Top 5 Reasons To Buy A Fountain Pen

The manufacturers of fountain pens apparently have not seen such increase in sales since the year Lewis Waterman made the 3 key inventions that allowed the mass-production of quality writing instruments. While ballpoint and rollerball pens were reported to kill the market of fountain pens, and hi-tech presented by email and cell-phones was to eliminate writing as activity, something unpredicted happened - and changed the world of writing instruments. I believe this can be explained by several factors.

First, writing made a man, as many of us were taught at school. No technology can replace the art of writing and diminish the value of habit. Spell-checkers in Word make us rely on automatic scripts which, as we all know, cannot guess our thoughts. You never can trust a spell-checker to make your article grammatically correct, and human reviewing is always necessary, be it a term paper, an agreement, or some internal company policy. Typing involves making more errors than writing with a pen, that's for sure.

Second, email servers for conveying information, and not empathy. Writing involves much of emotional component, changing the style, pressure on the paper, and handwriting. A hand-written letter tells the reader a lot about the writer, while typed email is a pure text lacking soul.

Finally, fountain pens are a tradition - and this is something we badly need in the unstable world. We all lack connections with the past. Gadgets we use lack the spirit, lack humanity, and are considered as devices only. You can't really express your personality, your attitude towards assets and values with an iPod, which is just about in everyone's pocket. So fountain pens have seen the second birth, so to say. Enthusiasts started the wave, collectors supported it, and then ordinary white-collars joined the craze.

So why do you need a fountain pens?

Here's a short list of reasons that might urge you to have a look at reviews of different brands.

1. Fountain pens are easier to writer with than rollerbals and ballpoints. Thanks to construction and special mechanism, fountain pens do not need additional pressure on part of a writer. The ink literally flows onto the paper itself.

2. If gold is best investment of money, then fountain pens are sure to hold the spot among five most reliable investments. While cars are too huge to keep and normally drop in prices quickly, fountain pens are often made in limited quantities. If you ever got a slight interest in Mont Blanc Limited Editions, then you might know that these fountain pens become rare too fast, and their price tag literally sky rockets. If you buy a pen for $300, a couple of years later you can sell it for $500. Every broker will tell you that this ain't that bad :-)

3. Fountain pens reflect personality thanks to all kinds of models, manufacturers, filling mechanisms, etc. The world of fountain pens probably is way more diverse than the world of computer games.

4. If you care about you health, a fountain pen can help you. Yes! Doctors say that muscles involved in holding a fountain pen release tension on heart. Besides, people with some diseases like arthritis have difficulties in writing with ballpoints, but fountain pens help to alleviate the pain.

5. Collecting fountain pens is a great hobby, many people find it to be a great fun. There are online communities with thousands of members enjoying communication and sharing experience, posting reviews, solving repair troubles. Every year Pen Shows take place in cities all over the world, like those in Chicago and London. These are spectacular events where every fountain pen lover can look at and feel almost any pen displayed, and receive most accurate information about all aspects of collecting fountain pens.

So owning a fountain pens is something you might really enjoy for the rest of your life, and your children and grandchildren will have s chance to inherit the asset that never looses in price - your fountain pens.

Head over to reviews of fountain pens to choose the manufacturer and model that appeals to you heart. Or simply browse the educating articles to learn more about the pleasure related to owning fountain pens!
Alberta Glamerheim is a collector of fountain pens who writes about pen manufacturers, types of pens, shares her experience, gives advice on repair and maintenance of fountain pens, and unveils the truth behind ground-breaking innovations which make people literate writers.
A section on wood fountain pens will definitely make thrill those of you who chase the uniqueness in every aspect of life.

Fountain Pen Collecting for Beginners

Fountain pen collecting is a hobby enjoyed by people all over the world. This hobby began almost as soon the first fountain pen was made. Once people started writing with this fine writing instruments, people immediately saw the beauty that these fine pens possessed and fountain pen collecting began.

Why do people love to collection fountain pens? First, as more and more people have white collar jobs getting to writing with a fine writing instrument makes writing at work special. The feel that people get when you write with a fine fountain pen changes the writing experience. Writing with a fountain pen makes people feel like an artist.

