An Amanuensis' Fountain Pen: The DNA of a Working Collectable

It is an ordinary Wednesday afternoon, and Robert is talking about a fountain pen.In speaking with Robert, one senses that he is usually a reserved individual, not prone to exuberance — but this item is clearly a source of enthusiasm. Some might look at Robert’s pen and blandly comment that “yes, it’s certainly a nice pen,” but they would be missing the point.This pen is meaningful. It has its own story, that has over time become part of Robert’s story too.An English Made Fountain PenHere is the moment to be precise. Robert’s pen is an English-made Parker Duofold Maxima fountain pen. It has survived seven decades and still serves its intended purpose. It is considered a collectable, and there is a market of specialists who would wish to acquire this particular pen — which makes this a fitting occasion to say plainly that this is not an appraisal, not an assessment of market worth. This is a much deeper, and arguably more meaningful, look at a seemingly everyday object. Better defined,…