Pens From 1939,1953,1961,1999

[English John]

I want to celebrate the birthdays of my family members by acquiring a pen from their birthyear.

I have one for my Fathers year 1929 - a Sheaffer Lifetime Balance , but I am searching for examples to cover the other birth years

1939,1953,1961 and 1999.

 

For the 1953 I thought of a Tortoise Pelikan 400 , but any ideas for any of the years are most welcome

 

Many Thanks

 

John

Edited December 19, 2012 by English John

[MTS2]

Get a Parker Vacumatic Long Major for the 39'.

[Beechwood]

I have a 1953 Vacumatic John, are there any other makers that show the year on the pen?

[mirosc]

Do you want pens that were produced in that year (and other years) or do you want pens that have started in that year?

For example: for 1953 you could take a Snorkel - produced from 1952-59, but it will be difficult to find one dating exactly from 1953.

Same with the aforementioned Parker Vacumatic - it was produced in other years, too.

 

So - if you are looking for pens that were first produced in those years - these pens have come to my mind:

 

1939: Waterman Hundred Years Pen (but be careful with the versions, you can distinct the first year version from the later versions quite well; have a look at Richard Binder's site; I have searched quite some time to find one)

1953: your idea, the Pelikan 400 Tortoise, is a wonderful choice

1963: Geha Goldschwinge 725 (if I remember correctly; that's the version with the black cap, I believe the 735/745 with gold/silver cap were from another year)

1999: Montblanc Marcel Proust

 

PS: that's a great idea, I have done the same for my family members. It's always a special feeling to take out "mom's" pen or "my sister's" pen...

Edited December 19, 2012 by mirosc

[Ernst Bitterman]

1939 could see you in a nicely date-coded Parker, with the Vacumatic, Challenger or, if you're ambitious/patient, a "Toothbrush" Duofold. Sheaffer wasn't dating their Balances, but if you keep an eye on clip-shapes you can get close to the date if not necessarily precisely on it.

 

1953 was the introduction of the Waterman C/F, and you could claim any Sheaffer Snorkel with a black section is also of that year.

 

1963 was the incipit for the Parker 75, which is as iconic as one could hope. It's also the year Sheaffer started sticking "Lifetime" on its Imperials.

 

1999 is when the current metal-bodied line of Pilot/Namiki Vanishing Points started up. If you're not too picky, a Waterman Carene or a Sheaffer Legacy picked up second-hand COULD be from 1999.

[English John]

Well I'm thinking of a pen produced in that year, but not all pens can be dated of course.

If it is a pen, of that era, that will be just as fine.

I do think the pen has to call the person to my mind of course - my 1929 Lifetime balance is well used and has seen life - just like my Dad !!

[inkstainedruth]

I don't know enough about pen history to give suggestions, but I did want to say that it's a really nifty idea.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[red52ripple]

1939 - a beautiful Mabie Todd Swan Snakeskin.

1953 - a gold-filled Mentmore 46.

1961 - a Parker Super "17" in red.

1999 - That's too late for me. I've no idea what pens they were making in 1999!

Edited December 19, 2012 by red52ripple

[OakIris]

I don't know enough about pen history to give suggestions, but I did want to say that it's a really nifty idea.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

+1

 

A great idea indeed! Wish I could help you with it but I, too, have much to learn before I would be able to make suggestions.

 

Hope you are able to find the pens that you want that meet your dating criteria. A fun project - and you will end up with some very nice pens, I think. I look forward to finding out which pens you decide to hunt for.

 

Holly

[Freddy]

1939:

Parker Shadow Wave..Royal Challenger..Omas Extra Lucens..

Wahl-Eversharp..Oxford..Coronet..Pelikan 100's..Waterman Ink-Vue.

 

1953:

Parker 51 Aerometric..UK made Duofold Aerometric..Pelikan 100N..

Sheaffer Snorkel..Montblanc Diplomat 149.

1961:

Parker 45..Montblanc 32..221..

 

1999:

Nettuno Idra..Sheaffer Balance Aspen & Millennium..Ancora Red

Demonstrator..Visconti Voyager..Lever Connaisseur Sea Series..

Delta Julius Caesar..Parker Greenwich..Montblanc Friedrich The Great..

 

Fred

 

 

 

[English John]

There are some great ideas here. The MB Proust and the Omas Lucens are too pricey for me, but lots of good thoughts.

I would like the Sheaffer Balance 2 Aspen , but the ones that have come up for sale are USA only.

 

Keep them coming

 

John

[English John]

OK, an update on this

1929 - My Dad - Sheaffer balance oversize

1939 - My Mother in law - Mabie Todd Swan Snakeskin

1953 - My Brother - Pelikan 400 tortoise (1950-1956) and Sheaffer Snorkel

1961 - Me and my wife - Montblanc 22 and 32 (arriving soon - very excited)

1999 - Daughter - Final year old style VP , and also an Aurora Optima of that time

 

I have also added

1954 - Sister in law - I have a Pelikan 400 green striated for this.

 

 

I will get a picture of the "Family" when they are all together

 

Two more dates to collect

1946 - my late father in laws birthday

1983 - Wedding anniversary

 

If anyone has good ideas for these - please let me know