Platignum pen

[hari317]

Hi Everyone,

 

Recently purchased this pen:

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Platignum/IMG_2693.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Platignum/IMG_2694.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Platignum/IMG_2697.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Platignum/IMG_2698.jpg

 

I thought this was a Japanese pen when I bought it; but a google search told me that Platignum was a British pen, However the country of manufacture is not marked anywhere on the pen. The pen fills with a squeeze filler. The build quality is like a super economy pen but I am surpised to find the pen fitted with a 14Ct nib. From what I read on the internet, Platignum was famous for steel nibs.

 

I would like to know more about this company and this model.

 

Thanks,

Hari

Edited January 17, 2009 by hari317

[Hugh200au]

Platignum was the economy line of Mentmore. Mentmore was quality plus ( not quiet Swan or Conway but better than ,say, Burnham ) and Platignum as you have described !! I've not come across a Platignum with a gold nib but with its heritage it could well be a quality writer ( it certainly looks very good !! and looks like a Mentmore nib-which it probably is), while cheap most Platignum steel nibs that I've come across are reasonable to use and do what they where designed to do. Can't help you with the model only that you generally can't give a Platignum away !! Yours might be an exception as the nib looks a class above the rest of the pen.

Regards

Hugh

[hari317]

I've not come across a Platignum with a gold nib but with its heritage it could well be a quality writer ( it certainly looks very good !! and looks like a Mentmore nib-which it probably is)...Yours might be an exception as the nib looks a class above the rest of the pen.

 

Thanks for your response. Yes indeed the nib is very good with a nice comfortable softness. I was surprised to find such a nib on this pen.

 

Regards,

Hari

 

[Mr.Rene]

Platignum was the economy line of Mentmore.

Dear Hugh,

Any idea if Platignum is still in market?

I love Platignum Brown Ink bottles but I can not find any for a long time,

Best Regards,

Rene.

[Tsujigiri]

They're gone now, along with Osmiroid. As I understand it, they were best-known for making italic pens for calligraphy.

[Loddonite]

They're gone now, along with Osmiroid. As I understand it, they were best-known for making italic pens for calligraphy.

 

1. They are back. http://www.platignum.com/

 

2. Osmiroid... ahh memories.

 

3. Calligraphy? Oh yes.

 

My memory is that ... Platignum were the fountain pen of choice for a generation of spotty school-kids in the UK. Roughly 1960 to 1980. They were cheap and had cartridges - a great advantage over ink bottles for a mum trying to keep her 6 year-old's shirts clean. I seem to remember that Osmiroids were rarer and almost no-one had a Parker. When calligraphy was covered in Art lessons, yes, the pens were Platignums.

 

 

[jeffuk]

what you have there is a Platignum Gold Nib deluxe Pressmatic.These were top of the Platignum range back in the 60's/early 70's and not cheap at the time.The Deluxe is double jewel but they also did the Gold nib with a single cap jewel and as a cartridge pen.The build quality is not brilliant but its not really bad either,i have about 20 of these pens and find them to be virtually bullet proof and quite nice writers,i've never had one let me down yet.Better than the Parker 45 and definatley underated in my view,only ever seen them with M nibs though.

Unfortunatley Platignum has a fairly bad rep mainly due its cheap steel nibbed school pens that are really quite awfull,means you can usually pick these up at rock bottom prices,which suites me fine,i like 'em

[liapuyat]

They're gone now, along with Osmiroid. As I understand it, they were best-known for making italic pens for calligraphy.

 

1. They are back. http://www.platignum.com/

 

2. Osmiroid... ahh memories.

 

3. Calligraphy? Oh yes.

 

My memory is that ... Platignum were the fountain pen of choice for a generation of spotty school-kids in the UK. Roughly 1960 to 1980. They were cheap and had cartridges - a great advantage over ink bottles for a mum trying to keep her 6 year-old's shirts clean. I seem to remember that Osmiroids were rarer and almost no-one had a Parker. When calligraphy was covered in Art lessons, yes, the pens were Platignums.

 

I think you got yourself a good pen.

 

In the mid-90s I received a Platignum calligraphy set as a birthday gift from a cousin in California, who bought it at an art supplies store near UCLA. At the time it was USD24.95 for a cylindrical green pen similar in size to a Parker Vector, which had a gold-trim clip. There are 4 gold plated (I think) nibs in black sections marked "iF", "iM", "iB" and "iBB". It came with a long international cartridge with black ink, and a black rubber bulb filler (is it a sac or a squeeze converter?) the same length as the long cartridge. It was packaged in a matte silver-colored tin lined with foam, in a plastic bubble pack with cardboard insert. It did not come with any calligraphy handbook, but then I had my Speedball one and didn't really need it. Recently I took it out again and gave it a try, using a long Aurora black cartridge. Works really well in controlled movements, more comfortable to hold than my Rotring 1.1mm. In comparison, a Sheaffer calligraphy pen would be slightly wetter.

[ericthered2004]

Cult pens seems to have them http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/Platignum.html .

 

They actually look quite nice, although only come in M nib. Might pick one or two up when I go back home.

 

Does anyone know if any B&M shops sell them?

 

regards

eric

[hari317]

what you have there is a Platignum Gold Nib deluxe Pressmatic.These were top of the Platignum range back in the 60's/early 70's and not cheap at the time.The Deluxe is double jewel but they also did the Gold nib with a single cap jewel and as a cartridge pen.The build quality is not brilliant but its not really bad either,i have about 20 of these pens and find them to be virtually bullet proof and quite nice writers,i've never had one let me down yet.Better than the Parker 45 and definatley underated in my view,only ever seen them with M nibs though.

 

Thanks for the postive identification. Mine is the double jewel model. The press bar of the filler is hinged onto a plastic tab on the sac nipple base. The filler sleeve does the job of keeping the pressbar hinged. Very clever and economical to produce.

