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Pens In World War Two


WanderingAuthor

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.....the situation in Germany was not that different from that in the USA .......

Hello David

You are one of the very few participants of the very early fountainpencommunities here and possibly you can remember the legendary posting from Will Thope at Pentrace from 2004. He told a story when he was stationed in the barracks of Bamberg/ Germany. The situation at the troops seemed to be totally different from Germany. Nice and fascinating to read and, possibly, a little bit refreshing for this discussion.

Kind Regards

Thomas

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Of course. If those airmen had just stuck with pencils, we wouldn't be living with the regrettable consequences of their scriptorial choices today.

 

Which is, I believe, what the Russian space programme did, while NASA went chasing off after Fischer Space Pens. Mind you, the Russians would have had to invent a zero-G pencil sharpener.

 

"Pencil jams, cosmonaut in spin" - Krokodil

 

There is a article somewhere around the Net on the Fisher "Space Pen." AIR, it goes something like this,Fisher developed it with his own money. No Governement money was involved. There are potentially fatal problems with graphite wood cased pencils in an oxygen rich atmosphere with electrical circuits. The Russians bought Fisher Pens for their space flights as soon as they were available and continue to use them.

 

Having used pencils, fountain pens, ballpoints, rollerballs, etc., my "desert island pen" would be a Fisher.

 

OT, considering the price of fountain pens and the history of pencils, I would be very supprised if any country had fountain pens as a military stock issue during WW2. I cannot think of a justification over pencils and dip pens with inkwells.

YMMV

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We've been hearing about the usefulness of pencils, but I'd like us to hear it for typewriters, too. When we hear such words as "soldiers" and "war" we immediately think of some lad in uniform, in a combat zone, under fire, cowering in a foxhole, hidden behind a rock, inside a tank that might turn into a fiery furnace at any moment. Most people in armies and navies are not in those circumstances. The inefficiency of modern bureaucratic life is such that for one person in what might be termed the fighting army or navy, fighting and very far from a desk, many more, and the number will be a frighteningly large multiple, will be nearer to desks than to flying bullets.

 

A typewriter is a great deal smaller and lighter than a 155-mm. howitzer. Far more portable. And cheaper. The ships that today have computers coming out the ears had their share of yeomen with typewriters during World War II. This is not a very military view of war, and I'm not saying my cousins got out of that war unscathed, but army camps and naval bases and air force bases ran on clerk-typists. Except for the relative minority who were at the sharp end, typewriters were very practical and widely used. Not for GI Joe writing letters home to Mom and Dad and The Girl He Left Behind, but for doing much of the actual business of war.

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Greetings. I've belonged to the forum for a long time but have never posted. So please bear with me. I read the thread with interest and was surprised that no one brought up "writing sets". These, as magazine ads show, were marketed for those in "service" and/or specifically to appeal to a branch of the military. Waterman in particular had coloured ads with pictures of soldiers and nurses. Parker often had airmen ads, Carter [inx] had merchant seaman ads etc. I have quite a few. I am Canadian (trying to add to my Parker Arrow collection} hence my sign in name.

 

I have various examples of the 'military clip' pens that were the main solution to fear of a sloppy pocket in the USA. Let us not forget that in civilian life gold caps and arrow clips etc. were visible jewelery. More Parker 51 caps were sold than pens. To compensate for this leather pen cases or pouches were a little more upscale. And great gifts for those in service. I've noted the increase of pen ads around Xmas, including the war years. I have, with my wife's help, included pictures of 7 examples of such sets. The Wartermans Service set is most common. Army brown leather usually with a Commando stle pen and pencil in tiger-eye brown and gold. The Morrison's Military Writing set is the only one I've ever seen, the art deco lizard stripe pen and pencil in the case have Eclipse nibs. I assumed this to be a later addition until I discovered the connection between Morrisons and Eclipse. The pen dates from the late thirties and the chateline ring on both pen and pencil would normally make this a woman's pen, however in size it is a man's. Maybe made to attach to a chain or dogtags, definitly not a pocket pen.

 

The Parker RCAF case is my favouite. I am ex RCAF reserve having started as an air cadet. You can see it is the RCAF crest. not the current tri service. Pens for it should be blue right. This one has both the scarcer blue vacuematic, most often in ads and a back up blue striped duofold set. I have often shopped in PXs {Canexs} in Canada and in Germany, pens were staples.

