Charm

To Paco-san, in Kanto.

I guess we all stylophiles start our love for fountain pens in the same way: we receive a fountain pen and by using it we feel something special. What it is we do not really know—we might never actually get to know. Then we might start collecting, or simply accumulating, some of those utensils in a semi-conscious way, looking for a more perfect pen, a richer flow, a smoother nib, a bigger ink deposit,… And suddenly we realize we have become collectors even if in denial, as I had said on a previous chronicle.

The next step, some say, is to narrow down our field of interest. A number of collectors adamantly insist on this—you need to decide what you look for, you need to structure your collection.

A well structured collection of Parker flighter pens.

Paco-san, however, claimed that every pen has its own charm. It is indeed difficult to turn your eyes away from most pens although some modern manufacturers are trying hard to create ugly pens at outrageous prices, but there is always the chance that that horrendous pen was the most perfect writer ever created…

Purple is the argument...

At the end, what I see is that many of us barely discriminate in our tools. Most of us do not have any real structure in our collection. And even if we tried, there is always that temptation we just cannot resist. We all have some Paco-san inside—we are ready to appreciate some charm in every single pen.

(Pilot Capless 1990 model with steel M nib – Diamine Teal)

Bruno Taut
April 20, 2011
[labels: estilofilia]