Search the Community

Hi! I am looking to acquire my first Graf Von Faber Castell pen and I have come across this pen at a reasonable price. However, I am not sure of which model it is or the kind of era/year it would be from. I wondered if anyone on here could help enlighten me please? It appears to me to be the “Classic” model although the grip section appears different to any other Classics I have seen online? No idea on year. Any guide/insight would be much appreciated please. Photos are not mine. Thanks 😊

Well, here it is. F-C's new model, the 45 XLV. http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o535/Keir_Williams/image1-5_zpsucwimyu0.jpg This is my 2nd FC Pen, the first being a 66P. I saw the 45 in Black on their Instagram page, and noticed it was at Initial Price Offering of $90 including worldwide shipping, so I thought I'd take a look, and shortly after looking on the website I purchased it. I bought the Pen on a Thursday night here in the UK, and on Monday morning, the FedEx van called round and delivered it ! That's what I call good service ! http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o535/Keir_Williams/image4_zpspjxbgxa7.jpg The pen came in their typical leather pouch and so I inked the pen with the included cartridge and began writing. The steel #5 fine nib is very smooth and puts down a line with medium flow, although it could be a little wetter. The pen is very comfortable in hand and is very light. The pen is small unposed, so I write with it posted, but it works both ways equally well. The branding is typically F-C minimal, and the only markings are on the flat top cap, and in a band round the cap, where it is marked "Franklin-Christoph 45 IPO" http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o535/Keir_Williams/image3-2_zpslrjbkaq4.jpgThe cap unscrews in about half a turn, and the cap threads are the large block type at the end of the section. The section is hourglass shaped and I found no problems with comfort during long writing sessions. The nib never ran dry, apart from when the cartridge ran out, but I will soon convert the pen to an eyedropper as the section threads are very tight. Here is the pen compared to some others, from Top to bottom, Kaweco Sport, Model 45, Model 66 Pocket, Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000, TWSBI Eco : http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o535/Keir_Williams/image2_zps3xey09gl.jpg And posted : http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o535/Keir_Williams/image1-4_zpsbm0xksbp.jpgAs you can see its not a big pen, although it's a perfectly comfortable size for someone with normal sized hands. The fine nib appears on the fine side compared to other nibs : http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o535/Keir_Williams/image1-3_zps26dq0y9c.jpgIt's a little finer than the Kaweco fine, and a little drier, but about the same as the Eco's Extra Fine nib. I quite like it; it's stiff with almost no line variation but a good solid flow. It's very well made to precise measurements, and here are some dimensions : Capped length : 4.45" or 113mm Posted length 5.60" or 142mm Unposted length 4.12" or 104mm I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it, and it'd be great premium upgrade to something like a Kaweco or a Lamy. 8.5/10 for the FC Model 45 XLV in Black, Steel Fine.