 

The nurse's sets in white pearl were not confined to the war of couse but were advertised with the military sets. The pouch in all the Canadian Watermans sets include pen, pencil, and thermometer (Montreal hospital}, American sets often have a pen for red and one for black as do some of the Esties. The white leather cases readily discolour however these are pristine as I've used leather cleaner on them as you do with military webbing.

 

As to some of the comments about dip pens and ink wells I have a Canadian General's field set but that is WW1, and a couple of ship's inkwells, these of course have wide bottoms to accomodate the rolling sea. Pencils were no doubt the most reliable in the field. As a note I have an extensive pen and ink collection, all from the wild never having bought from Ebay, many items gifts and with them reliable stories, like" my Dad had this in the war". Now I'll see if I can make my first post.

post-10792-0-39364700-1298821848.jpg

post-10792-0-09731000-1298821873.jpg

post-10792-0-16499700-1298821901.jpg

post-10792-0-45708500-1298821919.jpg

post-10792-0-34419200-1298821940.jpg

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Greetings. I've belonged to the forum for a long time but have never posted. So please bear with me. I read the thread with interest and was surprised that no one brought up "writing sets". These, as magazine ads show, were marketed for those in "service" and/or specifically to appeal to a branch of the military. Waterman in particular had coloured ads with pictures of soldiers and nurses. Parker often had airmen ads, Carter [inx] had merchant seaman ads etc. I have quite a few. I am Canadian (trying to add to my Parker Arrow collection} hence my sign in name.

 

I have various examples of the 'military clip' pens that were the main solution to fear of a sloppy pocket in the USA. Let us not forget that in civilian life gold caps and arrow clips etc. were visible jewelery. More Parker 51 caps were sold than pens. To compensate for this leather pen cases or pouches were a little more upscale. And great gifts for those in service. I've noted the increase of pen ads around Xmas, including the war years. I have, with my wife's help, included pictures of 7 examples of such sets. The Wartermans Service set is most common. Army brown leather usually with a Commando stle pen and pencil in tiger-eye brown and gold. The Morrison's Military Writing set is the only one I've ever seen, the art deco lizard stripe pen and pencil in the case have Eclipse nibs. I assumed this to be a later addition until I discovered the connection between Morrisons and Eclipse. The pen dates from the late thirties and the chateline ring on both pen and pencil would normally make this a woman's pen, however in size it is a man's. Maybe made to attach to a chain or dogtags, definitly not a pocket pen.

 

The Parker RCAF case is my favouite. I am ex RCAF reserve having started as an air cadet. You can see it is the RCAF crest. not the current tri service. Pens for it should be blue right. This one has both the scarcer blue vacuematic, most often in ads and a back up blue striped duofold set. I have often shopped in PXs {Canexs} in Canada and in Germany, pens were staples.

 

The nurse's sets in white pearl were not confined to the war of couse but were advertised with the military sets. The pouch in all the Canadian Watermans sets include pen, pencil, and thermometer (Montreal hospital}, American sets often have a pen for red and one for black as do some of the Esties. The white leather cases readily discolour however these are pristine as I've used leather cleaner on them as you do with military webbing.

 

As to some of the comments about dip pens and ink wells I have a Canadian General's field set but that is WW1, and a couple of ship's inkwells, these of course have wide bottoms to accomodate the rolling sea. Pencils were no doubt the most reliable in the field. As a note I have an extensive pen and ink collection, all from the wild never having bought from Ebay, many items gifts and with them reliable stories, like" my Dad had this in the war". Now I'll see if I can make my first post.

 

So neat! Thanks for posting this - the photos look fantastic! :thumbup:

Dum spiro spero -- Cicero

 

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/5642/postcardde9.png

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Yes, this is great information. Thanks!

My Quest for Grail Pens:

Onoto The Pen 5500

Gold & Brown Onoto Magna (1937-40)

Tangerine Swan 242 1/2

Large Tiger Eye LeBoeuf

Esterbrook Blue-Copper Marbled Relief 2-L

the Wandering Author

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I've belonged to the forum for a long time but have never posted. So please bear with me. I am Canadian (trying to add to my Parker Arrow collection) hence my sign in name.

