 The book was launched in Zagreb,
Croatia, on Tuesday 2 October 2001, at the City of Zagreb Museum.
It was launched in London on
Sunday 14 October 2001 at The London Pen Show, held at Kensington Town Hall, London.Fountain pens and pencils have long been seen as desirable fashion accessories as well as utilitarian
writing instruments. From the early 19th century, innovative manufa- cturers have availed themselves of the most modern materials and techniques available to produce advanced writing instruments. When
the choice of materials was limited, pens were overlaid in silver, gold and enamel to provide variety. With the development of plastics in the 1920s, pens and pencils were produced in a growing range of brightly coloured designs.
Today, with our lives being dominated more by computers, e-mails and other
impersonal forms of communications, the use of a fountain pen has regained its popularity as its use provides an indication of character and individuality.
The development of pen collecting as a highly popular hobby throughout the world has been helped by the publication of a number of books dealing principally with manufacturers such as Parker, Waterman
and Sheaffer in the USA and, to a lesser extent, the UK. Recently, detailed monographs on the individual manufacturers such as Pelikan, Montblanc, Aurora and Omas have provided collectors with valuable additional information.
This book provides an in depth description of the work and legacy of one man, Eduard Penkala, and the Croatian pen company bearing his name – Penkala. The detailed text provides an insight into the work
of this inventor who was not only granted patents for novel pen and pencil mechanisms but who also improved the design of gramophone records and constructed the first plane in Croatia.
Supported by a wealth of original material including pen catalogues, factory inventories, company records, the fascinating history of the Penkala company is described in detail. Original advertisements
and the author's own substantial collection are used to illustrate the many models of pen which include bulb fillers, piston fillers and safety pens, mechanical pencils and the associated manufacture of nibs,
clips, and a full range of writing accessories. This book brings hitherto unavailable information to the pen collecting world and is an valuable addition to every enthusiast's library. Simon Gray
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