It was on December 10, 1889, when George Parker was given his first ever patent for his fountain pen. This did not stop him from finding ways and means to develop his fountain pens and making them better in terms of quality. In the span of just 18 short months, Parker was given yet another 2 patents for his pens. At this point in time, his pens were considered much of an improvement in the industry as well.

It was in 1892 when Parker decided to partner with William F. Palmer. Both had been friends for quite some time, with Palmer being one of the successful insurance workers or agents at the time. With their partnership sealed came the rise of the Parker Pen Company. The next few years saw a lot of promise for the partnership, with Parker acquiring more and more patents for his pens.

One particular patent that caught the attention of many people in the market is that of the Lucky Curve pen, which was patented back in 1894. This pen was one of the first to make use of capillary action. What happens here is that the pen's design has been developed to prevent the warming of the ink when exposed to temperature from the grip of the fingers. Also, the curve helps in avoiding the ink from getting soiled, especially when the cap is removed. In 1898, the Lucky Curve pen was redesigned by Parker himself, making it an underfeed pen now, and giving it a more appealing appearance to the eye.

With the onset of the next century, the fountain pen was increasingly becoming a status symbol amongst the elite. This can be attributed to the fact that only the educated and the elite could read and write, thus, being the only ones who would have the need for a fountain pen. Having a reliable Parker Pen in tow is a strong indication that the owner is as educated as the elite should come. What's more, the underfeed fountain pens developed at the time came with gold nibs, making them all the more expensive to the sight. During the period of 1900 and 1915, Parker developed silver, gold, mother of pearl, or gold-filled fountain pens, which are now treated as collectibles in the industry.

It was also around this period when the Snake Pen was developed. This legendary pen was made of black rubber that was hard to the touch. The pen was eyedropper filled, and had a snake that was wound around the barrel and the cap. The snake came in either gold or sterling silver. The snakes also came with emeralds or rubies for their eyes. Truly one of the impressive collectibles you can ever find in the market.

But it was in 1906 when the company's Emblem pen was developed. This was the pen that first carried logos associated with secret societies. Have you ever heard of the Knights of Columbus? The Parker Emblem pen has carried their logo as well. Today, the Parker Pen Company can vouch for 60,000 logos that they have in their database. These logos are representatives of all sorts of businesses and companies around the world.

In 1921, though, the company launched yet another first in fountain pen history, the Parker Duofold. This fountain pen was quite oversized, bearing the bright color of orange. The Duofold was clearly a leap from the contemporary style and design that has long been associated with the fountain pen. But the public adored it, making the pen a huge success right then and there!

Today, the Parker Pen Company has expanded overseas, with branches in Canada and in England. The huge empire built by George Parker is definitely one that is here to stay, particularly in the fountain pen industry.



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For more than 120 years, Waterman pens have been regarded as premier fashion accessories, aside from being very reliable pens used by people of style and refinement.

When it comes to quality writing, Waterman pens are indeed one of the most coveted pens in the industry. Add to the fact that these pens come with so much style, and you will surely understand why there are so many people in the market who prefer the company's pens to other brands. The usage of the brand itself spells esteem and refinement for the user because of the French design and the prestigious quality that comes with all of their pens. When you give someone a Waterman pen for a gift, it would spell esteem for the recipient. The company was established way back in the year 1833, right in the heart of New York City, by Lewis Edson Waterman.

The company's pens are actually one of the select brands that came from the first generation of fountain pen brands ever. The company has survived the rigorus in the industry to this very day, under the name of Waterman S.A. This was actually a French subsidiary of the company back in the day.

Waterman is credited with instigating innovation with the improvements that the company brought to the basic design of the fountain pen. When meshed with aggressive marketing, it did not take long for the pen to become a mass-market object coveted by so many people all over the world. You may have heard about the foundation of the company is associated with a loss of insurance sales on the part of L. E. Waterman. This is actually a fabricated story, but nonetheless, is something that is worth mentioning since so many people have heard many versions of the story over the years. It has been told that Waterman used to work for an insurance company, as a sales agent. But when it came to signing contracts and such, it failed to furnish the prospective client with a reliable fountain pen, thus, losing the insurance sales in the end. However, this story holds no ground at all, and remains one of the many urban legends about the history of the Waterman Pen company.

What holds true is that the savvy, canny, and innovative business sense of L. E. Waterman is the binding force that the company can truly boast of.

The death of the founder in 1901 brought forth the next generation leadership, in the name of Frank D. Waterman. Being the nephew of the late founder, Frank was also exposed to his late uncle's innovative business sense. He did not waste time implementing even fiercer aggression, towards the expansion of the company in the world market. But the success did not last long because the company was forced to shut its doors in 1954. The company was revived by its original French subsidiary, now known as Waterman S.A.

Since this momentous revival, the Waterman pens have become more stable in the market, even garnering more sales than it used to. The following pens are considered trademarks of the brand: the Philias, the Edson, the Himisphhre, the Harmonie, the Expert, the Audace, the Liaison, and the Man 100. The Man 100 pen was released in 1983, to celebrate the 100th year of the company itself.



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