Fountain pens were once almost as ubiquitous as ballpoint pens are today and, naturally, an entire industry of complimentary accessories catering to the fountain pen lifestyle grew alongside them. Some frequently encountered items include inkwells and blotters. Blotters are an interesting lot, designed to absorb excess ink and thereby prevent smudging. This can be a necessity when writing with liquid ink, depending on the paper upon which you are writing, especially if you do not have the time to let the ink dry naturally. Rudimentary blotting agents going back to the early days of writing included sand, clay, and even salt. Pounce, a fine resinous powder made from various materials such as ground bones, was frequently utilized to prevent the unintended spread of ink. Blotting paper was an accidental discovery of the early 1800s. The prevailing lore is that a worker in an English paper mill failed to add sizing to a batch of paper. Sizing is a substance used to reduce paper’s tendency to absorb liquid when dry. Consequently, the unsized paper produced in that batch was discarded. When someone tried to write on a piece of the discarded scrap paper, they found that it rapidly absorbed ink, making it unusable for writing, hence the birth of blotting paper. As fountain pen technology improved, blotting paper would become an essential companion, a fact that Pelikan was well aware of and exploited in an interesting way. Keep reading to learn how Pelikan turned an artist’s whimsy into an advertising gold mine.

Blotting paper quickly proved superior to the powders of the past owing to the fact that it was economical, portable, and easy to use. By the 1800s, rocker blotters were being introduced. In its basic form, the rocker blotter was a handle attached to a curved surface upon which an absorbent paper could be affixed. These blotters would be “rocked” over text such that the paper would absorb the excess ink. The rockers could be made from common materials and be very plain or come in exotic and whimsical forms, depending on your taste and level of wealth. Of course, the rocker wasn’t necessary for the sheets of blotting paper to be effective, and the soft sheets of absorbent paper were often used sans rocker. Following the Industrial Revolution, industry and machine manufacturing would replace the agrarian and handicraft economy. In that environment, it did not take businesses long to see the paper blotter, an item as abundant as the fountain pens they supported, as a medium par excellence for advertising.

An example of a rocker blotter made of walnut from the good people at Good Made Better

The humble paper blotter would quickly morph into the advertising blotter, a perpetual promotion of a company’s products or services placed in front of consumers around the clock. These papers were in the home, at the office, and in the schools, as common place as any other item of daily life. Perhaps the best part is that they never had to be purchased. These blotters were given away as readily as business cards are today, free for the taking. The earliest blotting papers were gray with a coarse texture. During the nineteenth century, higher quality papers would come to be used, produced from cotton rag, paper made using cotton linters or used cloth rags, giving it a superior strength and durability when compared with wood pulp based paper. These came in a variety of colors such as blue or gray, but it is pink that was most commonly found owing to the type of cotton used. Businesses would print their desired imagery on one side while the other side could be used and re-used for the daily business of ink blotting. Banks, merchants, and insurance companies would use these heavily and examples featuring advertising staples ranging from pin up girls to Mickey and his band of friends can be readily found. Fountain pen manufacturers were not ones to overlook an opportunity, especially one that aligned so well with their business interest.

Blotting paper came in various colors with pink being one of the more predominant shades. Note the appearance of a well used blotter shown to the right

If you were to tear blotting paper, you would notice fibers along the edge which is characteristic of cotton rag paper

Advertising blotters for the Spanish market, created and signed by Callein Scheller

In the case of Pelikan, nowhere was this more aggressively pursued than in the Spanish market. Vendors selling Pelikan’s wares, depending on the size of their order, would be supplied with a number of 3.5×5 inch (9x13cm) cards which they would then hand out to customers. The cards were labeled “Papel Secante,” the Spanish term for blotting paper, and were frequently printed or stamped with the retailer’s address and phone number. This helped vendors develop customer loyalty while allowing Pelikan to advertise their merchandise. Pelikan’s advertising blotters were printed by Grafos S.A. Barcelona, a graphic arts company founded in 1934. Based on the available anecdotal evidence (e.g. a shop window display from 1947), the concept that found its way onto these cards was already established by the late 1940s and likely continued through the 1960s. Pelikan’s Spanish campaign was rather unique and a touch more fanciful than most. Their strategy targeted the vagaries of childhood, advertising the brand to children learning to write with pen and ink. To accomplish this, Pelikan would enlist the services of Callein Scheller, an artist who would give life to their advertisements.