Hey, Canuck. That was pretty good, for a first post. Nice sets. I've got a few Canadian ones as well. So you like Parker Arrows as well, do you? Take a look at this thread.

 

http://kamakurapens.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=1469

 

George Kovalenko.

 

:ninja:

rhrpen(at)gmail.com

 

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and what about the other side?

do collectors ever encounter Pelikans

with that certain symbol on them?

liber librum aperit ~

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and what about the other side?

do collectors ever encounter Pelikans

with that certain symbol on them?

 

Why single out Pelikan? There were a number of German pen manufacturers - and, as far as anything I've heard, no special connection between the Pelikan company and the Nazi party (or any other German pen company, as far as I know). Obviously, anyone could have bought a pen in Germany and had it engraved with whatever they wished. So I'm not suggesting it would be impossible to find a Pelikan so engraved. (For that matter, someone could have bought an American or British or French pen before the war and had that engraved with a swastika or whatever.) But there is a difference between individual owners choosing to buy a certain pen and then have it engraved, and a link between a particular company and the NSDAP.

 

But I am wondering why you mentioned Pelikan and no other German companies. Was it simply the only German pen maker that came to mind, or do you know something I don't?

 

(Yes, I do have a fondness for Pelikans. And although I certainly don't expect that they never sold pens to Nazi officials, or even the NSDAP or German government itself - after all, they were a German company and could hardly have refused, I would be disconcerted to discover any sort of "special relationship" existed, if that should turn out to be true. But I've never seen even a hint of such a thing, and I've read enough to suspect I would have noticed.)

My Quest for Grail Pens:

Onoto The Pen 5500

Gold & Brown Onoto Magna (1937-40)

Tangerine Swan 242 1/2

Large Tiger Eye LeBoeuf

Esterbrook Blue-Copper Marbled Relief 2-L

the Wandering Author

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I seem to remember reading that Hitler used a montblanc, now THERE'S a writers edition that wont be made any time soon...

politician and idiot are synonymous terms - Mark Twain

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I seem to remember reading that Hitler used a montblanc......

Yes, and he loved cap top becaus it reminds him on the David Star......

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and what about the other side?

do collectors ever encounter Pelikans

with that certain symbol on them?

 

Why single out Pelikan? There were a number of German pen manufacturers - and, as far as anything I've heard, no special connection between the Pelikan company and the Nazi party (or any other German pen company, as far as I know). Obviously, anyone could have bought a pen in Germany and had it engraved with whatever they wished. So I'm not suggesting it would be impossible to find a Pelikan so engraved. (For that matter, someone could have bought an American or British or French pen before the war and had that engraved with a swastika or whatever.) But there is a difference between individual owners choosing to buy a certain pen and then have it engraved, and a link between a particular company and the NSDAP.

 

But I am wondering why you mentioned Pelikan and no other German companies. Was it simply the only German pen maker that came to mind, or do you know something I don't?

 

(Yes, I do have a fondness for Pelikans. And although I certainly don't expect that they never sold pens to Nazi officials, or even the NSDAP or German government itself - after all, they were a German company and could hardly have refused, I would be disconcerted to discover any sort of "special relationship" existed, if that should turn out to be true. But I've never seen even a hint of such a thing, and I've read enough to suspect I would have noticed.)

 

no particular connexion I know of between the birdie and the boys in brown—

and certainly eight out of every ten words I write is written with a Pelikan...

 

I mentioned the brand because I have seen its pens from that era come up for auction on Ebay

on a few occasions in recent weeks, and know from years of accompanying a triggerhead friend to gun-shows,

that the Hakenkreuz had an insidious way of turning up on all sorts of hardware and ironmongery—

liber librum aperit ~

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Don´t get angry or incidious: let´s keep an academic tone here. This topic is vere interesting.

Write, write, write. Use your pens not your fingers !!!

 

 

 

 

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/5642/postcardde9.png

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Sorry, I wasn't angry, and wasn't intending to insult anyone.

 

I was curious, as I stated - and I did mention it was possible Pelikan was simply the only company that came to mind. I also felt it was only fair to mention my own bias; I would hate to think of Pelikan in that light.