For me, I love their aesthetic beauty. The craftsmanship of a handmade fountain pen, the beautiful cases and beautiful tips are masterpieces to me.

Beginners Tips

The first thing that beginner pen collectors have to understand is that scarcity creates value. When people begin collecting ballpoint pens or fountain pens, too often they just look at the aesthetics of the pen. While aesthetics are important, scarcity drives value.

The second thing to understand about fountain pen collecting is that typical older, vintage fountain pens are worth more than newer pens. People love holding a part of history. Vintage fountain pens can tell an unbelievable history lesson. What was going on in the world when that pen was being used? Who wrote with that fountain pen?

The third thing that you need to understand is the most stores do not sell vintage pens. In order to buy vintage pens you need to buy from collectors, online stores, or online auctions. However, if you are buying a new fountain pen, just look for good prices. You can find great prices at online stores and at the Popular Pens store linked below.

Find a great selection of fountain pens for sale at Popular Pens. Popular Pens has low prices on Mont Blanc Fountain Pens, Cross Fountain Pens, and many more popular brands like Dunhill.

The History Of Fountain Pens Part One-The Evolution Of The Pen-From Stone To Feather

The first primitive type of paper were clay tablets that were engraved with the help of a straw, the forerunner of the pen, cut diagonally in such a way to leave a mark on the soft, wet surface of the clay that in a second phase would then be dried so that the lines previously engraved would become imprinted.

Overlooking this interesting part of our past, the true history of the pen begins with the invention of the paper made from papyrus thanks to the skilled Egyptian people. This introduction generated a significant change which was dictated from the intrinsic characteristics of the papyrus paper that demanded ink in order to leave legible marks, and lines. The Egyptian scribes learned to fabricate red and black ink by mixing soot and oxidized iron with water and glue. In order to write with this tenacious, yet elementary ink, the scribe would submerge the point of a reed that by capillary action was able to absorb a small quantity of ink, enough to allow several characters to be written. This action was then repeated numerous times until the scribe completed his work: a task that followed writing through history until the end of the 19th century.

The evolution of the pen was a direct result of the development of the accessories of writing: from utilizing papyrus to parchment, and finally to the paper that we are familiar with today. The first writing instrument with a point similar to a nib, made from a papyrus stem, was created during the antique Greek civilization. This pen with a nib was constructed by first drying a papyrus stem and then cutting it on one side in such a way that the point (a flute?s mouth) results split in two from one opening so that the pen obtained had a better result in respect to that of the reed used by the Egyptians, even though it?s correct use required much practice with the instrument.

With the introduction of parchment paper, the goose feather pen surpassed that of the reed (straw) given it?s strength and flexibility. From the 16th century, this kind of writing instrument was commonly used thanks also to the introduction of paper. The feather that became individualized as the most suitable for writing was the most external one of the right wing of the bird, that is then naturally turned to embrace the hand of who holds it. The process of making the goose feather pen that was introduced by the Dutch was composed of two phases: during the first phase, the feather was buried for a short time under a layer of fine and very warm sand in order to dry it?s inner and external membrane; and then, it was immersed in a boiling solution of alum or nitric acid to strengthen the feather for future use.

Simone, a staff writer of http:http://www.penemporium.com , The Stipula pens direct online shop

Quality Fountain Pens

A fountain pen is often considered to be an extension of one's personality and as a result, is considered to be a very personal item. It is primarily because of this that for most fountain pen owners, the quality of the pen is of utmost importance. The quality of a fountain pen lies not just in its nib and how smoothly it writes on paper but also depends on the grip of the pen, its size and of course, the quality of materials used in manufacturing the exteriors of the pen.

The quality of a fountain pen is also reflective of its price. While most run off the mill ball point pens are cheaper and can be thrown away, a fountain pen inspite of not being very expensive is something that most people like to treasure. The price of a good quality fountain pen depends greatly on the quality of the nib. If the nib is made of gold or any other precious mineral, and is quite smooth to write, prices tend to be higher.

