Pens & Watches - when the feather is mightier than the sword

[Endicott]

Well, there was a similiar thread lately in a German board and I wondered what kind of writing instruments do other Hamilton collectors use. So please feel free to show your nice writing instruments.

It became a second collection hobby for me while still not that big like the watches, but good old vintage fountain pens are something I really enjoy.

An Eversharp Skyline in the grey moire color of 1946. The pen was designed by Henry Dreyfuss, the men who also is responsible for the pretty cool design of the 20th Century Limited train and in this way fitting to be used together with a "watch of Railroad Accuracy".

This time with the train as background:


A Sheaffer Balance in brown with the lifetime warranty (or white dot) from around 1939/40. It is one of the slim pieces. Sheaffer made them in different sizes, Ladies, Jr., Senior and oversized big pens. While brown striated is a very common color it is still a very nice coloration and this one writes really good.

The same pen in its full beauty:


A Sheaffer Balance Jr. from c. 1937/38 in the standard edition. This one is shorter (well its a Junior) with 12 cm (the brown one is about 13.5 cm). The coloration was called carmine red and is somewhat rare.

[David_Brett]

You have both pen and watch in contrast..
And both looking awesome , nice to have you.

[Endicott]

Thank you very much. Both are really practical things to be collected, since I could still use them during the everyday life. It also seems that I favor the things made in "good old america". Even my shaving kit for the morning came from the old days and was made in USA. But then the art deco had its nicest and longest devolopment in the USA and that is a style I really appreciate. Its a pitty that the USA changed so much during the last decades and tore down most of the good industries. But it happened here in Europe too with a slight exception in Germany. But then I think its also happening here but only a bit slower.

[HandyDan]

I really like your photographic style Markus. Your watches are very nice but your photos are very easy to appreciate in their own right..

[salleh]

....It was a very big deal to learn to write cursive,.....in the 4th grade, we all had to go out and get a fountain pen (cartridge pens were frowned upon, and unless you have been frowned upon by a steely-eyed nun, you ain't been frowned upon), and a bottle of washable blue Sheaffers ink, .....then, for the first few weeks of september, it was push-pull, push-pull, and circle, circle, circle, ...hold your hand up off the paper, so that it moved freely and your pen didn't drag .....

the people i felt sorry for were the left-handers, trying to aviod smearing the wet ink .....

yep, I learned Palmers Penmanship with a fountain pen in the fourth grade ....and used a fountain pen until I graduated from high school, rolling writers had yet to be invented and I hated ball point pens, still do for that matter.....

...I love those old fountain pens, some day I'll treat myself to one, I do find that red one verrrrrrry attractive ! ...I have only seen it in the brown ....

[hoqnishwhite]

Hi there..you clicked some real great shots out there of that stunning combination of watches and pens..i just loved the blend and that too with those gorgeous Hamilton's.

[Endicott]

Just couldn't resist. Still owning some more pens than hands to write with. But then, as with the watches, I need more arms to carry them all

[inatime]

I bit of an old thread for sure. But now that my watch collection has "matured" I am now finding myself collecting fountain pens as well. Mostly vintage like this 30s Sheaffer "Admiral" set with a few new ones thrown in for good luck. I like photographing my Avigo as it is such a beautiful watch! This was the second vintage watch my wife bought for me through Bryan that solidified my watch obsession.

[retroworx]

Great pairing.

I think watches + fountain pens are a natural fit — both fine mechanical instruments with opportunities for innovation and embellishment in the visual design.

[inatime]

Playing some more with pens and watches and photography. Our front breakfast room has the best light as it has windows to the west and south! Funny, this is how prepped for my actual day (espresso, piepan and 146).

[JerryT]

This Elgin Watch Co. photo from 1922 features their new C.H. Hulburd presentation model pocket watch. The picture appeared in Through the Ages with Father Time by R.R. Bailey.

1922.jpg (254.05 KiB) Viewed 1335 times