June 10th is Ball Point Pen day. In June of 1943 the Bíró brothers, László and György, became owners of US Patent 2,390,636 – better known around the world as the ballpoint pen. The Hungarian inventors’ new pen, inspired by the quick-drying inks used by professional printers, was as remarkable as the first fountain pen had been the century before. Ball Point Pen Day celebrates these intrepid inventors, and the often indelible mark they’ve left on the world at large.
Nowadays, their invention is the ultimate cheap and disposable product – writer Douglas Adams even imagined a planet containing all the lost ballpoint pens in the universe. Yet it was once a luxury product, available only to the rich. Ball Point Pen Day is a time to appreciate this rarest of things: a design classic that is affordable to almost everyone. They come in an incredible array of styles and designs, and a unique pen that suits the individual is available to people from every income level.
At their most expensive, ballpoint pens have come to represent the final stroke on a business deal, and it is not uncommon to find one in any given purse or portfolio. Signing a receipt for your purchase? You’re probably using a ballpoint pen. Need to fill out a check to pay for your utilities? Again, it’s probably a ballpoint pen you’re using to sign over the money.
Some of the most expensive ballpoint pens are made from carefully designed metal tubes, they even come in gold and silver! Not all ballpoint pens are disposable, some of them are refillable, just like the fountain pens. No matter how you look at it, the ballpoint pen has made an incredible mark on history and is part of every business in the world these days.
Some stores even mark the day with special offers and trade-in deals! Why not get a head start on Letter Writing Day, pick up a ballpoint pen, and make someone’s day with a letter or a postcard. You can get them in an array of colors or styles, so why don’t you stop and get one of your very own today? They’re perfect for writing letters, filling out guest books, or if you’re feeling particularly creative, you can even write on your skin! Let your imagination and creativity flow wild!