On the left is a photo of a shop window display that was taken in Spain during the Sumer of 1947. The blotting paper on the right depicts the same image seen displayed on the poster in the shop window

Callein Scheller (depicted to the right, working in his studio) was a German born artist of the twentieth century who lived and worked in Barcelona, Spain. Little is documented about the man’s professional exploits and even less is known about his personal life. We do know that he was active in the arts during the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. Mr. Scheller worked in several mediums including screen printing and oil on canvas. His screen printed urban and rural landscapes showed tremendous depth and a sense of timelessness. Examples include works like “Ordino” and “Andorra.” Perhaps he is best known for his silk screen copy of the “Pantocrator of San Clemente de Tahüll” which he created in 1961 on the occasion of the International Exhibition of Romanesque Art.

Shown left to right are “Pueblo en Andorra,” “Ordino”, and “Pantocrator of San Clemente de Tahüll.” Click an imaging to view the gallery

In addition to his work with screen printing, Mr. Scheller has a large number of oil on canvas pieces to his credit. Using wide and quick brush strokes, his works gave the Catalan landscapes that he painted a unique vibrancy. This can be seen in pieces like “Pueblo,” “Pueblo de Montaña,” “Casa En La Costa,” and “Barcas En La Costa.” A review of his work published in 1941 exclaimed, “And his hand, all nerve, bravely fixes what the eyes perceive, making his fabrics of rich vitality stand out for their expressive impressionism as well as for their intensity.” While these works haven’t historically fetched as much at auction, his style certainly is pleasing to the eye.

Along the top, from left to right, are “Casa En La Costa,” “Pueblo,” and “Pueblo De Montaña.” Below those is “Barcas En La Costa.” Click an image to view the gallery

On November 23, 1947, “La Casita Encantada,” a children’s doll show based on stories from the brothers Grimm and adapted by Mª A. Sardá, premiered at the Cúpula del Coliseum in Barcelona, Spain. Mr. Scheller was responsible for creating approximately 27 dolls and the set decorations which were used in a performance that was highly praised at the time. The dolls had a unique appearance and the stories that he brought to life likely informed some of his later work with Pelikan. The cartoonish scenes of fairy tales and mythical creatures that he developed for Pelikan likely drew from his expertise with the above mediums and only further serves to illustrate the depth of his artistic skill.

The original program from the 1947 production “La Casita Encantada” crediting Callein Scheller with the set design. While unsigned, the illustrations in the program look to be his work as well

A few of the 27 dolls that Mr. Scheller designed for the children’s doll show

During his affiliation with Pelikan, Mr. Scheller designed something north of 100 different motifs, a testament to such a prolific artist. According to Heinz Rings in his work Deutsche Werbegeschichte Am Beispiel Günther Wagner – Pelikan, 97,000 copies of each motif were printed in 1961. His output for Pelikan can be divided into three categories as best as I can tell. The first draws its inspiration from the collected works of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. The stories of Hansel & Gretel, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, and Puss In Boots in addition to numerous others would be brought to life at the hand of Mr. Scheller. Blotters featuring Grimm’s tales were largely devoid of specific products, focused instead on advertising the various Spanish papelerias.

Click an image to view the gallery

The second theme utilizes the imagery of children and pelicans. Cherubic boys and girls drawn in a Hummelesque style dance around a stately pelican or are featured interacting in a world with larger than life Pelikan products. That said, my son insists that they are just very tiny people in an environment of normally sized objects so you’ll have to pick your own perspective on that one.

Click an image to view the gallery

The third and most commonly encountered motif leans heavily into the mythology of the gnome. At least 84 different depictions of gnomes, most of them in a forest environment, are known. Perhaps it was his German heritage that informed the decision to heavily feature the gnome in his work. These “earth dwellers” are mythical creatures thought to live underground and were popular in German fairy tales. Gnomes were often described as old men who guarded treasure and were thought to provide protection. By masterfully weaving the gnomes and their environment with Pelikan’s products, Mr. Scheller created not only fanciful advertisements but endearing works of art. They would become objects of desire, collected by children much like baseball or Pokémon cards are today.

