27 April 2014

past and present

I was born in the wrong time period, of this I'm certain.

However, I had the good fortune to encounter Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, Agatha Christie's mysteries and Robert Stevenson's Treasure Island at an early age, which were no doubt instrumental in preserving some part of my sanity.

Books and movies and television series set in the "here and now" hold little interest for me. Once in a very long while, I'll come across one that catches my eye, but that's extremely rare. At one point, my fascination with the past as depicted in 18th, 19th and early 20th century novels reached such a pitch that, while reading, I made lists of any furniture, everyday objects, foods and drinks, customs, habits and traditions mentioned... Dabbing vinegar on the forehead to relieve a headache – I find this utterly fascinating!

Much as I love such old-world concepts as hansom cabs, gas-lit streets, train travel, telegrams and church fêtes, I must resign myself to existing without them. There is, however, one old-fangled object that can be – and indeed is – part of my daily life: the fountain pen.

"Hang on," I can hear you think, "they still make fountain pens?" Yes! There's no need to spend a fortune on a vintage pen, as new ones are currently manufactured, in Germany and Japan for example, at a very reasonable cost (though some high-end or exclusive models can command astronomical prices).

Of course, a fountain pen is never going to be as cheap as a disposable pen. It also requires more careful handling; you really shouldn't throw a fountain pen around, carry it every which way, or drop it on the floor with impunity. And once the ink runs out, the pen has to be cleaned (or at least flushed out), then refilled, which can be a messy experience for the clumsiest among us. I've luckily avoided any major spills thus far, but I've accepted that ink-stained fingers are now inevitable.

So why use something that's both more expensive and less straightforward to use than just any pen you can pick up anywhere? It's probably fair to say that there are as many reasons as there are fountain pen users, so I'll tell you why I personally write with them.

Firstly, fountain pens are beautiful. Look at the photo below; can you think of a ballpoint pen that can rival this?

pens

Secondly, I enjoy writing – I mean the physical act of holding a writing instrument between my fingers and moving it across a smooth paper surface. Ordinary pens simply don't provide me with an enjoyable writing experience; they drag on the paper and cause my fingers to cramp, they cough up ink blobs... *shudder* A few years ago, I started experiencing joint pains in my elbows, hands and fingers, rendering it difficult for me to do simple things like make the bed or hold a jug of water. I had to take regular breaks from typing because my fingers would seize and refuse to straighten. As you can imagine, writing became very uncomfortable. However, a fountain pen nib glides on the paper without any pressure (in fact, applying pressure would cause damage to the nib), so it's possible to write for longer without hand fatigue or cramps.

Thirdly, although a fountain pen costs more at the time of purchase than a disposable pen, with minimum care and precautions it'll last for many years, replacing dozens of cheap plastic writing instruments that would end up in the trash. It's a good investment and it's better for the environment.

I suppose that for a paper fetishist (ahem), the fact that most fountain pen inks "force" you to use good quality paper to avoid feathering would be an advantage... 

There is also a quest of sorts involved in using a fountain pen. It's such a joy to find a pen that feels just right in your hand, that makes you want to write and keep on writing! I also love the amazing variety of inks available, in every colour and every shade imaginable. Testing multiple samples in the search for what will become your signature ink can be frustrating, but it can lead to unexpected discoveries. And while I do have a few favourites, I don't think I've come across THE perfect ink... yet.



I know this post is a little out of the blue, but I just thought I'd share my love of fountain pens in case anyone has an interest in this topic. If you have questions, I'll be more than happy to answer them to the best of my ability, and to point you in the right direction if necessary!

8 comments:

  1. I get this, totally. Inky fingers are a small price to pay for using beautiful implements.

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    1. Absolutely! And the ink stains fade in a few days anyway.

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  2. love them. I've been looking for one to replace the long gone specimens of my younger days. Any brand recommendation?

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    1. I'm writing a couple of posts about pens and inks that will be published soon, so stay tuned!

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  3. I learned to write with a dipping pen at a school desk with an inkwell, and moved on to fountain pens aged around 11. Preferred ink was usually very ordinary Quink, in black or dark blue, but teenage years saw a variety of colours - I think it sad that green ink is commonly associated with outraged letters of complaint from the slightly unhinged! The Gardener and I have quite a collection of fountain pens nowadays; current ink is Lamy, in a stylish bottle with a built-in coil of nib-wiping paper in the base.But so many papers aren't suitable, especially when writing cards, so I keep my good Parker ballpoint for those. However, I can see the deterioration in my handwriting after years of using a keyboard instead of a pen.....

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    1. Green ink doesn't seem to have that stigma here, which I'm very happy about since once of my favourite inks is a beautiful green.
      How lovely that you and Mr G. both use fountain pens! I've never tried Lamy inks, only pens, but have seen those very cleverly designed bottles. Sadly, not all ink manufacturers are so thoughtful when it comes to making their products user-friendly...
      Urgh, yes, greeting cards are made of the cheapest, most absorbent paper, so ballpoints are still good to have around. And you know, I could swear my handwriting has improved since I started using fountain pens!

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  4. Je comprends tellement ton amour des plumes! J'en ai acheté une il y a bien des années déjà, mais pas pour moi: ça a été le premier cadeau de Noël que j'ai fait à Éric. Il l'utilise pour écrire dans son Moleskine et pour ses séances de dédicaces. Depuis, il y a une partie de moi qui en est un peu jalouse; je ne m'en suis pas encore offert une, mais ça viendra bien!
    J'ai tout de même déjà un excellent stylo-bille, un Waterman qui m'a été offert par une amie avec qui je correspondais depuis des années. Elle avait pensé m'offrir une plume, mais ayant remarqué que j'écrivais toujours avec un stylo-bille (ça s'adonnait simplement à être ce que j'avais sous la main), elle a pensé qu'il valait mieux opter pour ce qui semblait avoir ma préférence. Bien que j'aurais eu du plaisir à essayer une plume, je suis vraiment heureuse d'avoir ce stylo: il écrit super bien (tellement mieux que les trucs jetables!), est agréable à tenir en main, et je peux le trimballer avec moi sans crainte de faire des dégâts... et puis, bien que ça fasse moins chic qu'une plume, je dois dire que j'aime effectivement écrire avec une bille, surtout une d'aussi bonne qualité. N'empêche, j'ai bien l'impression qu'un jour une plume fera son entrée dans la liste sélecte de mes instruments d'écriture préférés, ne serait-ce que pour le plaisir de trouver l'encre qui sera la mienne!

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    1. Oh, quel joli cadeau à offrir à un écrivain! C'est quelque chose de très personnel, car il y a une espèce de synergie entre la plume et la personne qui l'utilise... une incompatibilité est tout à fait possible! J'espère que tu auras la chance de trouver non seulement TON encre, mais aussi TA plume.

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