 

Regards,

Hari

 

 

[seymour]

hi

 

I have a black one. It is I think called a Platignum Petite. The petite has a screw cap but is similar to the Parker Slimfold.

 

I was one of the schoolboys, who started with Platignums and graduated to Parkers.

 

Enjoy your Platignum

 

Chaim

[john55555]

Hi Everyone,

 

Recently purchased this pen:

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Platignum/IMG_2693.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Platignum/IMG_2694.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Platignum/IMG_2697.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Platignum/IMG_2698.jpg

 

I thought this was a Japanese pen when I bought it; but a google search told me that Platignum was a British pen, However the country of manufacture is not marked anywhere on the pen. The pen fills with a squeeze filler. The build quality is like a super economy pen but I am surpised to find the pen fitted with a 14Ct nib. From what I read on the internet, Platignum was famous for steel nibs.

 

I would like to know more about this company and this model.

 

Thanks,

Hari

 

I have seen the Platignum on ebay with gold nibs, most seem to be gold coloured and a few 14ct. Most of the Platignum nibs seem to be s/s. I have a Platignum Petite which ha a gold coloured nib, chrome cap, clip. The nib on mine says Platignum iridium pointed, Made in England M. I very much agree the build quality is rubbish on these pens, however they are not bad to write with. I would doubt their life span if used on a daily basis. I have others too, my Silverline doesn't screw well to the barrel or the cap, others I have are fitted with nasty plastic tops to the clips which are painted silver to mimic chrome, and comes off on your hand like glitter. Loads for sale at giveaway prices. I remember these pens as stocking fillers for Christmas that you never used, or gifts from seaside holidays.

 

[goldpro]

 

 

I thought this was a Japanese pen when I bought it; but a google search told me that Platignum was a British pen, However the country of manufacture is not marked anywhere on the pen. The pen fills with a squeeze filler. The build quality is like a super economy pen but I am surpised to find the pen fitted with a 14Ct nib. From what I read on the internet, Platignum was famous for steel nibs.

 

I would like to know more about this company and this model.

 

Thanks,

Hari

 

Hi Hari, My experience is that Platignum only made cheap school pens but vaugely remember pens with 9ct gold nibs when at school in the 50,s. I have also just aquired a similar pen to the one you have but in Grey colour and to my suprise it has a 14ct gold nib in it. Also it is marked with an F for fine below the 14ct mark.I will try to attach pic. Colin

[hari317]

Hi Hari, My experience is that Platignum only made cheap school pens but vaugely remember pens with 9ct gold nibs when at school in the 50,s. I have also just aquired a similar pen to the one you have but in Grey colour and to my suprise it has a 14ct gold nib in it. Also it is marked with an F for fine below the 14ct mark.I will try to attach pic. Colin

 

Thanks Colin, your photo is a nice addition to this thread. Best, Hari

[CLaReNCe]

Hey Hari,

I have only a few days ago purchased a pen almost exactly the same as yours by the look of things- (even down to the colour)mine seems to have had precious little use- on the side of the barrel it says- Cartridge 'M'- seems to write pretty well- but have had to do my refilling with a syringe on the cartridge.

 

Does anyone know what brand of converter would fit in this pen? If any?

Peace Comrades-

[hari317]

Hey Hari,

I have only a few days ago purchased a pen almost exactly the same as yours by the look of things- (even down to the colour)mine seems to have had precious little use- on the side of the barrel it says- Cartridge 'M'- seems to write pretty well- but have had to do my refilling with a syringe on the cartridge.

 

Does anyone know what brand of converter would fit in this pen? If any?

Peace Comrades-

 

Hi Clarence, if you post a picture of the cartridge that came with your pen, i am sure someone here can identify the type and guide you accordingly.

 

Regards,

Hari

[dexaco]

Hey Hari,

I have only a few days ago purchased a pen almost exactly the same as yours by the look of things- (even down to the colour)mine seems to have had precious little use- on the side of the barrel it says- Cartridge 'M'- seems to write pretty well- but have had to do my refilling with a syringe on the cartridge.

 

Does anyone know what brand of converter would fit in this pen? If any?

Peace Comrades-

 

I have an old Platignum left-handed calligraphy set, with five interchangeable nibs. Came as a cartridge filler, but I fitted a standard international-size converter without any problems. Presently loaded with Diamine Onyx black and fitted with the finest of the nibs supplied with it, which I eased a little with a Micro-flex stick to stop it digging into the paper. Still writes a nice italic line, though.

 

 

Derick

[beginnersmind]

what you have there is a Platignum Gold Nib deluxe Pressmatic.These were top of the Platignum range back in the 60's/early 70's and not cheap at the time.The Deluxe is double jewel but they also did the Gold nib with a single cap jewel and as a cartridge pen.The build quality is not brilliant but its not really bad either,i have about 20 of these pens and find them to be virtually bullet proof and quite nice writers,i've never had one let me down yet.Better than the Parker 45 and definatley underated in my view,only ever seen them with M nibs though.

Unfortunatley Platignum has a fairly bad rep mainly due its cheap steel nibbed school pens that are really quite awfull,means you can usually pick these up at rock bottom prices,which suites me fine,i like 'em

Great information! I just got the same model in black. The gold nib has a lovely amount of flex. Reminds me of The Pelikans from the 70's and 80's Mine did not come with a cartridge or convertor. An international cartridge is too big for it. Does anyone know what sort of convertor or cartridge will fit this?

[joelchan]

I have a set of the Platignum Calligraphy pens...

 

They are really superb ! smooth and wet !

[rwilsonedn]

Hari:

Leave it to you to find a great gold nib in a pen hardly anyone would think to even pick up!

Congratulations.

ron