What Pen Did Bond Use?

[thatotherguy1]

[snip]

 

Nothing he owned was flashy, or intended to win the approval of others.

 

The distain he shows for the tastes of Auric Goldfinger and Hugo Drax (even before he realizes they are bad guys) demonstrates that he is not impressed with baubles and trinkets.

 

I just can't accept that Bond would have owned a flashy pen.

When referencing the people that Bond disliked at least partially because of their extravagance, one can't forget Scaramanga from The Man with the Golden Gun. Yes, it's true that Bond already knew about him prior to meeting them, but it isn't hard to tell that he disliked the flashiness of Scaramanga.

 

Bond may not have bought things to impress others or for their flash, but he did enjoy living well, driving fast, etc. For that reason (living like he was going to be dead tomorrow), I think that he would have bought the high-end option of the market from when he bought it, then used it. Assuming he bought his pen before the war, perhaps to commemorate some large accomplishment (maybe getting his Double Oh?), he would have gotten a flashy, art deco type pen because those were the top of the line at the time. He might not have bought it for its looks, but the looks came along for the high performance ride.

[sandy101]

Bond was a frequent air traveller and so a fountain pen of the time would be impractical as it would porbably leak everywhere. If Bond bought a razor in New York, he would probably pick up one of those new fangled Reynold's Rocket biros and a mechanical pencil. As an international spy, Bond was free of the constrains of rationing that continued in the UK after the war. This was part of Fleming's fantasy as Bond was doing stuff that the average Briton could only dream of - jet planes, eating hamburgers and so on.

 

Of course he might have a special issue pen with ink that was not waterproof - so that any secret stuff could be instantly removed by soaking the paper.

[Arkanabar]

In Never Say Never Again, Bond kills SPECTRE agent Fatima Blush with some oversized white fountain pen with a British flag on the cap, that shoots an explosive missile.

[Jamesbeat]

When referencing the people that Bond disliked at least partially because of their extravagance, one can't forget Scaramanga from The Man with the Golden Gun. Yes, it's true that Bond already knew about him prior to meeting them, but it isn't hard to tell that he disliked the flashiness of Scaramanga.

 

Bond may not have bought things to impress others or for their flash, but he did enjoy living well, driving fast, etc. For that reason (living like he was going to be dead tomorrow), I think that he would have bought the high-end option of the market from when he bought it, then used it. Assuming he bought his pen before the war, perhaps to commemorate some large accomplishment (maybe getting his Double Oh?), he would have gotten a flashy, art deco type pen because those were the top of the line at the time. He might not have bought it for its looks, but the looks came along for the high performance ride.

A very good perspective, I can tell you too are a fan of the novels.

 

You are quite right that he may well have selected a top-of-the-range pen, as he was known to buy with an eye to quality.

I thought maybe the "51" because it was the high-tech practical (yet still flagship) model, but I can see him buying something more old-fashioned but high-end too.

 

Another point to consider is the type of places he would have shopped.

He went to tailors and expensive department stores, so that may have influenced the types of pen he would have been exposed to.

[CAG_1787]

As previously mentioned, Fleming never records a specific Rolex model; he only records Bond as wearing an Oyster Perpetual watch, which refers to a Rolex classification that helped render it waterproof, and Rolex carried (and still carries) multiple OPs. Fleming himself was a fan of the more understated Rolex Explorer, which is likely what he had in mind in the books, as there's a reference to its "big luminous numerals" in OHMSS, and the Submariner doesn't have numerals, while the Explorer does. The Submariner has its roots in the Bond movies, and in the iconic scene where Connery as Bond looks at the Submariner on his wrist, the particular watch actually belonged to produced Albert Broccoli. However, on a Royal Navy officer with clear diving experience, it is completely justifiable.

 

In any case, to the original poster's question, I would assume that Bond would have adjusted with the times, from fountain pen to ballpoint to rollerball, always leaning towards the elegant and sophisticated side of practicality. In the Craig films, S.T. Dupont has shown up in cufflinks, so that could be a possibility, as they make pens as well.

 

 

[RNHC]

I second literary Bond carrying a ballpoint if he carried a pen at all.

 

Cinematic Bond wouldn't carry a pen at all.

