Where to learn about Kosca?

March 31, 2010

I am sticking a toe into the waters of vintage Italian pens and buying a Kosca. I would like to learn something of the brand, but Google has turned up very little. So, were they made in Milano? During what years were they in business? What's the consensus on their quality? Can anyone point me to a resource (print, web, or other) for learning a bit about these pens? To make things more difficult for anyone who might be able to help, I should probably say that I speak/read no Italian. Thank you for any help.

Dave

March 31, 2010

I am sticking a toe into the waters of vintage Italian pens and buying a Kosca. I would like to learn something of the brand, but Google has turned up very little. So, were they made in Milano? During what years were they in business? What's the consensus on their quality? Can anyone point me to a resource (print, web, or other) for learning a bit about these pens? To make things more difficult for anyone who might be able to help, I should probably say that I speak/read no Italian. Thank you for any help.

Dave

The one of the best source of information is the two volume book set by Letizia Jacopini. Letizia is a member here so hopefully she can answer your question. Anything I would say came from her book so you might as well get the info straight from the source.

March 31, 2010

The one of the best source of information is the two volume book set by Letizia Jacopini. Letizia is a member here so hopefully she can answer your question. Anything I would say came from her book so you might as well get the info straight from the source.

I know of this book, but definitely cannot swing the expense right now; I'm not even sure if it's still in print. (If anyone reading this thread wants to trade their copy for a pen, drop me a PM ;-) ). Thank you for pointing me in the right direction.

Dave

March 31, 2010

I know of this book, but definitely cannot swing the expense right now; I'm not even sure if it's still in print. (If anyone reading this thread wants to trade their copy for a pen, drop me a PM ;-) ). Thank you for pointing me in the right direction.

Dave

I just received a set directly from Letizia but you are right about the cost. Hopefully she will post a response here in this thread. You can always PM or e-mail her.

April 1, 2010

Dave,

You can get a tidbit of information from Letizia's website. Look for Kosca under pen brand info.

April 1, 2010

Dave,

You can get a tidbit of information from Letizia's website. Look for Kosca under pen brand info.

Thanks alot! It's certainly a start and is more than I knew before. It's interesting to me how little is definitively known about the Italian makers. Post war chaos? I feel like I know much more about very obscure US makers from the before the dawn of the twentieth century than what is known about many of these famous Italian brands, dating from a half-century later. Again, thank you for taking the time to lend me a hand. Grazie!

Dave

April 1, 2010

Thanks alot! It's certainly a start and is more than I knew before. It's interesting to me how little is definitively known about the Italian makers. Post war chaos? I feel like I know much more about very obscure US makers from the before the dawn of the twentieth century than what is known about many of these famous Italian brands, dating from a half-century later. Again, thank you for taking the time to lend me a hand. Grazie!

Dave

No problem. I collect vintage Italian and Japanese pens, especially the more obscure makers. For many makers, there only exists very scant amount of information. The war did not help things. You also find especially in Italian makers a lot of interconnections between brands. This is due to personal friendships, family ties, etc. So you find similarities in construction and materials between different makes.

April 1, 2010

You also find especially in Italian makers a lot of interconnections between brands. This is due to personal friendships, family ties, etc. So you find similarities in construction and materials between different makes.

Interesting to see the pen at the bottom of Letizia's Williamson page (here: http://xoomer.virgilio.it/leiacopi/williamson_fset.htm ). The blend of Parker Vacumatic and 51 is virtually identical to the Kosca that I purchased (though mine has a plastic striped cap).

If you dig in the US makers, you also find a lot of commonality. Names like CE Barrett, Julius Schnell, Frank Mooney, etc just pop up again and again. There were a lot fewer real players than most casual collectors will ever realize.

April 7, 2010

Hi,

here am I!

Just a few pieces of information on Kosca: the name of the brand derives from the two founder's family names: Kohler and Schaefer. The company was based in Milan and started its activity in the 1920s.Although based in Italy, the company developed very intense business relationships with the German market, on the one side importing components and on the other exporting finished Kosca products into the German market. This explains the "German looking" style of some early Kosca pens. Kosca produced pens with overlay ( many overlays were produced on commission for other brands, too)pens in celluloid and pencils. Production lasted till the mid 1950s. All Kosca pens had their gold Kosca nibs. Kosca pens from the 1930s /1940s wer beautiful writing instruments with a very sturdy look and good quality trims. From the mid 1930s on, Kosca added piston fillers in three sizes to the range of button fillers and developed a very interesting telescopic plunger which was used only or a short while. Kosca pens from the late 1940s/ 1950s acquired the typical torpedo shape of the time and were produced both in celluloid and with precious metal overlays, with hooded nibs, too. During the 1930s/1940s Kosca exported a number of products to the South American market, where unusual Kosca pens are often found, whose style and trims differ from the standard Italian production.

I hope this can help!

April 7, 2010

Hi,
here am I!
Just a few pieces of information on Kosca: <SNIP>
I hope this can help!

Great Stuff! Grazie mille di cuore! The explanation of the name (and the company's ties to Germany) is very interesting. I had seen the name Kosca before, and, prior to purchasing my Kosca pen, had always assumed that it was a German company. The pen that is now on its way to me (the seller needed to recork the piston) is what seems to be a very common and late style: striped plastic (very similar to the Parker Vacumatic) and a hooded nib (a la the Parker 51). As the Parker Vacumatic was my entry point into collecting vintage writing instruments, this Kosca seems a fitting way to try vintage Italian. Again, thank you for everything. I hope that I can one day locate a copy of your books (when I have the funds on-hand to purchase).

By the way, here's a photo of the pen (pretty common late-style pen, it seems...

Dave

Edited April 7, 2010 by Dave Johannsen

April 7, 2010

Hi,
here am I!
Just a few pieces of information on Kosca: <SNIP>
I hope this can help!

Great Stuff! Grazie mille di cuore! The explanation of the name (and the company's ties to Germany) is very interesting. I had seen the name Kosca before, and, prior to purchasing my Kosca pen, had always assumed that it was a German company. The pen that is now on its way to me (the seller needed to recork the piston) is what seems to be a very common and late style: striped plastic (very similar to the Parker Vacumatic) and a hooded nib (a la the Parker 51). As the Parker Vacumatic was my entry point into collecting vintage writing instruments, this Kosca seems a fitting way to try vintage Italian. Again, thank you for everything. I hope that I can one day locate a copy of your books (when I have the funds on-hand to purchase).

By the way, here's a photo of the pen (pretty common late-style pen, it seems...

Dave

Well, a late product but a very nice one! I hope you will enjoy it.