Hello Experts - What About This Ronson Fountain Pen!

[H1N]

Hi

I should say I'm the one who has a very small knowledge about FB's world in this network, but I have the passion to know, so now all what I got about this pen - it has an iridium nib..edited: hallmarked ( Iridium W-Germany )

of course it's not so easy to talk about Ronson Pen but any information, any idea ( Date, names, price at that time, company..etc) will be great to be added..I'm gonna post some pictures below, plz take a look.

thank you friends

H1N

Edited August 1, 2014 by H1N

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

I think it was a kind of promotional item for Ronson who makes lighters and stuff like that. The Iridium point nibs are usually found on generic pens and are often made in China or Taiwan.

 

Dillon

[H1N]

Hi,

 

I think it was a kind of promotional item for Ronson who makes lighters and stuff like that. The Iridium point nibs are usually found on generic pens and are often made in China or Taiwan.

 

Dillon

Thx Dillo

I read an article today, says that the main place to produce the Iridium nibs was in Germany however some other generic brands were made in China or India hallmarked with (Iridium Point Germany) IPG as raw materials come from Germany.

The one here is hallmarked with (Iridium Point W-Germany) which means West Germany as web definition says

West Germany May 1949 to October 1990.

it could be possible- made in China or India too or maybe not.

http://edisonpen.com/page.cfm/IPGnibs2

[martinbir]

In 1960s England where everyone smoked the two leading lighter manufacturers were Ronson and Colibri. Colibri seemed to have some success in diversifying into pens and other giftware (or may have always done that) and Ronson followed suit less successfully.

 

From the look of it I would guess your pen probably dates from the 80s - too much bling to be much earlier.

[Bo Bo Olson]

The 'iridium' compound is made in Germany, which allows the non German nib makers to say 'iridium' point Germany. A stupid law.

[Dillo]

Thx Dillo

 

I read an article today, says that the main place to produce the Iridium nibs was in Germany however some other generic brands were made in China or India hallmarked with (Iridium Point Germany) IPG as raw materials come from Germany.

The one here is hallmarked with (Iridium Point W-Germany) which means West Germany as web definition says

West Germany May 1949 to October 1990.

it could be possible- made in China or India too or maybe not.

 

http://edisonpen.com/page.cfm/IPGnibs2

 

I'm well aware of the article, but neither Jowo or Bock mark their nibs "Iridium Point Germany" on a regular basis. Oftentimes if you get a Bock nib without the manufacturer markings, it comes with either the Bock logo or just the words "14K-585" or the top of the nib is mostly blank. If I'm not mistaken, Jowo does something similar, but they often do not mark "Iridium Point Gernamy" on them. If you do see Bock or Jowo nibs with "Iridium Point Germany" on them, they are typically steel nibs, and you can tell from the quality of them where they are likely to have come from since they are very well made. In sheer volume, it seems to me quite likely that the numbers of these actual German-made "Iridium Point Germany" nibs are eclipsed by the large number of "Iridium Point Germany" nibs from other countries. Also judging from the crudeness of the engraving on the nib, that makes it even more likely that the nib is actually from Taiwan, China, or some other country. In Taiwan, Minka liked to mark "Iridium Point Germany" on their nibs.

 

Dillon

Edited August 1, 2014 by Dillo

[beak]

I believe they also made propelling pencils and Biros with a lighter at the blunt end. Always meant to get one, but none have come my way yet.

[H1N]

I'm well aware of the article, but neither Jowo or Bock mark their nibs "Iridium Point Germany" on a regular basis. Oftentimes if you get a Bock nib without the manufacturer markings, it comes with either the Bock logo or just the words "14K-585" or the top of the nib is mostly blank. If I'm not mistaken, Jowo does something similar, but they often do not mark "Iridium Point Gernamy" on them. If you do see Bock or Jowo nibs with "Iridium Point Germany" on them, they are typically steel nibs, and you can tell from the quality of them where they are likely to have come from since they are very well made. In sheer volume, it seems to me quite likely that the numbers of these actual German-made "Iridium Point Germany" nibs are eclipsed by the large number of "Iridium Point Germany" nibs from other countries. Also judging from the crudeness of the engraving on the nib, that makes it even more likely that the nib is actually from Taiwan, China, or some other country. In Taiwan, Minka liked to mark "Iridium Point Germany" on their nibs.

 

Dillon

Ooh man...it's a huge knowledge about Iridium nib...I really appreciate this effort..but this is not the end, actually we are preparing to make a traditional showroom in our town, later I'm going to view 70s or 60s Dunhill pen..shiny gold with a strange shape...so we need your experience friend, only if you have time of course.

[H1N]

I believe they also made propelling pencils and Biros with a lighter at the blunt end. Always meant to get one, but none have come my way

 

Thanks for sharing thoughts, Beak, I hope you'll find what you're looking for so soon

[H1N]

In 1960s England where everyone smoked the two leading lighter manufacturers were Ronson and Colibri. Colibri seemed to have some success in diversifying into pens and other giftware (or may have always done that) and Ronson followed suit less successfully.

 

From the look of it I would guess your pen probably dates from the 80s - too much bling to be much earlier.

Thanks Martinbir, Don't let the shape of this pen deceive you, the little I know about this pen it's 70s made or even before., the person who has had it, never used it so much

Edited August 18, 2014 by H1N

[pensaro]

I believe they also made propelling pencils and Biros with a lighter at the blunt end. Always meant to get one, but none have come my way yet.

 

I have one of these in my collection - available ......

[Bo Bo Olson]

I believe I read Ronson had it's pens made in Japan, after using MB for a while.

[Jerome Tarshis]

My own Ronson fountain pen says it was made in Germany. It has a 14K nib. And is a pretty good little pen.

 

Severa years ago, when I bought the pen, I wrote to Ronson in England for information about their pen manufacturing. The woman who answered my letter said, I think sincerely, that she didn't know very much.

 

This is, alas, entirely plausible. Businesses in general and not least pen manufacturers have not been good stewards of their own history. Cross actually hired a professional historian, Barbara Lambert IIRC, to write a company history, and she found an awful lot of gaps in the information available to her. From what I've read, Lamy pretty much doesn't want to know much about its own history before the introduction of the 2000.

 

As for the IRIDIUM POINT GERMANY imprint, it seems entirely implausible to me that there is any law, in Germany or China, requiring that nibs so marked contain tipping material from Germany. Who would be governed by such a law? Who would enforce it?

[jar]

 

Thx Dillo

I read an article today, says that the main place to produce the Iridium nibs was in Germany however some other generic brands were made in China or India hallmarked with (Iridium Point Germany) IPG as raw materials come from Germany.

The one here is hallmarked with (Iridium Point W-Germany) which means West Germany as web definition says

West Germany May 1949 to October 1990.

it could be possible- made in China or India too or maybe not.

http://edisonpen.com/page.cfm/IPGnibs2

 

Don't believe everything you read on the Web. Iridium Point Germany means absolutely nothing other then the nib is not gold. It does not tell where it came from, where it was made, what the tip if any is actually made from...NOTHING.

 

Also West Germany really did not get used until long after 1949. There was Germany and Occupied Germany, but it was only after East Germany was finally recognized in the late 1970's that West or W. Germany was used.

[Bo Bo Olson]

""""From what I've read, Lamy pretty much doesn't want to know much about its own history before the introduction of the 2000"""""

.....According to Thomas/Kaweco on the com, the son so hated the father he erased him and his history.