The other important features that determine the quality of a fountain pen are its size and ink capacity. Most buyers prefer pens of standard sizes that easily fit into their pockets but there are others who prefer to own pens of unique shapes, designs and sizes. While preference for a particular size varies from individual to individual, amount of ink that can be stored is of a particular amount which helps in maintaining standardization. Pens with plunger fillers or cartridges are considered to be of high quality as they have more ink storing capacity. Prices for quality fountain pens range between a few dollars to around $300 or more.

Fountain Pens provides detailed information on Fountain Pens, Fountain Pen Cases, Fountain Pen Refills, Fountain Pen History and more. Fountain Pens is affiliated with Fountain Pens.

Italian Fountain Pens

Even though fountain pens are manufactured all over the world, Italian fountain pens are considered to be unique and special. This is primarily because of the manufacturing techniques used in Italy as well as the special designs carved in the exteriors of the Italian fountain pens. The variety of shapes, colors and designs available is seemingly endless. Another special feature of Italian fountain pens is that they have a distinct national character which allows buyers of any Italian pen to identify the pen with the country. Initially, Italian pen making companies only targeted Italian markets by adding the nationalistic aspect to the purchase of any Italian pen. This nationalistic feature was usually not seen in any of the other pen making companies who catered to the world market and not just the home market.

The specialty of Italian pens lie in their exquisite designs and high quality nibs which separate them from other fountain pens. Most of the Italian fountain pens have gold nibs which certainly add style and elegance to the pens. The other unique feature of Italian fountain pens is that they were among the first ones to be produced with gold and other high quality metal exteriors.

Many of the famous pen manufacturers come from Italy, perhaps the most famous amongst them is Aurora which was founded in 1919 and is located in Torino, Italy. Another Italian pen making giant is Elmo-Montegrappa, founded in 1912 at Bassano del Grappa, in Italy, by the union of a German engineer Heinrich Helm and a Veneto businessman Alessandro Marzotto. Their pens are renowned the world over for their unsurpassed quality. Nettuno which was another Italian specialty is now marketed under Giardino Italiano.

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Discount Fountain Pens

Fountain pens are pens that give people not just the joy of fine writing but also serve as collectibles. Fountain pens are usually more expensive as compared to the regular run off the mill ball point pens. As a result, ball point pens are popular for daily use amongst people who cannot afford such expensive fountain pens for regular use. But the ranges of discount fountain pens available extensively, try to compensate for the lesser amount of sales of such expensive fountain pens, by bringing down their prices considerably.

These discount fountain pens can be found either in exclusive pen shops or online stores. Some of the pens are also auctioned at prices that are much less than their original prices. In fact, it would not be wrong to say that one's web browsing abilities can get him/her some decent deals. Discount fountain pens usually make available the new range of fountain pens at a subsidized rate for a certain amount of time. In this way, people who enjoy collecting new and different types of fountain pens can pay less and add another number to their collection. Discount fountain pens make fountain pens available to a large number of people who otherwise might not be able to afford them. These pens are usually within the price range of $50 to $150.

Good discounts are usually available only for certain types of pens and the more expensive ones made out of gold, platinum and silver or the elegant, high quality ones are rarely included in the list unless of course, it is a stock clearance sale. This certainly does not mean that discount fountain pens available are not of good quality as they work quite well for many years.

Fountain Pens provides detailed information on Fountain Pens, Fountain Pen Cases, Fountain Pen Refills, Fountain Pen History and more. Fountain Pens is affiliated with Fountain Pens.

Making Fountain Pens

Fountain pens have been manufactured ever since the 18th century. However, with improvements in science and technology, the manufacturing techniques too have undergone significant changes.

There are many phases involved in the making of fountain pens. First, large bands of metal are fed into automated machines to stamp out small circles. These circles of brass are then shaped into the pen parts by compressing the metal into various moulds, to provide it strength and durability. This process produces each specific pen part. The parts are then cleaned properly so as to remove the excess oils used in this process called stamping.

The cleaned parts then go for cutting. In this stage, the stamped-out barrels and caps are cut to the exact measurements of each particular pen. Even though this is an automatic process, some pieces are cut by hand operated machines. From the cutting stage, the metal pen pieces next go on to the polishing stage. The barrels and caps are placed on spindles and pass under circular polishing brushes to remove oil used during polishing.

