What is your most beautiful pen?

[junoro]

I have had mostly utility pens. Pens that write well, but look utilitarian (Pelikan M215, Lamy 2000, Vanishing Point etc.). As you can see most price around the $100 mark. But I want something of beauty. So what is your prettiest pen? I would like two answers, the first being at any price, the second is the prettiest below $120. Beauty is completely subjective so I might not find your pen as pretty as you, but I still want your opinions. Also pictures are nice if you got them, if not I can find a pic online.

[sjs]

The "Visconti Van Gogh Maxi - Sandal Red" is my current looker. Although I have my eye on a Nakaya or Edison, which beat the Van Gogh, imo. All of these are over $120.

 

I did get a Visconti Rembrandt for ~ $90, and that's very pretty.

[junoro]

How does the Rembrandt write? I like that one, but had not heard much about its writing. I want a van Gogh, just don't have the money for that right now.

[sjs]

My Rembrandt and Van Gogh write similarly. The M nib on both lays a very thick line. Thicker than any other M I own. They're nicely wet. The metal section gives them some heft. They balance very well unposted, and are big enough to do so comfortably. A very nice experience, in both cases.

 

Although, out of the box, both wrote poorly, and it was a few flushes and fillings before the flow was sufficient. But once they were "worked in," all was well.

[goodguy]

Thats easy, my most beautiful pen is my Visconti Camelot

 

http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u330/alfa170a/DSC01275.jpg

[Scrawler]

All my pens have some sort of beauty to them. Simply the fact of being my pen, makes them beautiful to me. I have no expensive pens at all. If I had to chose one single pen for visual beauty, I would probably say my $8 Waterman Persian, with a lovely flexible nib. I have a Mont Blanc 22 which is to external appearance simply a functional pen, with a flexible stub nib. However in use it has a feeling of elegance and beauty. Its beauty is not so much visual as other sensory. I also have a set of pens made of lead crystal, which catch the light and refract a myriad of colors. These are in someways just desk ornamentation, but they are smooth and ready writers that surprise. No one expects to see me uncap a shard of glass and write with it.

[tonybelding]

I also have chosen my pens for utility rather than looks. However, I did somehow end up with these. . .

 

http://zobeid.zapto.org/image/pens/triumph_01.jpg

 

Vintage 1940s Sheaffer Triumph desk set, brown-striped, plunger-fill, with the heavy bronze base.

 

http://zobeid.zapto.org/image/pens/reform_czar.jpg

 

http://zobeid.zapto.org/image/pens/reform_czar%202.jpg

 

Reform Czar with 14K nib, brass body, marbled metal-flake copper lacquer.

 

Neither of these was an expensive pen. I just lucked out, I guess. Triumph desk sets pop up all the time on eBay, although not often as nice as the one I snagged. Good luck finding another Reform Czar, though. . . I've never seen another one anywhere. I doubt whether many were made before Reform went kaput.

Edited March 2, 2010 by tonybelding

[junoro]

I love the Triumph desk set. Triumphs have been one of my favorite pens since I discovered them. I have two one a ebay find but in terrible condition the other is beautiful but in need of repair. I did not know the desk sets existed I'll have to keep my eyes open for one.

[holgalee]

I desperately searched my mind, and you know what, I don't have a beautiful pen! I have elegant ones, cute ones, interesting ones, even strange smelling ones. But pretty ones? Nada. I need to go pen shopping! LOL.

 

Someone looked through a loupe at my Pilot Custom Heritage 91 and declared it has a very beautiful nib with curvy shape and curlicue engravings. Does that count?

Edited March 2, 2010 by holgalee

[Keye Skware]

I'm not trying to be egalitarian for the sake of rhetoric here, but I think the most beautiful pen I own is the one I happen to be using at the moment. Well, not right this moment because I have a purple Pilot Varsity sitting in front of me, but you know what I mean.

 

This mainly speaks to my taste in pens. I prefer very understated designs. The most colorful pen I own is a beautiful marbled Edison Pearl. I love the look of my black Esterbrook SJ as it lays on top of my black Moleskine notebook. It's very simple and clean.

[Doug Add]

Difficult choice for most beautiful between the lapis Parker Duofold Sr., the sapphire Namiki Impressons, the burgundy Parker Duofold Jr., and the three auroloide Aurora Optimas (blue, burgundy, green).

 

To settle on one, I will select the green Optima. It also has the distinction of being the pen I have had in continuous use longer than any other (since May 20, 1998).

 

Most beautiful under $120 would probably be my vintage green stripe Pelikian 400. I know some consider it rather boring, but I find the shimmer of the green offset by the simplicity of the black quite attractive.

 

Odd that I would pick two green pens, since I prefer blue and red pens usually--these are my only green pens. However, the melding of colors on these two pens (particularly the depth of the blue/green/black of the Aurora) is what sets them apart.

[Silvermink]

Unquestionably my Visconti Divina Desert Springs:

 

http://img113.yfrog.com/img113/8995/8kozt.jpg

 

Under $120, probably my Danitrio Tosca in the red rust celluloid (with blue and purple flecks) - can't find my posted picture of it right now, but it's the leftmost one in Shari's picture on this thread.

Edited March 2, 2010 by Silvermink

[Mr Ink]

Most beautiful pen in my collection = Aurora Optima (Auroloide; Marbled Burgundy)

 

Most beautiful pen under $120 in my collection = Bexley Simplicity (Cracked Ice)

[Feanor]

http://www.pelikan.com/pulse/vfs-public/img/store_article_images/Writing/Metal_writing_instruments/Celebry/popup_images/Celebry_fountain_pen_P_580_rot.jpg

 

I got to pick out a pen for my graduation present, and after several hours of searching, I decided I wanted a black and red marbled color with gold trim. After many more hours of searching, this was the only one I saw that looked like what I wanted.

[gregamckinney]

modern: Omas Galileo

vintage: Waterman turquoise Patrician

 

Regards, greg

[PianoMan14]

My most beautiful pen is...you guessed it...

 

a Pelikan m215 (soon to have an m400 nib, though)

[OcalaFlGuy]

I'd have to say a couple of my "lowly" Estie Blue J Streakers, followed closely by their Gray J Streaker brothers. (Not to mention that loaded with either Pendleton Point or Pendemonium CI's they are some of my favortie Go To writers.)

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_XB-IYvzxVyY/SsprQkASLgI/AAAAAAAAAuA/ftoqEFQa0zc/s800/Oct509%20046.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_XB-IYvzxVyY/S2ZbaMxzG_I/AAAAAAAABIU/1GdC1tKNXNg/s400/BlueJAtar%20017-1.jpg

[Arachiroptera Corvax]

got to be this one:

 

 

 

however the sellerwas an artisan not a pen collector/restorer/ect and packaged it with a cnverter that doesnt fit nib in terrible shape. its now gutted untill i figure out what to do with it, besides stare

[cxcxx]

what is the ink you used in this picture ? I like it

 

 

 

 

Unquestionably my Visconti Divina Desert Springs:

 

http://img113.yfrog.com/img113/8995/8kozt.jpg

[Silvermink]

what is the ink you used in this picture ? I like it

 

It's Waterman Havana.