined by inkblobs. I decided to put the thing away and go back to whatever regular pens and pencils I could find. And it's only recently that I re-discovered the world of the more sophisticated writing instruments and it started with a trip to Paris in the fall of 2008.

 

I live and work in Sweden where there is no - whatsoever - culture of using a nice pen. Since Im a part of the government-establishment I am supposed to use a regular ballpoint in signing every document, for "archivereasons". (Usually Ballograf, Epoca or Rondo, by all means very nice BP's that are handed out for free in large numbers within the government).

 

But - this means; If my pen doesn't have the seal on it saying in swedish "arkivbeständig" (translates into something like "archiveapproved") the signature the pen produces is considered useless.

 

In my country there is also a strange love for lead-pencils, also handed out at every office and business across the land, and my personal observation tells me that the really cheap, plastic ones stolen from hotels are the most favoured.

 

So what this means is that we get all our pens and pencils for free (or steal them in hotels) and we're supposed to use our BP's to sign all documents that are of any historical value. And, needless to say, in this environment the use of a nice pen just for the helluvit, is not uncomplicated and since no one really buys them, the bookshops aren't really that interested in selling "fountainpens and other fine writing instruments". To be honest, there are penshops in Sweden, but often the pens they sell are more seen as accessories, or jewelry, and the prices are set according to that.

 

This brings us back to Paris where I last fall found myself in a little shop (Styl' Honore) dedicated to selling nothing but pens! This was a new world to me as I gazed at all the "precious-es" they displayed. With the experience with that old pen from my fathers desk all in mind I still decided to give it a go and with the great help of the lady in the shop I choosed a Faber-Castell Ambition as my starting point, or maybe more correctly - starting pen.

 

Now, I can't stop browsing the Net for new pens. I've started scanning e-bay and it swedish counterparts. Ive found a Pen-site in England that sends pens to my door at a fraction of the cost of the same pen in Sweden, and I happened to stumble across the FPN and I realize - I am not alone.

 

Now the next thing I have to do is to go down to the basement in my parents house the next time I visit them and look for that old dried-dried out thing from the past to see if I can get it to work... I even think I know where it is... .

 

Band

Edited February 1, 2009 by Band105

[eriquito]

 

Hello Band!

 

Welcome to FPN =)

 

Great introduction! Thank you much.

 

Please let us know if you find that old dried out thing from the past!!

 

Greetings from California,

 

Eric

Son of Ragnar

 

[Underskoterskan]

True, our bookstores are a sad sight. If you're lucky, you can come across a random Parker Frontier or even a Sonnet but that's pretty much it. And if you ask for a bottle of ink you get a really weird look sometimes. If I were you, my fellow swede, I'd check out www.penshop.se and www.pennspecialisten.se (no affiliation) for excellent service and repair. And you know, you should try a Pelikan - they're absolutely fabolous ! Just bear in mind that they are also addictive, if you buy one you'll end up having an entire flock of them in no time. :embarrassed_smile:

 

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n318/underskoterskan/PelM4001-1.jpg

 

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n318/underskoterskan/PelM4001-2.jpg

 

Välkommen till FPN !

 

Regards

Undersköterskan

Edited February 1, 2009 by Underskoterskan

[RayMan]

Welcome.

[TMac]

Band, hello and welcome to FPN!

[PAKMAN]

Hello and welcome to FPN!

[fatehbajwa]

[anaticula]

Hi and welcome!

 

It seems there is quite a number of us swedes here, even though we don't really have a tradition of using fountain pens.

 

 

Regards,

 

Markus

[LapsangS]

Hello and welcome to FPN!

 

I happen to own a Swedish-made Ballograf fountain pen. I bought it here in Finland in 1996 or 1997. I have reviewed it on this thread:

 

Ballograf review

 

 

[Band105]

Hi again all

and thanks for taking the time to look into my presentation.

 

First: I feel I was a little bit bitter sounding. We do have pen-shops here in Sweden but as I said, the are expensive and, at least among most folks here, considered to be exclusive. However, should you ever come to Stockholm I recommend a vist to the fancy departmentstore "NK". The have quite a large pen-section in their bottom-store next to the book shop. I would also recommend the little bokshop "bokhuset". Goto http://www.bokhuset.se/ and click the link on the left "lyxiga pennor" for a peak in to their pen-section where Daniel takes them serious and publishes his "penschool" in order to enlighten us swedes.

Site is unfortunately in swedish only.

I also have to recommend the shop Brobergs (http://www.brobergs.com/) originally a tobaccoshop for exclusive cigars, but what better than the combination of beeing able to buy a really nice Cuban AND looking at some really nice fountain-pens?!

