Soennecken Ruby Web No. 110 and No. 125 Fountain Pen & Self-Propelling Pencil Set, Germany 1950s

Offered for your consideration is this exceedingly rare and beautifully preserved 1950s Soennecken fountain pen and matching self-propelling pencil set.

The set comprises a Soennecken model 110 piston-filling fountain pen and its matching model 125 mechanical pencil, both fashioned from exquisite Ruby Web striped celluloid and complemented by elegant gold clips and trim.

The depth and movement of the Ruby Web pattern are particularly striking. Rich ruby-red tones are interwoven with darker linear markings, creating a finish that changes subtly as the instruments are turned in the light.

Both the model 110 fountain pen and model 125 pencil were manufactured by Soennecken in Germany specifically for the Swiss market. They were among the company’s last writing instruments to be crafted from true celluloid, and Ruby Web is widely considered by collectors to be the most desirable version.

The fountain pen features its original solid 14K gold Medium nib.

Its exceptionally flexible character responds readily to variations in writing pressure, allowing pronounced line variation and enhanced personal expression in handwriting. The result is not only an exceedingly rare collector’s pen, but also an unusually expressive and pleasurable writing instrument.

The matching Soennecken 125 Self-Propelling Pencil accepts readily available 1.1 mm leads.

This rare matching set remains in excellent vintage condition.

The fountain pen has been serviced and fully tested and is functioning properly. The mechanical pencil has likewise been tested and operates correctly.

The Ruby Web celluloid is beautifully preserved, and the original Soennecken brand imprints remain crisp and clearly legible.

Neither instrument bears a personal engraving, and there are no cracks or other damage

In the United States, Parker, Sheaffer and Waterman are among the most familiar historic names in fountain pens. In Germany and throughout Europe, Soennecken occupied an equally prestigious position as one of the foremost manufacturers of writing instruments and office equipment.

The company traced its origins to the writing society founded by Friedrich Soennecken in 1868 to promote the Rundschrift, or round-writing system, which he had developed by the age of twenty.

This represented a radical departure from the distinctly Germanic Fraktur script then in widespread use, favouring instead the clearer Antiqua style derived from the Italian humanist tradition.

Soennecken also designed steel nibs ideally suited to his new writing method. At one time, Soennecken nibs were the writing instruments of choice for Friedrich Nietzsche and Franz Kafka.

The Soennecken company was formally established in Bonn in 1875, when Friedrich began producing his own nibs, inkwells and instructional books devoted to the penmanship system he had created.

The business prospered rapidly, and by 1883 a new three-storey building had been constructed to accommodate approximately forty employees.

Friedrich Soennecken also invented the ring binder and hole punch, two indispensable office articles that remain in everyday use. The company subsequently expanded into office furniture and developed an extensive range of writing and office products.

By 1890, the fountain pen had become one of the most important articles in the Soennecken range. Successive models followed, including the company’s first safety pen in 1905. During the following decades, Soennecken continued developing new designs and filling systems, establishing itself alongside Montblanc and Pelikan as one of Germany’s foremost manufacturers of fine writing instruments.

Following Friedrich Soennecken’s death in 1919, the company passed to his son Alfred, who successfully maintained production despite the inflation, currency depreciation and material shortages that marked post-First World War Germany.

The Second World War devastated the combined work of two generations of the Soennecken family, with both of the company’s Bonn factories completely destroyed.

Nevertheless, in 1945 Alfred Soennecken and his son, Alfred Jr., gathered together members of the former workforce and successfully resumed production. The historic company continued manufacturing until 1967.

Produced during this final post-war chapter, the present model 110 fountain pen and matching 125 pencil unite Soennecken’s distinguished craftsmanship with one of its most beautiful celluloid finishes. Their exclusive Swiss-market status, exceptionally desirable Ruby Web pattern and remarkable state of preservation make this a particularly important surviving Soennecken set.