What is your favorite Celluloid color?

[omasfan]

Celluloid pens are my favorites. They combine light weight with a mesmerizing material that is not only sturdy and smells beautifully of camphor but also produces the most spectacular colors of all available "plastics." I honestly have never seen a resin reach the beauty of true celluloid.

I own a bunch of Italian celluloid pens. My favorites are the Omas Arco design and the Montegrappa Extra 1930 turtle brown. Both are incredibly rich. I especially enjoy the Arco because every time I look at the pen, I discover a new detail. It really looks like wood grain and yet is much more interesting than wood could be. Especially when light hits the pen, it is reflected in sparkly glints. When looking at the Arco sideways, you'll discover in the ballpark of 40 sheets of laminated celluoid. Thus the process of making the material becomes evident. I love this! The Montegrappa has the most beautiful brown tones that I have ever seen mixed into one design, especially the way they are "welded" together lengthwise.

 

So, what are your favorite celluloid colors and why? (Remember: I am only asking for the celluloid made of nitrocellulose, no acrylics or resins.)

 

 

 

[Farace]

I've not had the good fortune (yet) to own an Italian celluloid pen, so my experience is pretty much limited to vintage pens. I like greens in particular; I love my striped Vacumatic and my marbled Moore Junior, both in green. Esterbrooks have a nice shimmer, too.

 

Coincidentally, I collect guitar picks (a weird hobby; I don't collect "artist" picks but rather "brand" picks), which can display some amazing shimmer. For such a thin piece of plastic, some of them seem like you can reach right into them.

 

[R.ticle One]

I've not had the good fortune (yet) to own an Italian celluloid pen, so my experience is pretty much limited to vintage pens. I like greens in particular; I love my striped Vacumatic and my marbled Moore Junior, both in green. Esterbrooks have a nice shimmer, too.

 

Coincidentally, I collect guitar picks (a weird hobby; I don't collect "artist" picks but rather "brand" picks), which can display some amazing shimmer. For such a thin piece of plastic, some of them seem like you can reach right into them.

 

Hmm, it's really interesting you mentioned that about the guitar picks - looking back, way back, to when I was a kid, I can recall some memory of such a thing too - the shimmer of picks...

 

R.ticle One

[artaddict]

I don't own any celluloids (besides Esties) but am really attracted to brown, tortoise, amber, orange. And the vintage black and pearl ones.

[petra]

One of my favorites is still the Platinum Koi. Too bright for some people, but I love the red and white together, I think it's beautiful. It's the pen that signalled the beginning of my pen lust.

 

Petra

[FrankB]

I have several pens made of celluloid and they are all lovely. But, if I must choose a favorite color it would be the deep, rich moss green celluloid of the Stipula "Nettuno 'Idra,'" "Nettuno 'Superba,'" and the recent Giardino Italiano 10th Anniversary LE's. The celluloid was aged, and took on a complex richness that included bits of shimmering brown and gold. Even pictures do not do justice to those LE's, though I think the Fountain Pen Hopital still carries pictures of the Idra and Superba LE's.

[jonro]

I wonder how much of the look of these celluloid pens is due to techniqe and how much is do to the material itself. I wonder if acrylic resin could be made to produce exactly the same effects, if a manufacturer had the know-how to do so?

[omasfan]

I wonder how much of the look of these celluloid pens is due to techniqe and how much is do to the material itself. I wonder if acrylic resin could be made to produce exactly the same effects, if a manufacturer had the know-how to do so?

 

Interesting question! I don't think it's possible to identically match celluloid with an acrylic as it is impossible to match e.g. hard rubber with an acrylic.

There is an intensity in celluloid that I have never found in my other pens. I have a Visconti Opera Club in orange (an acrylic), and although it is very beautiful it does not have the same "clarity" as celluoid. It also feels heavier than celluloid. Plus, it emanated a nasty stinky chemical smell for the first couple of weeks of ownership.

Especially this mother-of-pearlness is something that I have only found in celluloid.

