ST Dupont Gatsby

[jar]

Hello Gentlemen, I am on this post as I have a vintage 1970's (I believe) gold plated Gatsby, it has the ID number on the clip and with a magnifying glass I can see that on the underside of the clip is stamped "Made in France". I would like to sell this pen if you know of anyone who may be interested. Audrey 443-362-0334 I realize this is not the classified section, but found it a bit confusing to place the ad........Thank you very much. 2/27/2012

 

Welcome home APE, pull up a stump and set a spell.

 

You need to have been a member for at least thirty days and made at least thirty posts (excluding posts in the Chatter sub-forum) before you can sell anything here, so join in, tell us about yourself.

 

There is a pen show coming up in Baltimore next weekend though so you may want to take it there.

[sexauerw]

I recently acquired a black Gatsby but had not had a chance to ink it until today. It came without a converter so I dug around my Parker converter box and found this one that really fit nicely. I also had a piston converter with a black piston that worked, but another piston converter with a white piston was a bit larger diameter and would not go into the section. The converter shown here had a body diameter too large to fit into the section also, but the long extension at the end was just long enough to reach in and fit over the nipple in the section.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j66/sexauerw/OldParkerConverter.jpg

 

I've filled it with Aurora Black and it writes just as wonderfully as any of my other Duponts. The only problem is that some previous owner had apparently dropped it and bent the outer ring at the end of the barrel so that the cap will not post. I'm sure somebody skilled could make that ring round again but that someone certainly is not me. Since I don't normally post anyway it's not a problem unless and until I want to sell it.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j66/sexauerw/STDupontGatsbyLaquedeChine.jpg

[jchch1950]

Hi :in the eighties they were different models that looked quite similar. One before the Gatsby ,that came in only one size, was call "La plume ultime " that was sell at the same time of the Classic II. You can find more information in the catalogs of Farnhys of those years.Jch.

[Gojira]

Jar's posts on ST Duponts have really poisoned my mind!

 

I'm still hunting for a Gatsby though not with much enthusiasm ever since I acquired a standard Montparnasse (exactly the same one above) and a platinum-trimmed Ellipsis. There's no doubt as to the high quality of ST Dupont pens...it's difficult to put a finger on it but when you pick one up, you'll just know it. Little nuances with how the cap clicks shut and that dinky barrel converter system in the Montparnasse. And the nibs...smooth indeed. A bit too smooth on the Montparnasse though...I suspect it may be due to a lack of "feel" from having to hold the barrel (I have smaller hands so pens with a stepped-down or curved section suits me best) while writing. So at least I know that the bigger Montparnasse won't be suitable for me (my bank account is truly delighted by this revelation!).

[APE]

Hello Gentlemen, I am on this post as I have a vintage 1970's (I believe) gold plated Gatsby, it has the ID number on the clip and with a magnifying glass I can see that on the underside of the clip is stamped "Made in France". I would like to sell this pen if you know of anyone who may be interested. Audrey 443-362-0334 I realize this is not the classified section, but found it a bit confusing to place the ad........Thank you very much. 2/27/2012

 

Welcome home APE, pull up a stump and set a spell.

 

You need to have been a member for at least thirty days and made at least thirty posts (excluding posts in the Chatter sub-forum) before you can sell anything here, so join in, tell us about yourself.

 

There is a pen show coming up in Baltimore next weekend though so you may want to take it there.

Thank you for the heads up on the show, any suggestions on who to speak with if I make the 1-1/2 hr drive from the beautiful Eastern Shore of Maryland!! I do so appreciate the elegance of an era when penmanship, fine stationery and wax seals were the preferred style....now someone else hopefully will enjoy this piece of 1980's nostalgia...I have learned much about ST Dupont since embarking on this project! The Tremont looks lovely....Thanks again.

[georges zaslavsky]

congrats on a nice gatsby

[lava]

I REALLY appreciate this review of this ST Dupont line.

