Russian/soviet Fountain Pens

[rperson17]

Greetings, comrades!

 

There seems to be a dearth of information on the boards regarding Russian or Soviet fountain pens. Notable exceptions include the following:

 

Thread 1

Thread 2

Thread 3

Thread 5

Thread 5

 

I recently made a trip to Moscow and spent some time digging around flea markets for Soviet-made fountain pens. Since I came up with a few interesting specimens, I figured I'd offer up some photos and observations in order to contribute to our collective knowledge of a subject that remains somewhat foreign.

 

First, some photos, followed by descriptions and observations:

 

Capped:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Ujeo0bNxjr0/THz7ybj8oWI/AAAAAAAACLU/MAyrqX2uwD4/s800/IMG_3463.JPG

 

 

Uncapped:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Ujeo0bNxjr0/THz7y4oNSyI/AAAAAAAACLY/bfdfSK2Z6k0/s800/IMG_3464.JPG

 

 

Filling mechanisms:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Ujeo0bNxjr0/THz7zzLBM1I/AAAAAAAACLg/cDFwgqeuo6E/s800/IMG_3466.JPG

 

Now, some descriptions (from top to bottom. Pens are in the same order in all the photos). My guess is that most of these pens were made in the 1960s-70s. It is well known that certain design elements were copied from western standards (such as the hooded nib taken from the Parker 51), though the innards reveal that filling mechanisms didn't match the insides of their western brethren. Since I'm not too familiar with some of the American pens of the same era, I'll avoid comparative statements other than the obvious ones.

 

1) OK, we can all agree that on the outside, this one is a copy of a Parker 51. However, it has the same piston filler that is accessed by unscrewing the barrel from the hooded nib/section. It was made at the famous "Soyuz" (Союз) factory in Leningrad. As has been mentioned elsewhere, "Soyuz" means "Union" in Russian. As in "Union of Soviet Socialist Republics." Needless to say, the Soviets weren't that creative with naming things; many products, locations, space capsules, etc. were named "Soyuz." This is the only pen I keep filled on a regular basis. It has an amusingly bouncy fine nib that does interesting things with the homemade red-black I use in it: fast/fine lines come out red, thicker/wetter lines come out almost black. Fun shading, and a nib that's smooth enough to make it tolerable.

 

2) This all-gold (filled? plated? I don't know how to tell the difference) pen was also made at the Soyuz factory and has a gold nib. Given the way things worked in the Soviet Union, a pen this flashy would have likely belonged to a higher-up in the Communist Party, or perhaps it would have been a gift to members of a foreign delegation. It has an XF nib that required a little straightening out, but it writes a nice wet line and is pretty smooth. However, it has a tendency to drool ink in the cap, which is why I don't use it regularly or keep it filled. It has the same piston mechanism as the rest, as well as an amber ink window.

 

3) The third Soyuz pen is almost identical to the gold pen in construction but has a black plastic barrel and brushed stainless cap. However, the cap definitely has a cheaper feel than a steel cap in the west - the brushed surface is rougher and the steel thinner. Soviet quality control at its best. Piston filler with amber ink window. There's an invisible crack in the hooded section that lies directly underneath my index finger when I write. There's just enough capillary action when I write that it draws ink through the crack without any visible ink drops on the exterior. It took me about a week of blue fingertips to figure out what was going on. So, I don't use this one anymore!

 

4) The fourth pen, also Soyuz, is definitely a lower-end pen made in the mid-1970s. Somewhat amusingly, it was Soviet NOS, having never been inked and sold in its original box. The steel nib is as stiff as a nail and lacks any character. I thought I could use it as a weekend knock-around pen, but writing with it drives me crazy because it's stiffer than anything I've ever written with. It is missing the threaded piece that operates the piston because I put it on pen #3. Interesting that all of those parts are 100% interchangeable.

 

5) The fifth and final pen is from the "Yaroslavl" (Ярославль) factory in (surprise) Yaroslavl, Russia. It too is a Parker 51 lookalike with a piston filler. It also has an interesting spring-loaded clip. The nib makes a smooth bold line, though the slender feed seems to be loose. The result is that it too has a tendency to ooze ink in the cap, so I don't keep it filled anymore. Would have made a nice signature pen, though.

 

A few additional thoughts: I haven't tried to get "under the hood" (literally) on any of these pens, since doing so would require disassembling them somewhere around the point where the "built in" converter/piston meets the hood. I've never gotten the feeling that this area wants to separate easily, and I fear that trying would probably end up damaging the pen. Needless to say, the Politburo didn't publish repair manuals for these things! Maybe on a future trip I'll pick up some more beaters that I'll sacrifice for the sake of learning.

 

Finally, I did run across some other Parker-51 lookalikes that were from the previous generation of Soviet pens (probably 1950s or so). These appeared to be accordion fillers, though I didn't find one that was in decent enough shape to warrant buying. Plus, the sellers at these flea markets don't seem to like Americans taking apart their junky pens. But it suggests that the accordion filler was replaced by the piston filler before too long, which seemed to be the USSR standard until the end. As with many things under communism, "if it worked OK, why try to improve?"