 

And, yes, I do know that the Nazis seemed to like to mark up everything they could get their hands on. I'm sure, if those with better taste haven't had the marks removed, there are Pelikans out there with such engravings. Much as there are sure to be pens from other companies similarly marked.

 

I will confess, I didn't think of the one explanation which seems to be the case, that the poster simply noticed old Pelikans because those are the pens he's interested in. I can understand that. :) I'd love to afford a few of those beauties... :puddle:

My Quest for Grail Pens:

Onoto The Pen 5500

Gold & Brown Onoto Magna (1937-40)

Tangerine Swan 242 1/2

Large Tiger Eye LeBoeuf

Esterbrook Blue-Copper Marbled Relief 2-L

the Wandering Author

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.............. there are Pelikans out there with such engravings. Much as there are sure to be pens from other companies similarly marked.

............

So show me a pic and I tell you where it`s made

Thomas

Edited by Kaweco
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a little lazy research online brought up a cute detour,

 

http://www.welt.de/print/die_welt/wissen/article12169101/Beruehmter-Fueller.html

 

an article in Die Welt about the Parker 51, which, according to Thomas Delikat,

was the pen handed to the Mikado's representatives with which to sign the Japanese

capitulation at the end of WWII—

 

the Americans took this pen with them wherever there was something that might be surrendered...

and the Germans are familiar with it as well.

 

 

 

~

Edited by auslese

liber librum aperit ~

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I have a letter from my grandfather to my grandmother that I have recently discovered. He was in the British Royal Artilliary, but frequently got attached to other units because he wasn't very good at doing what he was told.

 

The letter was dated 'October, somewhere in Italy', so I presume it was 1943. In it my grandfather appologises for how faint the ink was, and asks 'Can you send me some ink for my Onoto? I cannot get any here.'.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

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So show me a pic and I tell you where it`s made

 

Thomas;

 

I don't have any pens engraved with that particular symbolism. It would be a total spoiler for me; I could never use a pen marked in such a way.

 

I just assume, knowing how eager various Nazis were to emblazon practically everything they owned with the symbols of their allegiance, and how easy it was for any owner with the means to have pens of the period engraved to their taste, that there are or were many such pens. And that the markings may have nothing at all to do with the sympathies of the pen manufacturer.

 

Much as I am no admirer of the Nazis and their atrocities, I think it is important to draw a distinction between individuals and organisations that were deeply involved in these things, and others who simply had the misfortune to be caught up in terrible events they could not control. And I have never seen anything to suggest that any pen manufacturer I know of was linked to the Nazi party in any particular way.

My Quest for Grail Pens:

Onoto The Pen 5500

Gold & Brown Onoto Magna (1937-40)

Tangerine Swan 242 1/2

Large Tiger Eye LeBoeuf

Esterbrook Blue-Copper Marbled Relief 2-L

the Wandering Author

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I have a letter from my grandfather to my grandmother that I have recently discovered. He was in the British Royal Artilliary, but frequently got attached to other units because he wasn't very good at doing what he was told.

 

The letter was dated 'October, somewhere in Italy', so I presume it was 1943. In it my grandfather appologises for how faint the ink was, and asks 'Can you send me some ink for my Onoto? I cannot get any here.'.

 

Richard;

 

While it isn't relevant to the main question ;) I am a former professional genealogist, and so always alert to any possibility evidence might be misinterpreted. If this letter holds any significance in relation to your family history, I'd caution you not to get too attached to your assumption that it was written in 1943. There were certainly units in Italy in October 1944 as well. Of course, other references might help you pin this down, but at the moment, you know the month and one of two years, but not which year it might have been.

 

I'm sorry if you find this correction pedantic - but I know of cases in which such assumptions have been made, and the result has been to keep someone from finding records of vital interest to them, because they are looking in the wrong year. (Say your grandfather had mentioned news he'd received in his last letter home that so-and-so was born not long before. If you needed or wanted to find that birth record, and kept looking in 1943 when it was really 1944... People have searched in vain for decades in situations like that.) It may not matter in your case, but just in case, I thought I'd better point out the possibility.

My Quest for Grail Pens:

Onoto The Pen 5500

Gold & Brown Onoto Magna (1937-40)

Tangerine Swan 242 1/2

Large Tiger Eye LeBoeuf

Esterbrook Blue-Copper Marbled Relief 2-L

the Wandering Author

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