After this process, the top line pens go to receive gold or platinum plating on various parts, while the other pens go directly to the nib fitting stage. For the top line pens, nib making is a highly specialized, manual process while for normal pens it is usually automatic. The nib metal is fed into a presser that compresses the metal and this gives the nib a tapered thickness whilst developing the spring of the nib. The tip is then coated with a mixture of hard metals and the ball is manually welded into the nib. It is then cut to create the forks that are later calibrated after being engraved. Most pen makers even make the non metal parts of the pens in their factories along with the ink cartridge bodies.

Fountain Pens provides detailed information on Fountain Pens, Fountain Pen Cases, Fountain Pen Refills, Fountain Pen History and more. Fountain Pens is affiliated with Fountain Pens.

Limited Edition Fountain Pens

Limited edition fountain pens are superior varieties of pens that are not commonly available. Only a specific number of such pens are produced in order to maintain exclusivity. These pens are usually collectibles and are commonly in the possession of pen collectors or pen museums. They are generally more expensive than the regular fountain pens, as the latter are produced for usage by common people. For limited edition pens, every aspect of the pen is carefully looked into. Starting from the outer covering of the pen to the high quality nibs and special ink reservoirs, every material used in the making is class apart.

To maintain their exclusivity, various big pen making companies have their own range of unique limited edition fountain pens. These pens are made of all sorts of unique materials, ranging from the seats of various ball stadiums to specially hand crafted gold, silver or platinum moulds. There is an authentication that comes with each pen so as to ensure that they are genuine.

If one was to buy a Yankee stadium pen, made from the seats of the stadium, it would cost around $125. Similarly, a pen from Polo grounds and Fenway Park would cost around $150. While pens made from the seats of Comiskey Park, Atlanta Fulton City and the Baltimore Memorial are priced at $95, pens made from the seats of the Milwaukee County stadium are approximately $80. This range of limited edition fountain pens is not manufactured by all pen makers but by only a few top notch pen making brands.

Limited edition fountain pens are for those people who like to use pens that have their own individual identity, are exclusive and give the joy of fine writing as well.

Fountain Pens provides detailed information on Fountain Pens, Fountain Pen Cases, Fountain Pen Refills, Fountain Pen History and more. Fountain Pens is affiliated with Fountain Pens.

 

Platinum Fountain Pens

Platinum fountain pens have their exteriors made of platinum. Their cap and body are plated with platinum so that the pen and the nib do not tarnish. Certain platinum fountain pens also have platinum cases in which they are placed to provide them extra protection. The inner mechanisms of these platinum fountain pens however, are the same as the ordinary fountain pens. These pens are usually equipped with converters and fillers of international standards so that any ink or cartridge can be used.

The platinum fountain pen sets are excellent gift items, for they can also be personalized. The name of the person to whom it is being gifted, or a logo of the special occasion, is often engraved on them. Such engravings are usually available for a minimal additional cost. Apart from being gift items, platinum fountain pens are collectibles as well. Many people who collect pens have antique and vintage platinum fountain pens. As a result of their platinum bodies, these pens can withstand enormous pressures and are unaffected by weather changes and hence, remain intact for years to come.

Platinum plated fountain pens are made by all major pen producing companies but are somewhat limited in edition as they are more expensive than the regular fountain pens. Prices of these platinum fountain pens, not just depends on the amount and quality of platinum used for the outer body but also on the material of the nib. In case of gold nib, the price automatically shoots up. Prices also depend on the accessories which are sold along with the pen like pen stands that may also be made of platinum, platinum ink pots and platinum plated pen cases. These pens are not available freely in the market and are usually either auctioned or produced on demand.

Fountain Pens provides detailed information on Fountain Pens, Fountain Pen Cases, Fountain Pen Refills, Fountain Pen History and more. Fountain Pens is affiliated with Fountain Pens.

Antique Fountain Pens

The first practical fountain pen was patented by Lewis Waterman in 1884. Fountain pens were the first kind of pens to be used by men. However, the oldest surviving fountain pen belonged to a Frenchman named M.Bion dated to 1702. Antique fountain pens are prized possessions and are collector's items as they are extremely unique. Most of the antique pens are very expensive as they are very rare and are not easily available in the market. Antique fountain pens as a result of their age need special care and handling techniques. These pens usually have ink filling mechanisms and differ greatly from the modern fountain pens.

