A few months back, I read Moscow, December 25 1991 by Conor O'Clery, the story of the last day of the Soviet Union and what had led up to it. It's an interesting account which gave me some new insights into what had happened. People who were not already adults at the time may not grasp just how startling it was to see the disintegration of the old "Soviet bloc", followed by the Soviet Union itself.
What does this have to do with fountain pens? Nothing at all. However there is a small tie-in with another type of pen. As Mikhail Gorbachev was preparing to sign the decree which would dissolve the USSR, he tested the pen he had been going to use, a Soviet made felt tip. It wouldn't write. He asked around to see if anybody had a good pen. CNN president Tom Johnson reached into his jacket (nearly causing an overreaction from the security guards) and handed over his Montblanc ballpoint. After the signing, Gorbachev almost walked off with it, but Johnson reminded him, and got it back.
A photograph shows that the historic pen is now on display in the "Newseum" in Washington DC. Does anyone know of any other pens in museums? Pens used to sign historic treaties or decrees, pens that just belonged to famous people? Perhaps pens that just show "what people wrote with back then"?
What does this have to do with fountain pens? Nothing at all. However there is a small tie-in with another type of pen. As Mikhail Gorbachev was preparing to sign the decree which would dissolve the USSR, he tested the pen he had been going to use, a Soviet made felt tip. It wouldn't write. He asked around to see if anybody had a good pen. CNN president Tom Johnson reached into his jacket (nearly causing an overreaction from the security guards) and handed over his Montblanc ballpoint. After the signing, Gorbachev almost walked off with it, but Johnson reminded him, and got it back.
A photograph shows that the historic pen is now on display in the "Newseum" in Washington DC. Does anyone know of any other pens in museums? Pens used to sign historic treaties or decrees, pens that just belonged to famous people? Perhaps pens that just show "what people wrote with back then"?