And now for something completely different...
Today's blog post is courtesy of new VPCer Kevin, who sent in some photos and text about a newly-acquired fountain pen last night...just in time for today's online show & tell :)
(all photos by Kevin ~ please click on images to enlarge)
Kevin's email begins with "Here’s something a bit different, not valuable at all, but a bit unusual."
He continues: "My father-in-law sent me a fountain pen he’d found in the back of a drawer, since he knew at least that I’d appreciate it. It turned out to be a promotional pen for Meccano."
"Looking at the nib, which clearly says Stypen, it’s likely made by the French company for the promotion."
"It’s a simple plastic construction except for a sprung steel clip on the cap, not unlike a paper clip."
"The cap itself has a capital M for Meccano on the flat top, and “Since 1928” screen printed along the side, as well as the enigmatic “SPECIAL NUMBER VOL. 1” implying perhaps it came with a magazine or catalogue or something. Perhaps it was a 50, 60 or 70 year commemorative give-away. I have no clue of the date."
"The barrel again has screen printing saying “MECCANO creative SYSTEM” and a little cartoon with “The MECCANO MODELS”, as well as the grammatically dubious “This gives you new sense of doing WRITE-UP future”, followed by perhaps the explanation '"Made in EUROPE” "
"It arrived all gummed up with a long-driedout short international cartridge. A little TLC under the tap with an ear cleaning bulb, and it was good to go. I had a cheap Jinhao converter (one of the 2.6mm throat “skinny” ones with the coiled spring ink agitator inside), and a sample of Robert Oster’s GoGo looking for a use, and we were all set for offsky."
"The nib looks like a cheap untipped steel affair with the ends bent inwards rather than over as is more common on cheaper nibs of this type. I was very pleasantly surprised that it is actually a very capable writer, and not at all scratchy. Not exactly gold nib standard, but for a “free” pen with a bit of as-yet undeciphered history, not a bad little acquisition."
Later that evening, Kevin sent me an update:
"Hi Maja… late update: “Stypen” and “FRANCE” are stamped on the clip I just noticed, so just in case there was any doubt… they didn’t just make the nib. 😊
I also found a different Meccano print scheme on the same model of pen dated 1980, so that’s likely the era it comes from - https://en.todocoleccion.net/old-fountain-pens/pluma-estilografica-stypen-meccano-anos-80~x88360514
Many thanks to Kevin for sharing this cool new acquisition with all of us! I love hearing about unusual fountain pens, and I'm sure many of you do, too :)
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