Can Someone Identify This Golden Pen?

[shrieku]

I got this golden lever-fill pen which I don't know who made. It is golden- the top is like metal but feels different from other gold-filled pens I have handled.

 

It has a lovely wavy-line/chevron pattern on barrel and cap. Cap has a ball-end clip.

 

The lever is marked "Foreign" with a design at the round end that I hope you can make out in the pic.

 

Nib is marked "O.K Foreign"

 

There are no other markings on the pen either of the maker or of the metal/gold content etc.

 

Does anyone now who made this pen?

 

http://s6.postimage.org/d903ddci9/DSC_0551.jpg

 

http://s6.postimage.org/iygbxoioh/DSC_0557.jpg

 

http://s6.postimage.org/uc2v8vt75/DSC_0559.jpg

 

http://s6.postimage.org/bl0xypymp/DSC_0553.jpg

[shrieku]

Bump

[red52ripple]

I can't tell you who made this pen, but pens with OK Foreign nibs and "Foreign" on the lever are quite common. They tend towards the bottom of the market and many were made in such a way that they are very difficult if not impossible to repair, with glued-in sections that break the barrel rather than come out. As they're often attractive, that's a disappointment. Some are slightly better, with tipped plated nibs and sections that will actually remove.

 

Someone may know where they came from. I suspect Italy, which made many cheap pens as well as some very good ones.

 

Regards,

[Wikoster]

All I can help is refer you to three posts with fellows who bear similar pens. Vintage Chinese?. -- Strange Pen . -- Kinboshi

 

First off, it does appear to be of Japanese origin going by the use of the OK Foreign stamp on the Kinboshi but it could also just be a frankenpen with multiple parts from separate companies. As per age, all they have is something prior to or possibly around the early 60's when Japanese imports blossomed. Possibly from Hong Kong though... I'd be interested to hear your results with trying to use the pen... But the similarities between the other posts do point towards it being a finicky if not inexpensive pen...

[richardandtracy]

The overall look suggests early/mid 1920's to me rather than 1960's. The reason for this is the position of the clip - quite low down on a long cap, the Parker-Duofold-ish section shape and the narrow yet fairly long nib. All these were common in the 1920's. Also, at the time overlay pens were popular because there were few alternatives to black hard rubber.

 

As for the maker, I am sorry, I have not a clue.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

 

 

 

[red52ripple]

The overall look suggests early/mid 1920's to me rather than 1960's. The reason for this is the position of the clip - quite low down on a long cap, the Parker-Duofold-ish section shape and the narrow yet fairly long nib. All these were common in the 1920's. Also, at the time overlay pens were popular because there were few alternatives to black hard rubber.

 

 

Yes, I'd agree with that date for this pen and some of the others I've seen.

[shrieku]

Thanks Deb, Wikoster and Richard. At least it is a vintage pen even though a low end one at the time.

 

The pen I have looks identical to the "Vintage Chinese" link given by Wikoster

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/109733-a-vintage-chinese-pen/

 

@Wikoster- not it is not a frankenpen as they all fit and belong well together. Thankfully, the sac is fine as wekk so it does not need replacing. I have not yet used it. Will probaly try it out this evening and update here.

 

The ball end clip and the "Foreign" made me think (Wishfully I may add) of a connection to some CS pens for the foreign market. Also the lever shape.

 

The lever has that symbol which I thought might help place the pen. Unfortunately this is not too clear in the pic.

 

Thanks again

[Wikoster]

Thanks Deb, Wikoster and Richard. At least it is a vintage pen even though a low end one at the time.

 

The pen I have looks identical to the "Vintage Chinese" link given by Wikoster

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/109733-a-vintage-chinese-pen/

 

@Wikoster- not it is not a frankenpen as they all fit and belong well together. Thankfully, the sac is fine as wekk so it does not need replacing. I have not yet used it. Will probaly try it out this evening and update here.

 

The ball end clip and the "Foreign" made me think (Wishfully I may add) of a connection to some CS pens for the foreign market. Also the lever shape.

 

The lever has that symbol which I thought might help place the pen. Unfortunately this is not too clear in the pic.

 

Thanks again

 

Quite glad to hear the correct dating on the pen, was mostly summating, so my apologies on that front. But yes, the pen does look quite nice, knowing the sac is in good condition, I can only imagine good tines in the future for you.

[shrieku]

I can only imagine good tines in the future for you.

 

Haha I love that

[Kaweco]

Hi shrieku

I have a lot of celluloid fountain pens with a strange kind of ballpoint nib imprinted "Penkala Foreign". These pens originated surely not from the inventor Edouard Penkala who made pens and other stuff in Zagreb, possily from his brother Emil Penkala who emigrated to the UK. This is possibly a trace.

Kind Regards

Thomas

Edited March 6, 2012 by Kaweco

[Uncle Red]

The mark on the lever looks like a bad copy of the Waterman Ideal symbol to me.

[shrieku]

Thanks for the further replies.

 

I came home and tested the pen. It holds a samll amount of ink. But the SURPRISE is- the nib is a smooth wet super-flexible writer.

 

I have uploaded a writing sample and also drawn the logo on the lever- is that the Waterman's ideal logo?

 

http://s6.postimage.org/u8wzlkt1t/DSC_0537_3.jpg

Edited March 6, 2012 by shrieku

[shrieku]

The mark on the lever looks like a bad copy of the Waterman Ideal symbol to me.

 

I see what you mean, now that I have checked on the Waterman's Ideal logo. Yes there are similarities. Differences are as follows

 

1- Pattern is turned by 90 degrees. (This is horizontal compared to Ideal's vertical)

 

2- IDEAL is not inscribed here

 

3- The radiating lines extend to the perimeter of the circle in this pen. In Ideal, they stop at the "chord" leaving the "segment" clear

 

(Apologies for using geometry terms. I had to brush them up myself here before penning this post

[Uncle Red]

That's the nice thing about some of the off brand pens. The nibs can be super nice.

[shrieku]

Thought I will share some more info on this pen

 

Fortuitously, another of these pens came up on eBay- this time boxed and with more info. I did not bd on the item, but I got the info I was after

 

It is a "Goldin Atlantic" (No spelling mistakes here) fountain pen from the 1920s.

 

here is a link to the listing that ended only just on eBay UK

 

Goldin Atlantic

 

Now that we know the brand, does anyone know more of its history?

[Uncle Red]

Good buy if the nib is as nice as yours.

[shrieku]

Good buy if the nib is as nice as yours.

 

I agree. IIRC I paid a fair bit more than that for my pen. And mine wasn't boxed.