A couple decades ago, it was easy to find fountain pens branded Ero in bookshops here in Indonesia. Surprisingly, it is now almost impossible to find about this brand in Google etc. However, a small research resulted in some stories about this brand.
It was Ernst Rodenhäuser, a German pen maker who operated a small factory in Ober-Ramstadt, who started the manufacturing of Ero pens. While the exact founding date remains unknown, it is estimated to be prior to 1954. Ero pens were known for their affordability and were typically crafted from plastic materials. They commonly featured a piston filling system and bore the manufacturer’s name as their primary marking. While most models were fitted with steel nibs, some boasted gold nibs. Ero pens were highly regarded for their exceptional build quality. Limited information exists regarding specific models and production quantities. Notably, Ero pens shared similarities with the Rodur brand, which may have been introduced around the same time.
One of my first fountain pen was an Ero. I cannot even remember now, whether the pen actually belonged to my father, that I then kept using it without even let him know; or whether it was a gift for me for some ocassion. I just remember, it was a green Ero fountain pen, and I filled it with blue ink from a big Quink bottle.
But then my brother showed me an attractive thing: an Ero instrument of both fountain pen and ballpoint — an Ero Two-in-One! I needed some time to save some money to buy that pen. But at last I have it, and it was a true miracle: I could write with my passion using the pen’s nib; but I could also write in non-ink-friendly papers using its ballpoint end. Surely I preferred to use the nib, since it was cheaper for me to just refill the ink (from the giant Quink bottle) than having to buy a ballpoint refill. The pen has a plastic barrel and M-size stainless steel.
This Two-in-One pen has only a piece of paper for its documentation. It only contains a direction for use, and the address of its manufacturer. For historical note, the address mentioned is: Eroplastic GmbH & Co KG, Postfach 1169, D-6109 Mühltal, West Germany. Hey, I used it before the German unification, for sure.
