| It was on December 10, 1889, when George Parker | | | | fountain pens developed at the time came with gold |
| was given his first ever patent for his fountain pen. | | | | nibs, making them all the more expensive to the |
| This did not stop him from finding ways and means | | | | sight. During the period of 1900 and 1915, Parker |
| to develop his fountain pens and making them better | | | | developed silver, gold, mother of pearl, or gold-filled |
| in terms of quality. In the span of just 18 short | | | | fountain pens, which are now treated as collectibles in |
| months, Parker was given yet another 2 patents for | | | | the industry. |
| his pens. At this point in time, his pens were | | | | It was also around this period when the Snake Pen |
| considered much of an improvement in the industry | | | | was developed. This legendary pen was made of |
| as well. | | | | black rubber that was hard to the touch. The pen |
| It was in 1892 when Parker decided to partner with | | | | was eyedropper filled, and had a snake that was |
| William F. Palmer. Both had been friends for quite | | | | wound around the barrel and the cap. The snake |
| some time, with Palmer being one of the successful | | | | came in either gold or sterling silver. The snakes also |
| insurance workers or agents at the time. With their | | | | came with emeralds or rubies for their eyes. Truly |
| partnership sealed came the rise of the Parker Pen | | | | one of the impressive collectibles you can ever find in |
| Company. The next few years saw a lot of promise | | | | the market. |
| for the partnership, with Parker acquiring more and | | | | But it was in 1906 when the company's Emblem pen |
| more patents for his pens. | | | | was developed. This was the pen that first carried |
| One particular patent that caught the attention of | | | | logos associated with secret societies. Have you ever |
| many people in the market is that of the Lucky | | | | heard of the Knights of Columbus? The Parker |
| Curve pen, which was patented back in 1894. This | | | | Emblem pen has carried their logo as well. Today, the |
| pen was one of the first to make use of capillary | | | | Parker Pen Company can vouch for 60,000 logos |
| action. What happens here is that the pen's design | | | | that they have in their database. These logos are |
| has been developed to prevent the warming of the | | | | representatives of all sorts of businesses and |
| ink when exposed to temperature from the grip of | | | | companies around the world. |
| the fingers. Also, the curve helps in avoiding the ink | | | | In 1921, though, the company launched yet another |
| from getting soiled, especially when the cap is | | | | first in fountain pen history, the Parker Duofold. This |
| removed. In 1898, the Lucky Curve pen was | | | | fountain pen was quite oversized, bearing the bright |
| redesigned by Parker himself, making it an underfeed | | | | color of orange. The Duofold was clearly a leap from |
| pen now, and giving it a more appealing appearance | | | | the contemporary style and design that has long |
| to the eye. | | | | been associated with the fountain pen. But the public |
| With the onset of the next century, the fountain pen | | | | adored it, making the pen a huge success right then |
| was increasingly becoming a status symbol amongst | | | | and there! |
| the elite. This can be attributed to the fact that only | | | | Today, the Parker Pen Company has expanded |
| the educated and the elite could read and write, thus, | | | | overseas, with branches in Canada and in England. |
| being the only ones who would have the need for a | | | | The huge empire built by George Parker is definitely |
| fountain pen. Having a reliable Parker Pen in tow is a | | | | one that is here to stay, particularly in the fountain |
| strong indication that the owner is as educated as | | | | pen industry. |
| the elite should come. What's more, the underfeed | | | | |