The cost of these antique fountain pens depends greatly on whom they belonged to and what material they are made up of. Other factors like the quality of the nib and the material used for the nib also help determine the price. In case, the nib is made of gold or silver, the prices automatically rises up a great deal. As most of these vintage pens have a history behind them, their prices rise accordingly as the demand becomes too high. In spite of being expensive, these pens are very popular amongst people who enjoy writing with fine pens and who have a passion for collecting pens belonging to different periods. The prices of these pens also depend on the case in which they are kept. If the cases are made of gold or silver or some high quality metal and are hand crafted, then the prices tend to be quite high.

These rare fountain pens are not sold at wholesale outlets and are usually found in flea markets or old curio shops. One can purchase antique fountain pens through the special dealers dealing in antique pieces. Various websites also offer a range of vintage antique fountain pens and through a good search; one can purchase them at strikingly low prices.

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The War Of High Quality Writing Instruments ? The Fountain Pen

High quality writing instruments have been around for centuries and continue to exist; from the first pencils in 1584, to the quill pen, to the reign of the fountain pen from 1925 to 1940.

These high quality and highly functional writing instruments were being made around the world in beautiful styles and with an elegance and class not previously seen in a writing instrument.

The early fountain pens were not effective at providing a consistent and even supply of ink. You would have either too much ink which caused blots or too little which caused skips.

In 1870 Waterman developed a 3 channel feed which meant the ink flow was controlled during writing, making the pen a choice as a portable writing instrument. Today collectors refer to these pens as eyedroppers because of how they were filled.

Eyedropper pens leaked because the caps didn?t fit really secure and the joint became worn from use, so in 1907 Waterman came up with a solution. It worked like a lipstick tube with a barrel that twisted and a point that could retract into the barrel. It was called the safety pen. These pens remained popular well into the 1920s.

Parker and Sheaffer developed their own advancements; Parker with the button filler and lever filler, and Sheaffer with similar systems that also included what was called a blind cap.

During the war the pen market continued to grow at an incredible rate. Pens were made from ebonite or vulcanite, which was a hard rubber material that was very easy to work with. Pens were decorated with engravings, swirls of color, wood grain, and even mottled colors. Black was the most popular base color but sometimes other colors were produced, especially red. The high quality pens had 14k solid gold points and gold pocket clips.

Men?s pens were had a clip, while ladies were slightly smaller and had a ring top so they could be attached to a chain, a vest pocket, or a watch chain.

But competition was fierce and quality writing instruments were everywhere, so to stay competitive the manufacturers were forced to produce a pen that had fashion appeal. So along came pens such as the Duofold with its striking red orange colors, Bakelite, tortoise shell, and horn.

Sheaffer introduced a line of pens in 1924 that were made from celluloid which were an instant hit even though they were expensive. Within 5 years they were the #1 selling pen. Celluloid was available in unlimited colors and patterns which made it perfect for the Art Deco times and styles.

Many of the pen manufacturers ran into trouble during the 1930s but Parker, Wahl-Eversharp, Waterman, and Sheaffer all kept their heads above water and Parker did especially well.

In 1932 Parker introduced a vacuum filler system which eliminated the need for an ink sack. Parker continued to work towards new innovations and in 1941 introduced the fast drying Parker Superchrome ink which required some design changes to their pen.

Sheaffer created two filling systems; the touchdown and snorkel which remained popular into the 1960s. In fact just recently they have been reintroduced to the market. Waterman introduced the disposable cartridge for the fountain pen and perfected it during WWII. But the final achievement in fountain pens belongs to Parker who in 1956 introduced the capillary filling system.

High quality writing instruments have been demanded by civilization for centuries. It?s interesting to follow the changes in design that have occurred over the centuries and what we once considered high quality, compared to what we now consider high quality writing instruments.

Gray Rollins is a featured writer for PensCenter.com. To learn more about fountain pens and other fine writing instruments, visit us.