Kind of a long story - but it fits with Cars and Garages
The pen that may have changed the automotive industry....
I had the pleasure of spending five days last Sept. with Yoshihiko Matsuo. Mr. Matsuo was the Chief of Design in charge of Sports Car Styling Studio #4, Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. Japan between 1965 and 1974. He is the Designer of the Datsun 240Z.
As we were talking about all things related to the design, development and production of the Datsun 240Z circa 1969-1973, I ask him how he came to be a "Designer" in the first place.
Mr, Matsuo took out his pen {a Parker 21} and related the following story - - as he began to draw...Like most designers I've met, they can't talk without drawing pictures of the subject at the same time...
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{ I para phrase}
Mr. Matsuo said
When I was in middle school {grades 6-9 in Japan} it was after the war, around 1948-1951. Japan was just starting to recover from the horrible destruction of war, everything seemed so bleak. The Americans that were still in Japan however were not filled with hate for their former enemy, but rather filled with optimism for both their and our future. I wondered why.
From newspapers and magazines of the time - America seemed like a wondrous place. It seemed to be at the peak of American innovation and manufacturing. I saw an advertisement for the Parker 51 Fountain Pens. I was amazed!! The colors, the style, the shape, the materials - never before seen in Japan. What a wondrous and amazing place America was, to have so much talent that it could be applied to something as old and traditional as a fountain pen. {see DipPen3.jpg below}
Everything was so far ahead of the rest of the world in its design. All traditions and old ways of thinking and doing - seemed to have been cast aside. At that point I knew that is what I wanted to do - to become a Designer and help Japan catch up. From that point forward, I always tried to force myself to "rethink" everything I saw. I'd ask myself "if I were designing an item that performed the same function today - what would I do differently, how would I make it both do the function it was supposed to do and at the same time be so appealing that everyone would want one".
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About 15 years later, Mr. Matsuo had his chance to rethink the traditional Sports Cars of the 50's and early 60's. The end result was the Datsun 240Z. An automobile that many automotive historians believe changed the American consumers perception of Japanese Automobiles, from that of small and cheap transportation - - to that of world class design, engineering and performance. Thus making it not only acceptable to buy a Datsun or Toyota of the time.... but downright smart to get all the "value" out of your hard earned cash as possible.
As Mr. Matsuo finished telling us that story, I pointed to his pen and ask; "is that a Parker 51?" He laughed and said - "No no - this is a cheaper version, the Parker 21 - I could never afford the Parker 51 - it was much more expensive and better made. Metal cap instead of plastic, strong body, real gold plating...
When I returned home from our visit - I found a good Parker 51 Pen/Pencil Set on the Internet {Circa 1949} - and sent it to him as a gift. Mr. Matsuo is now a very young 75 years old. He is NOT a computer nor Internet user. He was amazed that I found such a rare item.
Where the Parker Pen's were the most innovative tools used to capture and exchange ideas among the masses 60 years ago - it is the Internet that is used to capture and exchange innovative ideas today.
FWIW,
Carl B.
That is something i will never forget!