Introduction: The Conway Stewart brand has always been one of Interest, Desire and Pride in the Fountain Pen community more so since the unfortunate events that befell it. But it seems that a conscious and considerable effort is being made to revive the brand. I was fortunate enough to attend my first pen show at Los Angeles in February of this year. After the initial “pen”sory overload, the hunt for a memorable “First Pen Show” Pen began. A word of caution, such hunts can begin and end at a single table if you’re not careful with your cash! And for me this could have been Sarj Minhas’s table, hadn’t it been for the overinflated valuation of an Omas Arco. So I had to move on…to Syd Saperstein’s table where a lively discussion on Conway Stewart was underway between a few patrons and Mr. Emmanuel Caltagirone himself. We come to know Manu has a few of the new Model 100 Conway Stewart pens for sale and we move to his table. And there is where my hunt ended; with me pocketing an Omas Ogiva Alba and the Model 100 in Classic Green (some call it Pistachio). I have been using the Conway Stewart daily for the past 1 month and would like to share my review of the pen. Packaging: The pen comes in a hard case with faux leather. The Cover of the box can be inverted and used as a pen rest which is lined with velvet and has the Conway Stewart branding. Inside is a booklet, in the recent redesign, with a lot of information on the history of the Company right till the recent acquisition. As per the specifications The New Conway Stewart Model 100 comes in 4 colors; Beluga Black, Blue Lapis, Pistachio and British Green. Solid Semi Flex 18k Nib. Special Engraving on the Nib. Greek Art Deco band on cap. Piston Filler Operated. The Pen: I chose the Classic Green just because I don’t have many green pens. It is the well-known Green Freckled material with lots of random sparkly bits (? Cellulose Acetate) and with Gold Trim. The pen is of a good size, comparable to large pens. Here are some size comparisons. (L to R): Platinum 3776 Kawaguchi, Omas Ogiva Alba, New Conway Stewart Model 100, Mont Blanc 149, Lamy Safari. The pen seems to have the Classic Model 100 Shape; I do not have the original for comparison. The Golden Trim I was told is Gold plated. The thicker Cap band has a Greek Key Motif and the New Conway Stewart Branding. The barrel tapers gradually and there is no Engraving like previous Conway Stewart pens. The cap takes exactly 1 complete turn to open and posts securely. In hand the pen feels well made with tight tolerances, fit and finish. The material does not feel plasticy and the pen has a pleasant weight to it. The balance is towards the barrel end but I find that it rests well on the web of my hand. The cap is light and posting the pen does not alter the balance. The posted size is very comfortable too. The section might be considered a bit short. It has flare towards the nib and the difference in thickness of the section is 2mm. The cap threads are polished and do not prevent you from gripping the pen over them. Filling System: The end of the barrel has the Piston Turning knob. I think this pen has a Captive Converter Piston. The knob does not move away from the barrel during operation as usual Piston fillers eg. MB 149, Lamy 2000. The piston action has been very smooth and the ink capacity is around 1.2ml. The Nib: The Nib is 18k Gold with engraving similar to the New Eversharp Decoband. Visually the difference between the glossy and matte areas is very striking. This is one of the few nibs that looks good with Nib Creep but also a pain in the butt if you like to keep your nibs pristine after inking.Compared to the Vintage Nib which I always found a bit boring, I like this better. Due to the limited number pens available for sale at the show I could only get a Medium nib whereas I prefer Broad Nibs. I did a dip test and was happy with the performance. The nib was very smooth out of the box, an 8/10 on wetness and soft. Then Manu points out that the nib is pretty soft and suggests I push it a bit! And I was sold. Writing Sample below. The last 3 lines were written with the Vintage Conway Stewart nib. I feel the people behind Eversharp’s Flex nibs might be behind this nib too and I feel the variation would be more apparent if the nib was a Fine to begin with. Compared to the Vintage Nib, the new one gives out more line variation when pushed and feels more soft/springy during regular writing. I might go as far as to say that the New CS Nib has equal, if not more, variation that a recent Flex Nib from an Italian Manufacturer! Having tried both at the L.A Pen Show. Size comparison to a Conway Stewart Wordsworth: The Little Things: The Cap Finial on my pen is dark brown in color with a bit of marbling. Would have been better if it was solid black or same color as the rest of the pen. The Clip is very secure. The capping/uncapping motion is very smooth. The flare on the section seems to create an air tight space like the Slip and Seal System found in Platinum pens. I have not faced any dry starts on this pen. The Greek Key cap band has ITALY marked on it! An ink window is sorely missed. The Piston knob has a mild resistance at the 2 extreme positions but continues to turn even beyond this point. Might this damage the mechanism over time? Conclusion: This being my first “Show Pen” it will be treasured always and being an almost perfect pen for me It has managed to be always inked. I do not know what the Retail price of the pen will be but for the sub $400 price I paid for it I am completely happy with it. The Conway Stewart Material, piston converter, and of course the Star of the Show, the Nib make for a good $400-500 Pen. Looking at the “New” Conway Stewart as a company it obviously has a lot of Italian influences behind it. I guess the British Heritage behind the name should be forgotten and the New Model 100 makes a good case for it.

The pen was given to me by someone recently and i want to identify the model. The nib has "CROSS 18K 750" written on it. Thanks in advance.

Hello there!! Hopefully some might be able to help me with an ID of my Waterman My mother bought it YEARS ago, and I just found it after going through storage. I know it's worth something, but I'm having a problem identifying the *exact* model. There are similar pens around, but they are much thinner and shorter because they've all got #2 nibs, and this one has a #10. I've written to Waterman, but have yet to hear anything. I have seen other eyedroppers, but they do not have the overlay. Apparently, according to one guy, there were only 3 made in this era? Who knows if that's correct. Sincerely can't find any information on this one- or maybe I just don't know/can't find where to look? Here are the characteristics: - Thick/fat body and cap - 6.5" long - Warn off "20" with a circle on the base of the body - Hard Rubber body and cap (probably black before, now looks dark chocolate) - Sterling Silver overlay - Trefoil Vine pattern (1907-1923) - "Waterman's Ideal Fountain Pen" and "Sterling." engraved (crookedly) on silver - Clip Cap on lower half of cap (not in middle like on other, shorter similar pens) - "Clip-Cap; Sterling; IDEAL; PAT Sep. 26.05" engraved - Nib #10 - "Waterman's; IDEAL; Reg US; Pat. Off.; 10; Made In; USA" engraved If anyone could help me regarding this model of pen, it would be greatly appreciated!