The signature of Callein Scheller that is affixed to the majority of his works, usually found in the bottom left corner. This was occasionally seen shortened as just the printed letters “CSCH” (seen on the first few blotters shown in this article by way of example)

The gnome themed blotters advertised a large number of items, usually with multiple products being depicted at once. Perhaps the most prevalent product was Pelikan’s fountain pen ink (tinta estilografica). Beyond that, there was a focus on erasers (gomas de borrar). Pelikan once made a number of erasers suited to different task, usually identified by their color. Some of the more popular lines advertised on these cards included the BR (blue-red) and DL (gray-white) models. These specialized erasers were designed so that half of the eraser would handle graphite and the other half would work on ink. Colored pencils (lápices de color) were another product wielded by the gnomes, used to draw or as elements in gnome architecture. Pelikan advertised their colored pencils as having break proof, strong colored lead. Also frequently seen was Peligom, a crystal clear, waterproof all-purpose adhesive for wood, fabric, leather, paper, cardboard, plastic, metal, and glass. It was an adhesive that was sold as ideal for use at home or with crafts. Peligom-S was a special quick drying version advertised for use in model building. Pelikanol was a white adhesive paste for use at home or in the office for gluing paper and cardboard. Finally, Goma Arabiga was Pelikan Gummi, a golden-yellow rubber cement used for paper and cardboard. The products advertised hit upon many of the things commonly used in the school and home environments.

Click an image to view the gallery

Mr. Scheller’s works would be revisited, likely sometime in the 1970s. A few, select images were chosen and released as a limited edition “nostalgia series.” The images were printed on a mirrored surface, each piece conforming to the A4 standard, measuring 8.27×11.7 inches (21×29.7cm). Each piece came enclosed in a simple wooden frame stained dark brown with a cardboard backing. The backings were stamped ref. A, ref. B, and ref. C along with a five digit number. At the bottom of the print the following inscription is found: “Reproducción de originales de secantes. Colección perteneciente a Pelikan S.A. Serie Nostalgia. Edición limitada.” The text roughly translates to reproduction of original blotters, collection belonging to Pelikan, nostalgia series, limited edition. It is unclear how many were made or how they were distributed but they can be found for sale on the used market from time to time.

Reproductions of Mr. Scheller’s original works that comprised the limited edition “nostalgia series” sold in Spain, probably during the 1970s. From left to right are ref. A 01213, ref. B 01255, and ref. C 00776

Finding commercial success in the late 1930s, the ballpoint pen would grow in popularity, dethroning the fountain pen and significantly plummeting the demand for blotting paper by the late 1960s/early 1970s. These blotters were so prevalent in their day, however, that they can still be found in abundance from online retailers throughout Spain. They’ve become collectors’ items, a catalogue and testament to the artistic stylings of Callein Scheller and a showcase of the various products Pelikan sought to put before consumers.

References

• “Advertising Ink Blotters.” Bowling Green State University. 2019. Last accessed 12/28/23.
• “Ink Blotters.” Pen Boutique. April 13, 2015. Last accessed 1/12/24.
• Klassman, Katy. “What Is An Ink Blotter And The History Of Ink Blotting.” Galen Leather Co. January 25, 2021. Last accessed 1/8/24.
• “La casita encantada” Recuerdos de ayer. April 20, 2023. Last accessed 2/3/24.
• Mellby, Julie L. “Advertise with blotting paper.” Princeton University. June 15, 2010. Last accessed 2/11/24.
• “Pelikan” Papelsecante.com. Last accessed 1/18/24.
• Rings, Heinz, Deutsche Werbegeschichte Am Beispiel Günther Wagner – Pelikan. 2015. Pages 64-67.
• Scheller, Mireia Ferrer “Copia serigráfica por Callein Scheller del Pantocrator de San Clemente de Tahüll” Scheller. July 15, 2014. Last accessed 2/1/24.
• Scheller, Mireia Ferrer “Secantes” Scheller. July 16, 2014. Last accessed 2/1/24.
• Scheller, Mireia Ferrer “Serigrafías” Scheller. July 16, 2014. Last accessed 2/1/24.
• Scheller, Mireia Ferrer “Óleos” Scheller. November 6, 2015. Last accessed 2/1/24.
• Scheller, Mireia Ferrer “Teatro de muñecos” Scheller. July 15, 2014. Last accessed 2/1/24.

**Please note that the art depicted in this article are all the original works of Callein Scheller**