Platignum - Gold Tone - Quick Change

[bass1193]

Is the stinkiness of these pens the same as that of some Indian pens? Some Noodler's pens are also made of this "cotton butyrate", as Nathan called it in the depths of one of his YouTube uploads.

Edited November 19, 2018 by bass1193

[CS388]

I'd love to come into this thread and fly the flag for Platignum, as a lover of pens from the golden age, especially from the UK - but, I did buy some old Platignums over the last few years (as I was buying some old stuff on 'the bay') - I'm sorry to report that with all the crack repairs and nib grinding and smoothing, many hours of toil and graft, I still ended up with nothing of any merit. Poor nibs. Still got some bits and even some complete pens in the junk box, but not a brand i will be pursuing any more.

 

I hope your mileage may vary.

 

Enjoy

[PaulS]

As the modern expression goes ............... 'they were made to a price' ......... and history appears to be indicating that we had less of an expectation of quality around mid C20 than we do now. I'd suggest that in the U.K. pre WW II working class school children used dip pens, generally, and the middle classes probably bought half decent branded pens. Various factors kept us from being too picky then - now we're way too picky, but a bit of nostalgia isn't a bad thing.

 

I don't know what creates the unpleasant smell - all I know is that the problem seems to affect post war pens rather than the older ones. Have to say that my enthusiasm doesn't stretch to tinkering with Platignums - more a case that I went through a phase of feeling a bit sentimental for them and found them commonly in the wild, so thought I'd put together a representative selection for posterity - whose posterity I'm not sure.

But I'm hooked on the Visi-Ink models - there's quite a lot of work goes into some of them - three separate locations for threading, both male and female - substantial metal buttons - but spoiled I suppose by the use of a steel nib. Another issue on the later pens is shrinkage - after a few years it can be nigh on impossible to get the cap to screw back properly, and then there is the banana barrel

Edited November 19, 2018 by PaulS

[peterg]

I'd love to come into this thread and fly the flag for Platignum, as a lover of pens from the golden age, especially from the UK - but, I did buy some old Platignums over the last few years (as I was buying some old stuff on 'the bay') - I'm sorry to report that with all the crack repairs and nib grinding and smoothing, many hours of toil and graft, I still ended up with nothing of any merit. Poor nibs. Still got some bits and even some complete pens in the junk box, but not a brand i will be pursuing any more.

 

I hope your mileage may vary.

 

Enjoy

I'm looking for a nib with the diamond breather and a side clip with four prong fixing (all 1930's stuff), if they are lucking in your junk box.

Back to your subject... their later pens were of reasonable quality.

[PaulS]

only my opinion, but I'd suggest most early Platignum nibs had heart shaped breathers - slightly fewer had round ones - those with a diamond seem to be uncommon. Assume those with upper case M (in circle) were made by Mitchells

Pix attached of nibs with diamond breathers .........….

 

a 'Golden Platignum - Quick Change', similar to the o.ps. pen, but the small size Platignum nib, which assume is from the 1950s - also picture of same nib together with standard open nib for size comparison.

 

an earlier - possibly 1940s - Golden Platignum in casein with more craquelure than an old master and with standard size Platignum open nib.

 

Visi-Ink pen - possibly late 1930s and with Platignum two tone nib - curiously the feed on this one is of the Ink-Lock variety with central hole through the feed, though the cap lacks the plastic rod which locates in this central hole. I'm suspicious of this nib being original, but pessimism unfounded, perhaps.

 

I take back some of my harsh words about the writing abilities of these pens - these three are really quite smooth - I might even try writing with one.

The name of 'Golden Platignum' seems to have survived for a long time and been used on a variety of pens, some of which show only small variation.

 

Peter - you will need to educate me re your comments about 'side clips and four prongs' - the three nibs shown here are standard in the shape and fitting I'd suggest. Sorry, but I don't have a diamond breather nib going spare - didn't know you were into cheap pens

 

Looking again at the o.ps. pix of the dis-assembled Quick Change, I don't see a clutch ring - this would locate at the very front of the barrel and appears locked between section and barrel. I'm also mystified by what appears to be an extra black item near the section - it's round but no idea as to its purpose, though I'm probably being thick and missing the obvious.

 

 

[peterg]

'Assume those with upper case M (in circle) were made by Mitchells Pix attached of nibs with diamond breathers .........…. '

 

Platignum were leaders in the manufacture of steel nibs. I think, under the section, you will find M and C for Mentmore Manufacturing Company, normally found on the top Platignum pens, like the Golden Platignum.

 

By side clip I mean like the Parkette, with the clip attaching to the side of the cap (in this case by four tabs). I haven't seen that on a Platignum before. As to cheap pens, that is all I am into. Preferably mandarin Duofold Seniors (& Uniques)! There is a short list of other pens but there isn't enough space here!

[PaulS]

thanks re nib maker, and I misunderstood wording about the clip - brain now in gear. I don't think any of the post war Plats. have a side attached ball-end lip like a Parkette - and even pre war it doesn't appear to have been common - though I have one with a side attached stepped clip with ball-end similar to some of the really old Swan clips.

[peterg]

This is a 1930's pen with a chrome plated clip (not that I have seen it) but it is more likely in the parkette/ Waterman style rather than the earlier Swan style clips

 

Having looked, it is the same as the nib on the left. You will probably see the Mentmore symbol hidden under the section.

Edited November 21, 2018 by peterg

[Ricky2011]

On 11/18/2018 at 9:47 AM, PaulS said:

most post WW II Platignum models can still be found commonly in the U.K., but imagine vastly less so in Oz - not desirable enough perhaps to warrant the journey, which unfortunate if you want to collect some.

Since we appear not to have a picture of the smaller slightly later Gold Tone Quick Change - picture attached showing three examples - hope this is what jPod is referring to.

Picture also showing some of the Visi-Ink models and a pre war standard pen showing the better quality patterns of earlier models.

The pen in pieces is a Visi-Ink with three part barrel - small sac absent - it's a pen with large metal button, and suspect a lot less common than most of the other Visi-Inks.

Picture also of two drawers for Platignum - shows how it's possible to get carried away with cheap smelly pens

lovely pen draw @PaulSnice array of platignums.. would like to know what colours you have found. as literature seems hard to come by... 

[eachan]

I don't think Paul S is around these days.  I haven't seen him for a while.

[Ricky2011]

thanks @eachansuch as shame Paul seemed to have a good collection of vintage pens in a myriad of colours.