Can you help me to identify the attached pen. It is a Pilot, and according to its shape and nib it is a Deluxe. On the nib it is indicated H278, so it was made in 1978. On the label with Japanese characters states “Lady”. So I assume that it must be a Pilot Delux Lady from 1978. But, it is not the classical Deluxe. Just look at the three rings on the end of the section. I have never seen this design before. Anyone has seen already this model? Thank you in advance. ​The only way I can show the pen is by this links: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5TmX2hzZFK-dUZZYVRwR1RtWC03Z1hKMHNKSUZSUGlHVGRr/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5TmX2hzZFK-ZzczdmYzbWtDYWNVdlNfbDY4YXVJemdSU0hj/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5TmX2hzZFK-dnBOUTE5amZOTlE4eUp6MXY1QnpWby1xSE5V/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5TmX2hzZFK-OGk1SU54YU9qRExGNEhYcTNxRUNNQWNRN1dj/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5TmX2hzZFK-Y25uN3pKTG1yLTlqVUhZV1h1R0R4T0llYnl3/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5TmX2hzZFK-Ym1jdzRvWFozaElpX3NIajVIejBEY3ozU0lJ/view?usp=sharing

Please help me identify the pen in the attachments!

I was given this pen today. Any idea what model it is or how much its worth? It was bought in Paris in 1992, and the color is called "burgundy bordeaux." Thanks!

HI anyone know what model this pen is? on the box it says 1995 - if that helps..thanks so so so much

Hello! I was just wondering if anyone had experience with the Waterman Forum (pen model, not FPN subfourm). I was thinking about buying one, so I am curious as to how smooth it is? Is it worth buying? Also, if you do have experience with it, which inks work well with it? Thanks, -Phillieskjk

Can anyone help me to identify what model this Waterman fountain pen is ? I've had it for quite a few years now and it is a lovely blue and speckled black colour although photographs don't show just how blue it is ... It is a lovely writer but a finer writing nib than you get with most Waterman medium nibs butI have no idea what model it might be....

For the past few months, I've been working on improving my handwriting. I've always written a lot, when at uni, for example, and developed an unruly scrawl. Unfortunately, my scanner won't work with this computer, so I can't show you examples; generally I had shortened versions of letters, such as a weird half-g, and the general impression that a spider had crawled over my page. The model for my recent attempts at improvement came from the book, "Teach Yourself: Improve Your Handwriting," but I feel I've gone as far as this book can take me, and I'm still not satisfied. There is a youtube pen and ink reviewer called 'The Pen Pixie' who has the style of writing to which I aspire. This vid shows examples of her hand, note that she doesn't begin writing until 10mins into the vid so you can just skip to then: I'm not keen on the way she writes her 'b' or 'f', but the general style is nice. Can you recommend any other books which will take me further in my handwriting journey please? Or a particular script which it might be useful for me to focus upon? Thank you, Catherine

Okay, I am not crazy!!! (That is also a subjective statement, thus y'all better behave,lol!) I have a plain, black, steal nibbed Wasp pen, but there is no lever, no plunger, no anything! The back pointy section unscrews. The stamping on the pen says Wasp Pen Co., Inc. Ft. Madison, Iowa, U.S.A. So, is this an eye dropper? Is this something from a desk pen set and I need to find a base? I cannot find anything on this very basic pen, so I'm turning to the experts. Well, and you guys, too! I guess my question is...how do I fill the dang thing!? There is a very tiny hole by the impression on the barrel, so not sure if my father and brother gutted this pen for some weird McIver project they always did as kids and parts are missing, or if all the parts are there.

Yippee! I was so happy to receive my first Sheaffer snorkel pen yesterday. I twisted the end piece and out came the tube. What a thrill! It would not fill with water on rinse out. Bubbles came out around the nib base where it connects to the section, but not from the snorkel tube. So I gently disassembled it partly by unscrewing the section and then the rear silver colored plunger thing slipped out of the barrel. But when I tried to retract the snorkel..., opps, it would only go back part way into the barrel. See photo. The snorkel sticks out past the nib and will not go in any further. I tried reassembly several times to see if I had missed catching a flange or other simple fitting-together error with no success. I wonder what I did to the mechanism to cause this. First off, who should I contact to repair this problem? This repair is beyond what I am prepared to tackle (yet). Please recommend (offer) the name of someone who could take on this project. (Obviously I would prefer someone who is reliable and fair priced rather than the opposite, right? But that goes without saying, or does it?) Second, I would like to be able to identify this particular model if possible. The clip is imprinted withe Sheaffer's, the barrell has the Sheaffer imprint with Made in USA. It is burgundy colored if you cannot tell from the photo. Thanks in advance for any suggestions or advice. Rob

Hi, I have received this Parker fountain pen back in 1992. This coincides with the marking on the pen that says France A.III. The nib is Medium. I was not able to find any mentioning of the models' name. Does anyone identify the model? Have lately renewed my interest in fountain pens and made some acquisitions. I am now trying to organize my collection and this is one of the 2 pens that I could not identify. Thanks a lot to all of you out there.

Hi, I have lately renewed my interest in fountain pens. There were a few of them that I could not identify. After making a few acquisitions of fountain pens I am now trying to organize my collection. This set is composed of a ball pen and a fountain pen. I think that I have received this as a gift back at the end of the 90's or maybe around 2000. Not sure. I was not able to locate he models' name. Does anyone identify it? Thanks.

Hello, I have had this Pelikan pen for a long time, however I never knew its name. What model Pelikan is this?