[jar]

I REALLY appreciate this review of this ST Dupont line.

 

Good. Do you have a Gatsby?

[goldenkrishna]

jar, I recently purchased the NOS S.T. Dupont Gatsby that Iguana Sell was offering for sale. (I took delivery of the pen on Monday, and I might add it is a STUNNING pen.)

 

I am curious about the material used to manufacture the barrel and cap. Do you know whether this is a silver plated pen (over brass or some other base metal) or whether the barrel and cap are made from solid sterling silver?

 

:hmm1:

 

Hello jar,

 

Very nice post and I love your FPs. I remember from the late 70's that Dupont had some gorgeous and expensive pens.

I am considering the purchase of a new FP and I was concentrating on Montblanc, Pelikan and Waterman but perhaps I will shift towards St. Dupont. Thanks. Keep it going!

 

With love,

 

goldenkrishna

 

They made models in both forms but the Sterling Silver ones are very rare and hallmark stamped. I believe the one Jorge was selling is like one of mine, a large size Gatsby with very heavy silver plate.

 

They used brass as the body material. I have a couple Gatsby pens that are silver plate over brass and love both of them, as well as several other models in that material. All have done well over an extended lifetime.

 

Here you can see a standard size Gatsby and also a Fidelio in the silver plate.

 

http://www.fototime.com/91CA42227680013/standard.jpg

 

and a large Montparnasse.

 

http://www.fototime.com/8485CC03DC12255/standard.jpg

 

and a standard sized Montparnasse.

 

http://www.fototime.com/BD5ECE3ECE12CCB/orig.jpg

[Strombomboli]

As jar knows already, because he was very helpful (thanks a lot again!), I do own a Dupont Gatsby now as well. From what I read here just now, it must stem from the first production line.

 

I won it on Ebay on Sunday and it arrived today, and I would like to just hold in my hand all the time, because it feels so gorgeous. I am delighted to learn that I am holding silver! Not sterling silver, of course, but brass plated heavily with silver feels very very nice, too.

 

The pen is filled with Diamine Kensington Blue, since Noodler's La Couleur Royale made the nib squeak. Kensington Blue has something royal about it as well, and the colour goes very well with that elegant silver. What a delight! I am very happy I bought this pen.

[jar]

As jar knows already, because he was very helpful (thanks a lot again!), I do own a Dupont Gatsby now as well. From what I read here just now, it must stem from the first production line.

 

I won it on Ebay on Sunday and it arrived today, and I would like to just hold in my hand all the time, because it feels so gorgeous. I am delighted to learn that I am holding silver! Not sterling silver, of course, but brass plated heavily with silver feels very very nice, too.

 

The pen is filled with Diamine Kensington Blue, since Noodler's La Couleur Royale made the nib squeak. Kensington Blue has something royal about it as well, and the colour goes very well with that elegant silver. What a delight! I am very happy I bought this pen.

 

Fantastic. I'm really glad you like it as much as you thought you would.

[Strombomboli]

 

Fantastic. I'm really glad you like it as much as you thought you would.

 

Thank you for your empathy!

 

However, I just came back to report that I was too fast when I thought the other ink had eliminated the squeaking of the nib. It still squeaks. I hope I'll figure something out. Did you ever have this problem?

[jar]

 

Thank you for your empathy!

 

However, I just came back to report that I was too fast when I thought the other ink had eliminated the squeaking of the nib. It still squeaks. I hope I'll figure something out. Did you ever have this problem?

 

Different nibs can make different sounds, singing, clicking, squealing. All are nib related so it's hard to say which you are experiencing but most are not serious.

 

If it is singing it is a result of a harmonic when the nib moves over the paper. Often it will only show up when writing rapidly and only on a particular brand of paper. When it's bad it can even cause the ink to spray like running your finger across a wet toothbrush.

 

If it does not effect the line (no spray) I generally just enjoy it. I have a Yard-o-Led and a Parker "75" that sing whenever used.

