It's The QUIZ! February 26

[PenHero]

CLUE: This company made pencils with erasers on the end...

 

You can still buy them today (though the name is now just another brand).

[PenHero]

Faber?

Great guess! But, no...

[Guest Denis Richard]

Autopoint (bis... )

[John]

Caran d'Ache?

[PenHero]

Autopoint (bis... )

Nope - Autopoint was a mech pencil company

[Spodieman]

Inkograph...

[PenHero]

BIG CLUE:

 

When I think of this company, I think of *love*...

 

[Spodieman]

Wirt?

[Gerry]

Venus?

[PenHero]

Caran d'Ache?

That would have been an interesting partner for Sheaffer. Nope!

 

[PenHero]

Venus?

YES!

 

Gerry wins round 2!

 

The Venus Cartridge Pen was based on the Sheaffer design and used Sheaffer cartridges.

 

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/Carts08.jpg

Venus c1955 cartridge pen

 

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/Carts09.jpg

Venus 1955 cartridge pen ad (not my scan)

 

I'm still researching this pen, but I believe Sheaffer actually made it lock stock and barrel, so to speak.

 

GREAT JOB - Gerry wins the Mini Kit!

[Spodieman]

wtg Gerry

[Gerry]

Woo Hoo!!! :bunny1: :bunny1:

 

Many thanks for the challenge Jim. The contest questions (and hints) were delightful.

 

Gerry

[Cam]

Another awesom quiz and great fun!! Google had steam coming off it towards the end, there! Heh!

[John]

Good stuff Jim! :bonk:

[Keith with a capital K]

You guys are just lucky I've been running around this morning and didn't get a chance to play...

 

I'll offer my congratulations to the winners and then head off to grab myself a well deserved coffee break.

[ednerdtheonly]

.

Edited March 3, 2005 by ednerdtheonly

[ednerdtheonly]

Venus? Interesting. Better than Parker in a head to head? Haven't heard THAT before. What more can you guys tell me about their pens?

 

ed

[PenHero]

Venus? Interesting. Better than Parker in a head to head? Haven't heard THAT before. What more can you guys tell me about their pens?

 

ed

Dear Ed,

 

According to Frank Dubiel (check a.b.c.p.p), Consumer Reports did a comparison of fountain pens in the late 1940s. Among the pens tested was the Venus President and the Parker 51. The Venus beat all the others and was declared a best buy. If you've ever used a Venus pen from the 1940s, you'll notice that they are amazingly smooth writers, and very well made for their price point, much less than Parker or Sheaffer.

[Stompy]

I'm bidding on one at the moment

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...item=6515119591

 

Would this be the pen that he was talking about? How would I go about dating it? How flexy would the nib be?