Found A Kosca In The Wild...

[hari317]

Out of the blue, my fav. local pen seller offered me this pen, marked "Kosca" on the clip. I knew nothing about this make, neither did he, but the pen was lovely so I brought her home, however the sale is still pending and I have an option to return the pen. I did a google search after reaching home and now know that it was an Italian brand. I have taken some detailed pictures of the pen which are attached. The pen is of an uniformly pale gold color, No hallmarks anywhere, Overlay over BHR. Button filler, sac is missing but the button and J bar are there and seem to be OK(I removed and checked). Blind cap is marked F.

 

The nib is probably not original to the pen since it is marked:

 

B.B

1

K

14C-585

Mabie Todd

 

Is Kosca known to have used third party gold nibs like probably Black Bird in this instance? When is this pen likely to have been made? The owner personalisation indicates pre 1936? is the Christmas tree type feed correct for this pen? Is this pen worth the 150USD that my pen seller is demanding for it? Thanks in advance for all your help and inputs.

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Kosca/IMG_5417.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Kosca/IMG_5419.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Kosca/IMG_5420.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Kosca/IMG_5421.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Kosca/IMG_5422.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Kosca/IMG_5423.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Kosca/IMG_5424.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Kosca/IMG_5425.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Kosca/IMG_5426.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Kosca/IMG_5427.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Kosca/IMG_5428.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Kosca/IMG_5429.jpg

 

Regards,

Hari

[akiva]

According to Jacopini, the firm startied in the middle 20's. Two Germans started the company which became known for their overlays. they used celluloid later on and the pics show arco type and even the williamson/parker vac stripes. I would think that with the wrong nib (I don't know about the feed) . The price of $150 doesn't seem too much. I leave the fuller (and better) explanations to Paolo or Fabio!

[hari317]

Thank you Akiva, I hope the other experts chime in too.

[Aysedasi]

Looks rather tasty to me Hari!

[fabbale]

According to Jacopini, the firm startied in the middle 20's. Two Germans started the company which became known for their overlays. they used celluloid later on and the pics show arco type and even the williamson/parker vac stripes. I would think that with the wrong nib (I don't know about the feed) . The price of $150 doesn't seem too much. I leave the fuller (and better) explanations to Paolo or Fabio!

 

God work Akiva.

From Letizia's book, some notes:

 

"Milan firm Koska is one of the many fountain pen manufacturers that were set up by business people from Germany on Italian soil after the turn of the century,Montegrappa, Uhlmann’s, and Fendograf are just a few examples.

The name Koska derives from the first syllables of the owners’ surnames: Koheler and Schaefer, which give “Ko-scha.” This was simplified to “Kosca,” possibly because Italians would have pronounced “Koscha” as coscia, that is, the Italian word for thigh.

During the thirties/early forties Koska made precious metal overlays for Columbus,Omega, Ercolessi, and the Italian branch of Waterman. And in the fifties it expanded its clientele to Parker."

 

MY KOSKA

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/AGOSTO%202010/koskaarco_4.jpg

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/AGOSTO%202010/koskaarco_1.jpg

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/AGOSTO%202010/koskasilver_1.jpg

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/AGOSTO%202010/koskasilver_3.jpg

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/AGOSTO%202010/koskasilver_4.jpg

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/giugno%202010/KOSKASAF_7.jpg

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/giugno%202010/KOSKASAF_10.jpg

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/giugno%202010/KOSKASAF_8.jpg

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/giugno%202010/KOSKASAF_2.jpg

 

THIS KOSKA IS PUBLISHED A PAG. 272 from Letizia,s book:

 

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/GENNAIO%202011/KOSKA_7.jpg

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/GENNAIO%202011/KOSKA_4.jpg

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/GENNAIO%202011/KOSKA_2.jpg

[FredRydr]

$150 seems fair for such a gorgeous project pen. All you need are some close-ups of the nibs on fabbale's pens (hint).

 

Fred

Edited January 23, 2011 by FredRydr

[hari317]

Thank you all for your valuable comments, inputs and insights. I will be keeping this pen.

 

Regards,

Hari

[akiva]

Fabio send me the pens you are fed up with please

[eckiethump]

Hi Hari,

The nib is a strange one, it may have been a Mabie Todd export nib ? The imprint is unlike any I have seen on Mabie Todd pens, including Black bird's. The feed is not Mabie Todd, they did religiously heat stamp imprint all their pen parts.

Eric

[Sunflowers]

Great find, congrats. There is one on fleabay right now that is rolled gold, for considerably more.

[fabbale]

Fabio send me the pens you are fed up with please

 

 

 

 

Maybe one day ... but at the moment ...

[LetiziaJac]

Ciao a tutti... ma che lingua devo usare?

English or Italian??

Well the pen is a very nice one, but my opinion is that there must have been some enamel inside the "decorative slots" on the overlay. Those geometric grooves were probably filled with red/black enamel whose remnants have been then totally and skilfully taken away to make the pen look as if it had never had enamel on.

As regards the nib, it should have a Koska gold nib. I am not so sure about the feed but I would say that it is not the original one.

$ 150? It's not far fetched, but I would ask for a discount!

[eric47]

Ciao a tutti... ma che lingua devo usare?

English or Italian??

 

Hmmm....ask Fabio, Stefano, or me, and we'll say that here, English is the safest bet.

Edited January 24, 2011 by eric47

[fabbale]

Ciao a tutti... ma che lingua devo usare?

English or Italian??

 

Hmmm....ask Fabio, Stefano, or me, and we'll say that here, English is the safest bet.

 

:roflmho: :roflmho:

[fabbale]

Ciao a tutti... ma che lingua devo usare?

English or Italian??

Well the pen is a very nice one, but my opinion is that there must have been some enamel inside the "decorative slots" on the overlay. Those geometric grooves were probably filled with red/black enamel whose remnants have been then totally and skilfully taken away to make the pen look as if it had never had enamel on.

As regards the nib, it should have a Koska gold nib. I am not so sure about the feed but I would say that it is not the original one.

$ 150? It's not far fetched, but I would ask for a discount!

 

Welcome Donna Leti...

[fabbale]

Another KOSKA for this group; gold filled with black enamel.

Litte dimension (9,5 cm.) not original nib; there are not my photo... i must do again.

I forgot it; was ended in a drawer together with other

 

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/MADE%20IN%20TALY/KOSKA/koska_1.jpg

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/MADE%20IN%20TALY/KOSKA/koska_4.jpg

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/MADE%20IN%20TALY/KOSKA/koska_3.jpg

[Ghost Plane]

Can I have the forgotten pens?

[Brian]

A very nice piece with much character. Congratulations.

 

 

[fabbale]

Can I have the forgotten pens?

 

I remembering now....

Will be for a next time, memory come back to me