Before the invention of disposable ballpoint pens, fountain pens were the writing instrument of choice. They were expensive, and one might use the same fountain pen for years, so choosing one that fit your style and budget was important. When America still had an industrial base, there were hundreds of small manufacturers of fountain pens competing for business. Here is an ad from the late 1800s which is typical of the claims made by these now forgotten fountain pen makers:
The text of the advertisement reads:
“The Best is Cheapest
Crown Fountain Pens
Crown Gold Pens
-Received Highest Awards at World’s Fair, Chicago 1893
All Sizes and Styles / Every Pen Guaranteed
Crown Pen Co. Manufacturers
All Makes of Fountain and Gold Pens Repaired”