(I have no business connection with any of them, I simply found to them when my hunt started.)

 

Secondly: LapsangS,

I have to admit I also have an Ballograf FP, its simple but has a really nice feel in the hand as it is quite heavy and it writes really smooth. Ballograf made them in the mid 80's for a few years and they rose to a little bit of fame. I also have to admit that about a year ago i had two of them but one broke down. I got mad with it and threw it away! Regrets regrets regrets......

Lord forgive us for the things we do!

 

Band

Edited February 2, 2009 by Band105

[Michael W]

Hi Welcome!!! Mike

[Band105]

Hi all, again.

Bad, good and badder news..

Bad - I had to head down to my parents since my dad was taken to hospital with a heartcondition this week,

Good - he's recovering fine and we hope to se him home again the coming week,

Badder - In the breakes between visiting the hospital and relatives I found the time to actually go down into the basement and look for that old pen I once left there. (see first post for details..)

 

I went straight to where I thougt I left it long ago..... After an hour of fruitless searching I turned to my mother who by now was curious to know what I was doing down there, as I was browsing through old cupboards, boxes and other strange storing facilities my parents have been stocking up on for the last 50-or so years.

When I told her I was looking for an old fountain pen, at first she couldn't help me, but after a while she came to remember that some years ago when my cousin was visiting my mom let her kids play with my old toys that was stored down there. When one of the little ones had re-surfaced into the house he had asked if he could have an odd looking pen and an old bottle of ink they had found. Unknowingly my mother had replied "Yes- sure, noone wants that anyway"...

As said before - Lord forgive us for the things we do!

 

I for sure has forgiven my mother, has dug in deeper into my dad's old pen-inventory, and found some interesting old pencils from his working days. And I have turned to e-bay in the now Ahab-ian search for THAT old pen!

 

Band

 

[I am not a number]

Hi Band105, hope that your father gets better soon.

 

As for pens, don't worry, now you have found this place you will have a lot to keep you busy...

 

Welcome to the FPN!

[Writer44]

Welcome and enjoy the board!

 

44

[dandelion]

Hello & welcome to FPN!

I fully agree with everything you wrote about our bad pen culture in Sweden! Maybe it would be more adequate to say non-existing pen culture.

Even if I like the shops you mentioned they are still very limited; especially when it comes to ink.

Thank heavens for the Noodler's section at NK, but most ordinary book- and papershops doesn't carry more than a few bottles of blue and/or black Parkers Qink and Pelikan blue/black. I hope you'll enjoy FPN - thanks for a nice introduction. I hope your father gets better!

Välkommen!

Petra

Stockholmare i exil.

[skstevens]

Welcome. Enjoy.

 

I too have been put on a pen search by having one of my father's pens surface. My search will be easier, though. Last Christmas, my mother showed up for Christmas with a pen that was my father's. (He died in 1999) It was a Sheaffer Targa. It writes beautifully and I love it. Now I am on the hunt for Targas.

 

 

[MikaLa]

Welcome from a fellow scandinavian!

[Wolverine1]

Valkommen, Band!!! Well, I was born in Stockholm, BTW!!

Well, you have come to e great forum,and please check out the plethora of pen info available on the various sub-forums.

 

[Bearcat]

Welcome to FPN.

 

Your note reminded me of a pleasant few days that I spent in your city of islands a while back. Loved Gamla Stan and the changing of the guard at the palace (especially seeing all of those mint condition Model 64 6.5 X 55 mm Swedish Mausers carried by the cavalry...). Also enjoyed the company of the beautiful Svenska Flickas...........The only downside was the high price of Schnapps.

Edited February 22, 2009 by Bearcat

[Band105]

Once again, Hi to all and thanks for taking the time to read and make comments.

 

My dad's all fine again and has been home for some weeks.

 

I just had to make a few comments on the comments..

 

First regarding the ever-ongoing pen-search...

I am now a regular visitor on E-bay and it's Swedish counterpart, this has caused my wife to make some really upset comments about the way I spend my money. She seems to have the idea that there are better things to buy than old fountainpens... I personally have no clue what she is talking about

 

Secondly, regarding the comment by Bearcat in specific...

I figure, from your profile and Avatar that you might be interested in the comment I made in another thread:

(as long as I manage to do the cut&past properly..)

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...mp;#entry939450

 

Band

 

Edit: Now that I actually browsed back a bit in that thread I found that Bearcat made a post just a bit before my own. It cannot be said 'nuff many times, re-check topics all the way before commenting!

Edited March 7, 2009 by Band105