Pen as a modest investment
January 1, 2009
The Humble Fountain Pen
There’s definitely something appealing about the classic and old fountain pens although one is not quite sure what. It may be that they seem to capture something of the charm and elegance of a bygone era.
Within the general scope of ‘rare and scarce collectables’ pens may be thought of as having an advantages in as much as they are not solely just another type of collectable item, not just for looking at or keeping in a display cabinet, they are ‘usable’ distinctive and a pleasure to own and use.
When our Fountain Pen Emporium website was launched, on the home page we comprised a brief introductory write-up in which we make reference to the fountain pen when looked at as an affordable form of modest investment.
In the light of today’s total collapse of financial institutions, how true this has proven to be.
Indeed, by comparison with investment in the stock exchange market, where somebody else takes control of your modest investment.
The humble old fountain pen has long proven to be a safer self managed type of financial investment than stocks and shares are ever likely to be.
A particularly favoured model for investment is the early Japanese Dunhill Namiki pens primarily the maki-e pens. The earlier the models, the more desirable.
Another favoured model of investment are the limited edition pens.
Firstly, they are lovely to own and as an added bonus, they will appreciate in value.
Little Dorrit by the renowned novelist Charles Dickens (B.1812 – D.1870)
Mr Merdle – The crooked banker
A recently televised production of Dickens story Little Dorrit equates well with recent events, history repeats itself.
The tale revolves around money and greed which parallels today’s credit crunch remarkably well.
An unscrupulous banker, equivalent of the modern day corporate fraudster is portrayed by Mr. Merdle, who’s greed and speculative fretful investment gambling finally squandered his clients money.
One of the main characters in the drama is Arthur Clennam, one of several former investors who after entrusting his fortune fell victim and faced financial ruin as a result of the banker’s greed for easy money.
In those early Victorian times the punishment for failing to pay creditors was severe;
Arthur was arrested and jailed in the Marshalsea debtor’s prison after being sentenced to remain imprisoned until such time as his debts may be cleared.
Arthur was eventually saved from total despair and financial ruin by Amy Dorrit, the loyal woman who stayed with him despite his ill fortune and Daniel Doyce his former friend and business partner.
Singapore, WW2 and a Fountain Pen
May 28, 2008
Last Battle of Singapore
What might the subject of a fountain pen have to do with the battle fought at Pasir Panjang Ridge Singapore in 1942! … well nothing really except perhaps for a rather remarkable coincidence which brought me to the allied forces cemetery at Kranji, a short walk from the MRT station near Woodlands district.
As I walked up to the main entrance I became more increasingly aware of the imposing ambient quietness and serene atmosphere, as though telling me that this is a most special place.
The commemorative cemetery at Kranji is immaculately kept, a virtual forest of neatly spaced headstones with lawn pathways between rows, my thoughts were “how did I get myself into this and how am I going to find the resting place of a certain English second lieutenant who was assigned to the Malay Regiment”.
I had never heard of this last ditch battle where a Malay Brigade together with a second loyal British regiment stood firm although undermanned against a fanatical onslaught of 13,000 attacking Japanese in the Last Battle of Singapore.
That is until an elderly member of the New Zealand World War Two Veterans living in Christchurch N.Z. sent me his gold plated Conway Stewart pen.The outcome of this resulted in a series of on-going exchange email correspondence and a telephone conversation with the veteran soldier in New Zealand, which coincided with one of my many visits to Singapore to spend some time with my Singaporean relatives in law.
I had been uniquely privileged by his former soldier friend who survived and made his home in New Zealand to find this headstone and lay a note of remembrance with flowers in his name on his behalf.
Sure enough after some searching I eventually found this English soldiers grave headstone.