I wonder if anyone else has the gut feeling that fountain pen use might be much greater in other parts of the world than the US.
Are there places in the world where kids are actually taught in school how to use a fountain pen ? Are there countries where writing with a fountain pen is still common? Are there places where a fountain pen is a symbol of prestege or power?
In the 1940's when I started school, we sat at desks that had a hole in them for an ink well. But, by then, the school(s) had already stopped using pens and were teaching us to write strictly with pencils.
Some of my older siblings who range to as much as 26 years older than me, learned to write using pen and ink (normally a dip pen not a fountain pen) and carried a fountain pen. My parents alwasy wrote letters with a fountain pen. Yet, I don't remember anyone from my years of work at IBM or my time in the navy who pulled out a fountain pen to write with.
I'm curious about this because there are so many folks who are making, and I assume selling, fountain pens. Are there that many pen collectors out there? Or, are there folks actually using them as their day in day out pen.
Are there places in the world where kids are actually taught in school how to use a fountain pen ? Are there countries where writing with a fountain pen is still common? Are there places where a fountain pen is a symbol of prestege or power?
In the 1940's when I started school, we sat at desks that had a hole in them for an ink well. But, by then, the school(s) had already stopped using pens and were teaching us to write strictly with pencils.
Some of my older siblings who range to as much as 26 years older than me, learned to write using pen and ink (normally a dip pen not a fountain pen) and carried a fountain pen. My parents alwasy wrote letters with a fountain pen. Yet, I don't remember anyone from my years of work at IBM or my time in the navy who pulled out a fountain pen to write with.
I'm curious about this because there are so many folks who are making, and I assume selling, fountain pens. Are there that many pen collectors out there? Or, are there folks actually using them as their day in day out pen.