[Strombomboli]

In the meantime, I found out that it is a question of handling. I first put the cap on, which I usually never do. So the pen was very heavy in the back and forced me to just let it rest between the thumb and the rest of the hand. And it made me not hold the pen, but rather guide the nib, which is just as elegant as you would think necessary for such an elegant writing instrument. And it doesn't squeak at all this way.

 

However, writing with a posted cap is not very comfortable for my hands which are not those of a lumberjack; but now that I have learnt how to use the pen, I can do it without the cap, i.e., guide the nib, instead of grabbing the pen. It is a light pen this way, and I like the elegance of the whole process.

 

The only disappointng thing is that the Parker converter only holds ink for 4 1/2 pages. And the opening mechanism is brilliant when you use cartrdiges, but only half useful when using a converter. They couldn't have done it otherwise, though; this is due to the overall construction of the pen.

[jar]

In the meantime, I found out that it is a question of handling. I first put the cap on, which I usually never do. So the pen was very heavy in the back and forced me to just let it rest between the thumb and the rest of the hand. And it made me not hold the pen, but rather guide the nib, which is just as elegant as you would think necessary for such an elegant writing instrument. And it doesn't squeak at all this way.

 

However, writing with a posted cap is not very comfortable for my hands which are not those of a lumberjack; but now that I have learnt how to use the pen, I can do it without the cap, i.e., guide the nib, instead of grabbing the pen. It is a light pen this way, and I like the elegance of the whole process.

 

The only disappointng thing is that the Parker converter only holds ink for 4 1/2 pages. And the opening mechanism is brilliant when you use cartrdiges, but only half useful when using a converter. They couldn't have done it otherwise, though; this is due to the overall construction of the pen.

 

Which Parker converter are you using?

[Strombomboli]

One which you have to screw to fill it. The plastic is not clear, but tinted.* They had one to push and with a little ball in it in the store as well, but it didn't look right, so I didn't buy it, since I didn't have the pen with me.

 

Maybe, it's normal, though. I don't write small letters, and the ink flow is quite generous (which I like a lot).

 

* On second inspection: Actually, I couldn't tell now that it's filled with blue ink, if it's tinted or not.

Edited October 16, 2013 by Strombomboli

[jmccarty3]

I have one of these pens, which I bought at Neiman-Marcus in 1987. At that time it was called "La Plume Ultime." I do not recall the name "Gatsby" being used to refer to this pen, which in all respects is the same as the one described in this thread. The lacquer finish on my pen is the blue "Ocean," which is quite beautiful. I would be interested in whether the Parker "smoky" converter works well with this pen, as well as with the Montparnasse. The original converters that came with these pens are disastrous--the ink stick to the walls of the converter rather than flowing to the feed, and the converter leaks into the barrel and onto the section and nib.

[jar]

I have one of these pens, which I bought at Neiman-Marcus in 1987. At that time it was called "La Plume Ultime." I do not recall the name "Gatsby" being used to refer to this pen, which in all respects is the same as the one described in this thread. The lacquer finish on my pen is the blue "Ocean," which is quite beautiful. I would be interested in whether the Parker "smoky" converter works well with this pen, as well as with the Montparnasse. The original converters that came with these pens are disastrous--the ink stick to the walls of the converter rather than flowing to the feed, and the converter leaks into the barrel and onto the section and nib.

 

Yes, "La Plume Ultime" is one of the names used; ST Dupont tended to use different names in different markets (see the Olympio/Orpheo) but a great pen by any and all names.

[Strombomboli]

I would be interested in whether the Parker "smoky" converter works well with this pen

 

Yes, it does, I have no complaints.

 

My Gatsby is still the most beautiful of my pens and the only pen from a luxury brand I own. Recently, I was given a Muji fountain pen and was very astonished to find out that they borrowed quite a bit from the Gatsby design. The Muji has the same simple elegance, though the material is more robust and there is no choice of nib (and it surely isn't a gold nib). In return, it's a cheap pen.