Does Anyone Recognise This Pen Brand?

[chunya]

Hi,

 

I picked up a couple of pens last week, a nice MB and this one .... but I have no idea what it is. Does anyone recognise the make at all? there are no markings on it at all except the silver hallmarks, but apart from the .925 I don't recognise the other two marks at all, so don't even know where it was hallmarked and (possibly) made.

 

The nib simply reads 'Iridium Point Germany', not even any mention of it being gold... which is surprising as it is a very heavy silver.

 

Any ideas would be gratefully accepted....

 

Sorry about the pictures, the light is fading rapidly today.

 

Thanks in advance

 

 

 

 

[jar]

The makers/guild stamp says it is Italian but I cannot read what it says in that picture. It will be a "*" followed by numbers and two letters. If you can read the numbers and letters it may be possible to identify the maker.

[chunya]

The makers/guild stamp says it is Italian but I cannot read what it says in that picture. It will be a "*" followed by numbers and two letters. If you can read the numbers and letters it may be possible to identify the maker.

Hi Jar

 

Thanks ....I'll try and make them out in daylight with my loupe .... but I couldn't see a blessed thing with it last evening. Knowing that they are a mix of numbers and letters will help ... I was trying to make out numbers alone.

[vikrmbedi]

It is made by an italian company under the brand GRIFOS.

The owner of the company is a member of fpn , i am not sure how active he is on the forum though.

[chunya]

It is made by an italian company under the brand GRIFOS.

The owner of the company is a member of fpn , i am not sure how active he is on the forum though.

Many thanks for that ....I've just been trying to take better photos of the hallmarks,but still can't make out the numbers/letters.

 

GRIFOS ? That is a completely new one to me!

 

Again, many thanks!

[vikrmbedi]

They have a store on etsy by the name pensitaly.

 

There website www.grifos-pens.com

 

Could the stamp be star 28AO ... it is mentioned on their website.

[chunya]

They have a store on etsy by the name pensitaly.

 

There website www.grifos-pens.com

 

Could the stamp be star 28AO ... it is mentioned on their website.

Hi Vikrmbedi ... thanks for that.I found their website,and then the Etsy link. It looks very much like it is one of their pens, but although I can't quite make out the hallmark, it doesn't look like 28AO (as you say, that appears near their Logo). I've posted a closeup of it, and it seems (to my old eyes) to be 40 .....

 

What is also odd is that the nib doesn't seem to have their Griffin Logo, but I suppose it could have been replaced at some point.

They seem to make some very nice hand-crafted pens ... and their prices seem ridiculously inexpensive.

 

[chunya]

Hi Vikrmbedi ... thanks for that.I found their website,and then the Etsy link. It looks very much like it is one of their pens, but although I can't quite make out the hallmark, it doesn't look like 28AO (as you say, that appears near their Logo). I've posted a closeup of it, and it seems (to my old eyes) to be 40 .....

 

What is also odd is that the nib doesn't seem to have their Griffin Logo, but I suppose it could have been replaced at some point.

They seem to make some very nice hand-crafted pens ... and their prices seem ridiculously inexpensive. I really think that I shall keep this pen,the only think that I am not sure about is the nib ... It is rather too stiff so I think it is probably steel with gold plate ... I wonder how much they would charge to replace it with a nice flexi gold nib? I think I'll contact them...

 

[RMN]

Seeing this is now identified as Italian I am moving this topic to the correct subforum, in hopes there will be more info there.

 

 

D.ick

[mbradley]

The nib may be Chinese, possibly made by Hero.

 

Michael

[zanio]

The nib may be Chinese, possibly made by Hero.

 

Michael

The nib reads: "germany" on the third line.

[mbradley]

The nib reads: "germany" on the third line.

That does not mean that the nib was definitely made in Germany. There are many Chinese manufactured nibs that read Iridium Point Germany. I am not saying that your nib was manufactured in China, but the Flower Logo above the writing on the nib is used by the Chinese manufacturer Hero. I was merely mentioning a possible source for a nib that may be a replacement for the original?

 

Michael

[zanio]

Maybe the nib is made in Germany...by Chinese !

Just joking. ;-)

 

I did not know there were chinese nibs imprinted Germany.

[chunya]

That does not mean that the nib was definitely made in Germany. There are many Chinese manufactured nibs that read Iridium Point Germany. I am not saying that your nib was manufactured in China, but the Flower Logo above the writing on the nib is used by the Chinese manufacturer Hero. I was merely mentioning a possible source for a nib that may be a replacement for the original?

 

Michael

Hi All,

 

Thanks for your thoughts. Because I do like the pen, it is very well made and feels lovely in my hand,I filled out an inquiry form on the Grifos website asking whether it is one of their pens and if so could they put a flexi gold nib on it. Maurizio replied in person within an hour or so (I am becoming more and more impressed by Italian pen manufacturers, I received an equally prompt response from Montegrappa's CEO when I was asking about my Kazan).

Unfortunately I had forgotten to attach the FPN link! I've now replied with the link and am awaiting his response.

Maurizio did say that they use 18K Bock nibs, so could replace it with one of those.Interestingly when searching for Bock I came across another forum where there was a discussion on Bock nibs,basically along the lines of 'is a steel and gold-plated Bock nib at $10 much different to an18K Bock nib at $100?' ....so this may be a lower-end Bock? Hopefully all will be clearer when Maurizio gets a chance to view this post.

[mbradley]

Have you written with the nib that came with the pen? It is possible that this is a Bock steel nib. If you have written with it do you find it satisfactory? A gold nib is not always superior to a steel nib. Some 14k nibs are a little softer than modern steel nibs and provide a different feel to the writing experience. A 14k or an 18k gold nib can be as stiff as steel. If you like a softer feel, 14k nibs can be altered to provide additional softness or flex. Gold nibs are going to be more costly but are not by default better than steel.

 

Michael

[chunya]

Have you written with the nib that came with the pen? It is possible that this is a Bock steel nib. If you have written with it do you find it satisfactory? A gold nib is not always superior to a steel nib. Some 14k nibs are a little softer than modern steel nibs and provide a different feel to the writing experience. A 14k or an 18k gold nib can be as stiff as steel. If you like a softer feel, 14k nibs can be altered to provide additional softness or flex. Gold nibs are going to be more costly but are not by default better than steel.

 

Michael

Good Morning Michael,

 

Thanks for that ..... I have filled it and written with it, and it is very stiff with no flex at all. I have a couple of vintage MBs with steel nibs and they write beautifully.

[RMN]

Good Morning Michael,

 

Thanks for that ..... I have filled it and written with it, and it is very stiff with no flex at all. I have a couple of vintage MBs with steel nibs and they write beautifully.

Does this mean this one does not write beautifully? Do you equal flex with writing beautifully and stiff with writing badly?

 

 

D.ick

[chunya]

Does this mean this one does not write beautifully? Do you equal flex with writing beautifully and stiff with writing badly?

 

 

D.ick

Hi,

No,not always, but with my writing style I prefer a bit of flex.This pen writes OK, I certainly wouldn't say that it writes 'badly' but for me something is 'missing'.

[fabri00]

Maybe the nib is made in Germany...by Chinese !

Just joking. ;-)

I did not know there were chinese nibs imprinted Germany.

Have a look to this well known article:

 

http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref/ttp/ipg_nibs.htm

[chunya]

Have a look to this well known article:

 

http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref/ttp/ipg_nibs.htm

That's an interesting article, thanks for sharing. I've read quite a few brilliant pieces on his website.