[Seven]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

An important part of the transitionary evolution, and the one that made permanent markers the implement of choice for cards: the ballpoint pen. For cards, they were far too temperamental, especially in an in-person, ballpark situation. Too many light signatures signed in too many dark areas. Many IP signatures were signed so poorly that they look more like indentations on the cardboard rather than autographs.

We also had the (thankfully) short-lived period of the flair pen, which ran concurrent with 1960's ballpoint all the way into the 1970's era when Sharpies started cornering a nice portion of the process.

Love them or hate them, Sharpies definitely earned their place. I agree with you that a period fountain pen signature is king, but they too could be temperamental. So many variables. Sharpies and the like are the most consistent for cards, so their staying power is quite understandable.

Really no form of medium for autographs is going to be 100% perfect. I will say that Sharpies are the most reliable but I just can't get on board with how they look, at least on cards.

A part of me does wonder, and I'm sure they exist, the amount of cards from the 50's that were signed using fountain pen? I would think some of them exist, for players like Mantle, Mays, etc. While the pens certainly fell out of favor, I'd presume that a guy like Mantle most likely grew up using a Fountain Pen. A part of me also wonders (as I wasn't alive), would people show up to shows in the 70's and 80's and request the type of pen a player would use on their item?