Today I’d like to show you a small pen set that once belonged to my grandmother. For me it’s very special because of the stories and memories connected to it, even if I don’t use the pens a lot.
Here’s a video version of this post:
This pen set is very likely from the early 1960s, when my grandmother bought it as a gift for my grandfather.
The two pens, a fountain pen and a ballpoint pen, are made by Montblanc – this is a German pen company that was founded in Hamburg in 1906. How fitting that my grandma bought this set when she was also living in Hamburg.
Their products, including both of the pens that I own, have a cute star logo, which is supposed to be the snowy mountain cap of the Montblanc, the highest mountain of the Alps.
The fountain pen is a Montblanc 22 – it has a piston mechanism with a blue ink window lined with gold that can be refilled directly from an ink well. The 14 K gold tip is nice and has a fine to medium line.
I remembered the last time it felt a bit scratchy, so I gave it a good clean with Rohrer & Klingner fountain pen cleaner, and it’s much better now.
I seldomly use the fountain pen because I don’t want to break it, but I thought for this occasion I should do a small sketch to show you. I chose to draw ivy – a plant that my grandma liked and sometimes put into a vase next to more colorful flowers.
I filled the fountain pen with emerald green ink from Diamine, a regular fountain pen ink. I don’t want to take risks with fancy waterproof ink in this vintage pen.
The fountain pen has a very smooth ink flow and it creates beautiful marks. It took me a bit to loosen up and be more playful with the lines and marks, but I ended up with a lovely expressive sketch of an ivy vine.
The ballpoint pen still works, too. I’m not sure about the model or the name of this pen. But it takes big refills and has a nice weight when you hold it. What I like most about it is its clever mechanism for protecting shirt pockets: when you clip it to your shirt (as people and certainly my grandfather habitually did in the 1960s), the tip retracts automatically. So you never end up with a dirty shirt pocket.
My grandma used this ballpoint pen to the very end for her crossword puzzles, it was her favorite pen and she regularly asked me for refills. She had fond memories about how her husband used it back in the day. Since she outlived him by many years, I always think about the pens as hers.
I’ve done a few sketches with the ballpoint pen as well, it took me a while to get the hang of it. As you probably all know, ballpoint pen ink feels a bit sticky when you write with it. I found it interesting to draw with, you have to build up dark values, and I like that you can produce very subtle marks with it.
My grandmother gave me the fountain pen and the small case a few years ago as a gift, and after her death in 2021 I reunited the two items with each other into the small leather case it came in. To me this pen set will always be part of the life story of my grandparents, and an item to remember them by.
Julia, Thank you so much for this endearing story and inspiring video. As so often, your blogpost is uncannily synchronous for me as I’ve recently rediscovered my Granddaddy’s Esterbrook fountain pen from the 1960s and have been enjoying getting it working again and using it. He was a scientist with exquisitely tiny handwriting so the nib of his pen is extremely fine. There is an old saying about understanding someone by walking a mile in their shoes. Writing with his fountain pen gives me deeper insight into his character and brings back fond memories. Isn’t it amazing how well-made such everyday writing utensils from the mid-twentieth century were? With a bit of care, they’ll be useful for years to come. Your drawings are lovely and inspire me to see what my Granddad’s vintage pen would like to draw. Thank you! Best wishes, Laura
What a beautiful rediscovery, Laura, and that’s indeed a coincidence! I’m also a big fan of vintage writing tools (I wish I still had my mom’s technical pens, but they were beyond rescue), and of course the personal connection and the memories are what’s most valuable.
Felices Fiestas Julia!
Thank you Julia for sharing about the pens you inherited as well as the fun sketches. My Oma and Opa also have a pen set in an orange case. I haven’t been able to use it yet but one day I hope to do so.
That sounds exciting, I hope the pens will work!
This is a beautiful, wonderful post, full of memories and legacy! How special to have your Grandmother’s fountain & ballpoint pen to use in your art work. Pen writing and drawing is such a joyful part of my everyday, I will plan to make a leather case for my special dip pen & glass pen to pass on to my boys one day! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you very much Karen! And that is such a wonderful and thoughtful idea you have.
What a special set of pens to cherish! I have been trying to be more intentional with choosing higher quality items (when I am in need of buying them) so that I can hopefully pass them along to my children or grandchildren! Your post was a timely reminder to value quality over quantity to be able to really appreciate the item. Thank you!
Thank you! Yes, I’ve been thinking a lot about throw-away products vs. higher quality items, too, even though I don’t have children. At the very least I can try to really appreciate and use the tools I have.
How precious is this pen set and so glad you got it out to demo for us. I’ve come to the conclusion that I do not have things and stuff, I have memories; so many of the things that “clutter” my life and others would wonder why I haven’t tossed them have stories behind them tying them to people and events, and so I can’t bear to part with them.
That is a wonderful way to look at it, thank you! Although I’ve also let go of things in the past that were connected with memories and people. But I think I will never give these two pens away.
What a delightful post and what a treasure to have from your grandmother. I especially like the emerald green ink and the celebration of the ivy – a symbol of something enduring and evergreen, like a beautiful memory.
Thank you dear Constantina. I was thinking of your delightful ink drawing with the birds and brambles when I created this small sketch the other day!
I loved this post!
A lovely story and the drawing is beautiful. Thank you for posting this.
Thank you Helen!
Hi Julia,
Thanks for sharing this story. I have a couple of vintage fountain pens inherited from my father and I didn’t really thought I could sketch with them without the need of putting waterproof ink. So I will give it a go thanks to your post.
Both the plant and the bird you draw turned out so beautiful… thanks for the inspiration!
Have a nice holiday time!
Adriana
I have always loved the way fountain pens keep pace with my thoughts when I write. Recently I started using a fountain pen for drawing, and I liked the feeling.
Thank you for sharing your grandmother’s pen with us.
Dear Julia,
Thank you for you recent post, I had checked my email and spam folder several times because I thought I had missed your monthly newsletter. I always look forward to them, but when I hadn’t received one, I thought you are busy with family or something serious happened. Clearly the latter did but fortunately now you can rest and recover. I understand when you go through something suddenly, you need time and quietness to recover. A similar situation happened to me last September and I had to cut off a lot of activities to rest. Thankfully my sketchbook became my therapy in the evenings, and reading your blog inspired me to go back outside and work. I also got back into Journaling since that time which help me a lot.
I pray that would Jesus heal and bless you completely by His grace, love and power. Thank you, Jenny
Julia, so happy you’re back! I’m always lifted & inspired by you! Last year, your demo of drawing with fountain pens (& the vintage pen of your grandma!) compelled me to start a collection of Kaweco Sport & Liliput pens What fun! My very first fountain pen was an Osmiroid in 1966, given to me in high school which infused my schoolwork and journaling with pure joy & enchantment. Synchronistically, two days before your current blog appeared, I spent time fully cleaning some of my Kaweco pen collection for Spring nature journaling. What perfect timing to see your return blog! Thank you for the shared art gift of YOU! I am newly inspired & grateful!