 

So communism didn't work, but the pens it produced worked reasonably well and continue to do so, albeit with some quirks!

 

Hope you've found this interesting and informative...

[Brian]

Interesting stuff and ripe for anyone fascinated by the cold war. Some of the pens have a shape similar to Montblancs during the same era, at least from the inlaid nib models. Thanks for sharing.

[kuno]

I used to see these pens pop up on ebay once in a while. Always been curious whether they would be good writers. Thanks a lot for the info! Speaking of Red Russian stuff, I remember that the Soviets made some great watches even back then. Poljots are cool

[Tsujigiri]

I opened this thread hoping for an opportunity to make an "In Soviet Russia..." joke, but it's 1:40 AM, and I can't think of anything.

 

Interesting pens, though, thanks for sharing!

 

I used to see these pens pop up on ebay once in a while. Always been curious whether they would be good writers. Thanks a lot for the info! Speaking of Red Russian stuff, I remember that the Soviets made some great watches even back then. Poljots are cool

 

I'm wearing a Vostok right now...

[hari317]

Thank you for this informative post. Pen nos. 2 and 3 appear to be knockoffs of MB Meisterstuck no. 12/14.

[rperson17]

I opened this thread hoping for an opportunity to make an "In Soviet Russia..." joke, but it's 1:40 AM, and I can't think of anything.

 

In Soviet Russia, nib flexes YOU! :blink:

[EdwardMarlowe]

I'm wearing a Vostok right now...

 

Most of my watches these days are Chinese, but I have a Vostok somewhere - fantastic watch. All the Russian watches I've experienced have been great. Sort of surprises me we haven't seen more of a tradition of Russian pens.... observing how Chinese pens have developed something of a cult following.... but then the Russians don't write all that differently to the West - perhaps it really is as simple as the places that have truly kept FPs 'alive' as a commonly used thing are those whose written language necessitates such an instrument - China and Japan?

[kuno]

I'm wearing a Vostok right now...

 

Most of my watches these days are Chinese, but I have a Vostok somewhere - fantastic watch. All the Russian watches I've experienced have been great. Sort of surprises me we haven't seen more of a tradition of Russian pens.... observing how Chinese pens have developed something of a cult following.... but then the Russians don't write all that differently to the West - perhaps it really is as simple as the places that have truly kept FPs 'alive' as a commonly used thing are those whose written language necessitates such an instrument - China and Japan?

 

I read somewhere on a watch forum Russian watches were good because military concerns necessitated they be accurate and reliable. I presume the politburo planning committee did not see fountain pen production as strategically crucial...too bad for them

East Asian languages generally need more strokes than Western (latin) script. Plowing multiple pages in Korean, Japanese or Chinese with a ballpoint is killer...I tried.

[jniforat]

fascinating. thanks!

[vans4444]

I have a Soyuz,exactly the same as your number 4. It is remarkable similar in size and style to a Parker 61, but it certainly looks feels cheaper. The nib is smooth but the ink flow erratic. If the ink flow was more reliable I might use it more.

[Silvermink]

Cool - I'd heard of the Soyuz before, but it's nice to see more examples of their work.

[Pen Is Mightier]

In Soviet Russia you don't write with pen, pen write with you!

In all seriousness this is a cool thread, it appeals to the history nerd in me.

[rperson17]

In all seriousness this is a cool thread, it appeals to the history nerd in me.

 

And of course, there's great historical irony in the fact that a political-economic-social system which derived its basic legitimacy on a claim to be "superior" than western capitalism ended up copying technology (fountain pens included) from the "inferior" system!

[Malcy]

Talk about coincidence.

 

I just saw a Soviet era FP and pencil on ebay UK. If you like goldfish it's the one for you. :-D

 

Soyuz goldfish FP and pencil set

[mstone]

In Soviet Russia, piston fills you!

[Tsujigiri]

In Soviet Russia, pen cap screws YOU! Oh wait, those were slip caps...

[davpineda]

Nice photos, спасибо! These pens look quite familiar for someone who travel regularly to Russia. I have a small collection of Soviet/Russian FPs and the quality of the plastic is usually tragic, with cracks everywhere. But then again, I bought them at the flea market instead of the antique shop, so they might be more "The People's Pen" type of thing. All of them are piston fillers, with the plastic threads of the piston so badly worn that they become unusable. Some of the nibs are so bad that they rip up the paper when you try to write, but I actually have one 18 kt gold-nibbed one that writes quite nicely -- although the nib is so soft I'm afraid of bending it.

[WaskiSquirrel]

This was handy. I just picked up a pen exactly like the Soyuz pen in this thread. Thank you for this resource and thread from 6 years ago!

 

Here is a picture of the pen in parts and a close-up of the Soyuz logo.

