Johnnie Walker Multi Pen

Well this will be my last posting for the year. Its coming up on annual Christmas (summer) holiday time here down under so I wish you all happiness and good fortune over the next month while I’m basically a non-blogger.

Consumption of the “The Water of Life” tends to go up at this time of year, so for those of you who like a sip or two, here’s a little something from Johnnie Walker to help pique your interests in pencils and whisky. I picked it up at a recent auction.

Johnnie Walker Multi Pen
Here we have the Johnnie Walker fountain pen. It’s plastic, but with a woodgrain appearance. I don’t know its age, but I’m guessing it’s from the 1960’s or so. It sort of feels “average” quality, which is what you'd probably expect from an advertising freebie give-away. There are no indications of manufacturer, except it does have “Made in England” pressed into the barrel. (England? - Doesn’t seem entirely appropriate for Scotch whisky.)

The Johnnie Walker name and logo are printed on the barrel in gold.
As is the by-line “Born 1820 – Still Going Strong”.
Now, pull the cap off that end, and put it on the other end and our fountain pen reveals that it is also a propelling pencil. You twist the tip to advance or retract the lead.

Advertisement 5 - Norma 1950

Another old ad sent to me by Glen. This one is from the US magazine Esquire, April 1950. It’s for a Norma 4-colour pencil, a Norma Multikolor as they call it. Black, green, blue, and red. I don’t have a Norma so I’m not sure if the black was usually black, or “black lead” as in normal graphite. The sliders and tip look very similar to a couple of other old multi-colour pencils I’ve got. You push the relevant slider down to push out the tip you want, and then you twist the tip to wind the lead in or out of the tip.

I don’t think their claim of “The Versatile Pencil of Tomorrow” ever really came true.