[Mike S.]

I agree with you, dupontfan -- the Omas Bronze Arco and the Montegrappa 1930 Turtle Brown are beautiful.

 

I also like the new Montegrappa in Bamboo Black:

 

http://www.paradisepen.com/paradise/assets/product_images/PAAAAAINLKKKFBEN.jpg

 

The Visconti Divina is also a lovely pen:

 

http://www.fountainpenhospital.com/images/visconti_images/VI543-10.jpg

 

Mike

[exit here]

If you are an Asian pen collector than the Platinum Koi with a 3776 F nib embodies more than any other celluloid can.

 

 

 

But the killer of all celluloids is from Nakaya and I believe no other pen (not even an Italian) can come close. The range of custom designs possible in both trim and nib make this a stand-out pen.

 

 

Besides the nib choices there are 13 varitions on trim

1. Gold-plating

2. Rhodium-plating

3. Fumigation Silver clip

4.18K Yellow Gold

5.18K White Gold

6.18K Yellow Gold with Diamond

7.18K White Gold with Diamond

8.18K Yellow Gold with Blue Topaz

9.18K White Gold with Blue Topaz

10.18K Yellow Gold with Peridot

11.18K White Gold with Peridot

12.18K Yellow Gold with Citrine

13.18K White Gold with Citrine

 

 

Edited June 9, 2007 by exit here

[omasfan]

The Platinum pens sure are very pretty. However, I have seen the green and the black and white marbled design on other pens, too. The red and white one really stands out, I have to say. With celluloid pens and trim I am kind of a purist. The less trim a pen has, the more celluloid it shows. Never really looked into Platinum, but I'll check them out. Thanks!

In terms of beauty and different designs/colors the Italian still take the cake in my view. That is of course a very personal view, and I am glad that you have a different perspective.

 

[omasfan]

I agree with you, dupontfan -- the Omas Bronze Arco and the Montegrappa 1930 Turtle Brown are beautiful.

 

I also like the new Montegrappa in Bamboo Black:

 

Have you seen the new bamboo color in the flesh? In pictures it looks very dark. I like the green but I wished it were a little brighter.

 

 

The Visconti Divina is also a lovely pen:

 

I find the material absolutely stunning. It has something of a desert stone conglomerate, looks like the cross section of a mineral to me. I tried the pen and hated the cap mechanism and how it screws onto the barrel, kind of awkward.

Edited June 9, 2007 by dupontfan

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

I like the Omas Green Arco.

 

Dillon

[Maja]

I love the coral colour of the Wahls in David I's first post on this page: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=27398

 

I love shades of red, so it wasn't a difficult choice. I have a coral Wahl ringtop and a coral Wahl pencil so I know what the colour looks like, in real life.

[handlebar]

I prefer browns and greens the most.Earthly colours.

 

JD

Vancouver,USA

[Freeloader]

For me, Omas brown arco, without a doubt.

[omasfan]

For me, Omas brown arco, without a doubt.

 

I couldn't agree more!!!

Here is some eye candy (taken from a Stylophiles review):

[handlebar]

That really hurt my "Arcoritis Omasensis" LOL(new medical term from dupontfan).

Now i need to go soak my head,er ....

 

JD

[sheafferkid]

I am quite fond of the Sheaffer's Balance colors "Blue" (a mix between light and dark blue, NOT black), the red veined grey, ebonized pearl, and rose glow. Beautiful colors if I do say so myself.

 

Evan

[dappledawndrawn]

Mike S. -- wow, that black Montegrappa sure oozes class. I've always thought the black Aurora Optima to be the best looking of all black pens, but that Montegrappa certainly gives it a run for its money.

 

I've longed to have an old-style Arco Paragon for ages (just like, I'm sure, a lot of us...) I like Aurora's celluloids though -- I am THIS close to buying the green Optima danielnotnow's offering in the marketplace. Please, somebody -- buy it! Save me from myself!!