 

 

[Sailor Kenshin]

Greetings, comrades!There seems to be a dearth of information on the boards regarding Russian or Soviet fountain pens. Notable exceptions include the following:Thread 1Thread 2Thread 3Thread 5Thread 5I recently made a trip to Moscow and spent some time digging around flea markets for Soviet-made fountain pens. Since I came up with a few interesting specimens, I figured I'd offer up some photos and observations in order to contribute to our collective knowledge of a subject that remains somewhat foreign.First, some photos, followed by descriptions and observations:Capped:http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Ujeo0bNxjr0/THz7ybj8oWI/AAAAAAAACLU/MAyrqX2uwD4/s800/IMG_3463.JPGUncapped:http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Ujeo0bNxjr0/THz7y4oNSyI/AAAAAAAACLY/bfdfSK2Z6k0/s800/IMG_3464.JPGFilling mechanisms:http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Ujeo0bNxjr0/THz7zzLBM1I/AAAAAAAACLg/cDFwgqeuo6E/s800/IMG_3466.JPGNow, some descriptions (from top to bottom. Pens are in the same order in all the photos). My guess is that most of these pens were made in the 1960s-70s. It is well known that certain design elements were copied from western standards (such as the hooded nib taken from the Parker 51), though the innards reveal that filling mechanisms didn't match the insides of their western brethren. Since I'm not too familiar with some of the American pens of the same era, I'll avoid comparative statements other than the obvious ones.1) OK, we can all agree that on the outside, this one is a copy of a Parker 51. However, it has the same piston filler that is accessed by unscrewing the barrel from the hooded nib/section. It was made at the famous "Soyuz" (Союз) factory in Leningrad. As has been mentioned elsewhere, "Soyuz" means "Union" in Russian. As in "Union of Soviet Socialist Republics." Needless to say, the Soviets weren't that creative with naming things; many products, locations, space capsules, etc. were named "Soyuz." This is the only pen I keep filled on a regular basis. It has an amusingly bouncy fine nib that does interesting things with the homemade red-black I use in it: fast/fine lines come out red, thicker/wetter lines come out almost black. Fun shading, and a nib that's smooth enough to make it tolerable.2) This all-gold (filled? plated? I don't know how to tell the difference) pen was also made at the Soyuz factory and has a gold nib. Given the way things worked in the Soviet Union, a pen this flashy would have likely belonged to a higher-up in the Communist Party, or perhaps it would have been a gift to members of a foreign delegation. It has an XF nib that required a little straightening out, but it writes a nice wet line and is pretty smooth. However, it has a tendency to drool ink in the cap, which is why I don't use it regularly or keep it filled. It has the same piston mechanism as the rest, as well as an amber ink window.3) The third Soyuz pen is almost identical to the gold pen in construction but has a black plastic barrel and brushed stainless cap. However, the cap definitely has a cheaper feel than a steel cap in the west - the brushed surface is rougher and the steel thinner. Soviet quality control at its best. Piston filler with amber ink window. There's an invisible crack in the hooded section that lies directly underneath my index finger when I write. There's just enough capillary action when I write that it draws ink through the crack without any visible ink drops on the exterior. It took me about a week of blue fingertips to figure out what was going on. So, I don't use this one anymore!4) The fourth pen, also Soyuz, is definitely a lower-end pen made in the mid-1970s. Somewhat amusingly, it was Soviet NOS, having never been inked and sold in its original box. The steel nib is as stiff as a nail and lacks any character. I thought I could use it as a weekend knock-around pen, but writing with it drives me crazy because it's stiffer than anything I've ever written with. It is missing the threaded piece that operates the piston because I put it on pen #3. Interesting that all of those parts are 100% interchangeable.5) The fifth and final pen is from the "Yaroslavl" (Ярославль) factory in (surprise) Yaroslavl, Russia. It too is a Parker 51 lookalike with a piston filler. It also has an interesting spring-loaded clip. The nib makes a smooth bold line, though the slender feed seems to be loose. The result is that it too has a tendency to ooze ink in the cap, so I don't keep it filled anymore. Would have made a nice signature pen, though.A few additional thoughts: I haven't tried to get "under the hood" (literally) on any of these pens, since doing so would require disassembling them somewhere around the point where the "built in" converter/piston meets the hood. I've never gotten the feeling that this area wants to separate easily, and I fear that trying would probably end up damaging the pen. Needless to say, the Politburo didn't publish repair manuals for these things! Maybe on a future trip I'll pick up some more beaters that I'll sacrifice for the sake of learning.Finally, I did run across some other Parker-51 lookalikes that were from the previous generation of Soviet pens (probably 1950s or so). These appeared to be accordion fillers, though I didn't find one that was in decent enough shape to warrant buying. Plus, the sellers at these flea markets don't seem to like Americans taking apart their junky pens. But it suggests that the accordion filler was replaced by the piston filler before too long, which seemed to be the USSR standard until the end. As with many things under communism, "if it worked OK, why try to improve?"So communism didn't work, but the pens it produced worked reasonably well and continue to do so, albeit with some quirks!Hope you've found this interesting and informative...

VERY cool...and I want every single one of them!

[Russ]

Thank you, all! I love seeing Russian pens threads!