[papabear16]

When referencing the people that Bond disliked at least partially because of their extravagance, one can't forget Scaramanga from The Man with the Golden Gun. Yes, it's true that Bond already knew about him prior to meeting them, but it isn't hard to tell that he disliked the flashiness of Scaramanga.

 

Bond may not have bought things to impress others or for their flash, but he did enjoy living well, driving fast, etc. For that reason (living like he was going to be dead tomorrow), I think that he would have bought the high-end option of the market from when he bought it, then used it. Assuming he bought his pen before the war, perhaps to commemorate some large accomplishment (maybe getting his Double Oh?), he would have gotten a flashy, art deco type pen because those were the top of the line at the time. He might not have bought it for its looks, but the looks came along for the high performance ride.

 

Fun topic! I, too, am a huge bond fan. And while I don't know my pen history as well as many others here, I think the above quote is pretty accurate. Bond bought the best, not because they were ostentatious or to impress anyone, but because he needed the best. (Not that Fleming always truly understood "the best," as can be seen by his preference for Turnbull & Asher shirts with cocktail cuffs, which Connery hated as impractical for fighting.)

 

So what would have been the best then? Well, I'd have tended to say a nice fountain pen of some sort, except that Bond had to fly a lot, and on short notice. So while he might have something appropriate for his black-tie dinners in London, his daily carry would have been something more and less exciting to this forum.

 

Which is a bummer, because I always certainly would have purchased Bond's pen.

[Orrell Post]

If Bond bought good stuff but used it for a very long time as indicated in previous posts he might have retained the fountain pen he used at school. Because of his age at time of writing he would have been taught to use a dip pen at junior school and encouraged to use a fountain pen in his last year by way of preparation for his move to 'senior' school at age 11. If 'state' educated this would have possibly been a Burnham, Osmioroid (the screw in nib section fitting the Burnham), Conway Stewart or Platignum. Mine was a Burnham, the lad who sat next to me used a Platignum. Perhaps someone knows what pens privately educated children used in the UK at that time, maybe the higher end of the same range. Parker became popular later when it overtook the other brands. Early ball points were leaky and made a mess of shirt and jacket pockets.

 

Just my thoughts.................

[Freddy]

He used a Parker cartridge pen.....Mike Nelson used a Rolex from 1958-1961..

and perhaps a Elgin Canteen once..or twice with a Mark ll Ka-Bar.................

 

Some folks believe Bond in Dr. No 1962..used a model 6538...aka

'James Bond Submariners'..........................

 

Fred

I'll be back next week at this time with another Sea Hunt story......

L. Bridges

[Gloucesterman]

In Never Say Never Again, Bond kills SPECTRE agent Fatima Blush with some oversized white fountain pen with a British flag on the cap, that shoots an explosive missile.

 

I'm pretty sure that in that movie the pen was a black Mont Blanc 149 with the "rocket cartridge in it.

 

Maybe I will have to go back and watch the movie again - :-)))

[papabear16]

This thread makes me appreciate this forum so much.

[erpe]

Being British more than anything else, I would expect a Conway Stewart or an Onoto.

[erpe]

Being British more than anything else, I would expect a Conway Stewart or an Onoto.

[torstar]

He could use the Ahab Noodler, accidentally burp out a string of poisoned ink.

[OcalaFlGuy]

Time for a slight reality interject.

 

Yeah, a CS would be appropriate.

 

However, the family that OWNS the Bond movies has been Ace's when it comes to product placement. It costs the manufacturers Big Money to have their items used by Bond.

 

CS never had enough money IMO to get their pens in any remotely modern Bond movie.

 

Now, S.T. Dupont might be a different story. It's the top shelf type item Bond would use. A Rolex isn't British.

 

I can see a miniature criuise missle firing S. T. Dupont right now.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl-not to mention STD could write That Big Check

Edited March 24, 2015 by OcalaFlGuy

[de_pen_dent]

Bond Would Have to use something by Conway Stewart.

 

 

Not if he wanted something reliable or high quality.

 

I'll say an older Montblanc - classy, understated, built to last. Pretty much the pen equivalent of a Sub.

Edited March 24, 2015 by de_pen_dent