2 Unmarked German Piston Fillers; Can You Help Identify Them?

[Don Jr]

I primarily collect lesser-known German pens from the time frame of 1910-1945. A few years ago, my brother in Bayern gave me an interesting pen that seemed to fall directly in line with my interests.

 

As you can see in the photo, it’s a pearlescent green piston filler with cap top and filling mechanism made of black hard rubber. The cap sports 2 gold plated cap rings and a nifty plated “snake clip” – the latter a popular feature on German pens in the 1930’s. The piston knob has no blind cap (like a Pelikan 100 or 100N), and surprisingly, there are no maker-marks on the clip, cap, barrel or filling mechanism. I say “surprisingly” because the quality of workmanship on these components matches those typical of other contemporary pens by Osmia, Pelikan, Soennecken, Matador, Kaweco, and others. Next to the color of the celluloid, the thing I like most about this pen is its left-footed oblique (and flexible) Degussa steel nib! Right-footed oblique nibs on German pens are not uncommon, but in my experience left-footed oblique nibs are pretty rare. I installed this nib after I obtained the pen; the original was a badly damaged & corroded steel Degussa nib. This replacement is very smooth and an extreme pleasure for a left-handed writer like me! For the benefit of readers who may not be familiar with German pens of this era, a German pen without a maker name could reflect a student/inexpensive economy pen –or- perhaps a pen made by one of the first-tier manufacturers for another seller. After examining the quality of the internal components, I believe this pen is an example of the latter, and I’ve always wondered which company produced it.

Very recently I acquired the piston filler below from a German pen collector, and the washer-style clip is marked “Primus”. Rather than 2 gold plated cap rings, it has a single ‘checkerboard’ cap band. The ‘root beer’ celluloid color and faceted cap & barrel are what caught my eye initially, but once I had it in my possession, I instantly recognized the geometry of the black hard rubber cap top and filling mechanism were identical to my lovely no-name marbled-green piston filler! Here are a few pictures for comparison:

I assumed that “Primus” is the manufacturer’s name for both pens, but when I tried to research the name on line, all I could find was information about the modern “Rotring Primus”, Uhu “Primus”, and Heiko Primus -- but none of these are remotely similar to either of my pens. I’m wondering if this is a replacement clip?

 

Can anyone identify the maker of these pens and provide an accurate manufacture date?

I believe mid- to late- 1930’s, but would appreciate opinions from some of the advanced German pen collectors…

--Don Jr

[Bo Bo Olson]

The top of the cap says '30's-40's.

That is a real fancy clip....did a quick look in my old Lambrau book, didn't see any matches.

 

Big pen makers made pens for others....department stores. Osmia had a number of pens made for others, the very sturdy Original Reform.....were some of the top of the line makers who made for others, with other names.

Degussa bought up Osmia's nib factory in 1932,,,,continued making nibs for Osmia.

Summer of 1938, Hitler sold all the gold nibs....so a steel Degussa could point to the time between that and say 1942....when the cap rings were left off...to save war metal. One of the markings of a War pen.

Yours still has cap rings.

 

Do like that snake clip.

Your top one has a cap ring I've seen....may have one....do.

I have no name one with three V's in the clip.

Such a cap ring does indicate a high class pen.

Also, clips that are out of the ordinary. I have a number of pens that seem to have Generic clips...even some of the name brands.

Edited March 3, 2015 by Bo Bo Olson

[fountainpagan]

I think Primus is a DDR brand, such as Garant, Makeba, Markant, Ursus and others.

 

But both your pens are beautiful.

Edited March 3, 2015 by fountainpagan

[Bo Bo Olson]

I think both are pre-war...or start of it, because of the cap tops. Tops shrank drastically after the war.

[Don Jr]

Bo Bo,

Thank you for taking the time to reply -- actually, I was kind of hoping that you, Kaweco, Markiv, or others with similar collecting interests would see the thread and post your thoughts. Your thoughts of production time are right in line with mine; perhaps Kaweco would be able to recognize the geometry of the cap tops and filling mechanisms, and link them to a particular manufacturer.

 

I'm believing more that the Primus clip may be a replacement; perhaps more likely the original matched the gold colored checkerboard-style cap ring (?)

 

Don Jr

[Kaweco]

Hello Don

Of course, I had seen the question. And it might be that the clips are not original: The clip rings are smaller than the body. IIRC I have a fp with the green pattern in my "miscellaneous" box I will find the time for a search. The filling knob is very special, this actually will be the identificatin point. It is neither an Osmia nor a Reform (IMHO, the production of high grade brands for no name firms does not make any economical sense)

Kind Regards

Thomas

Edited March 4, 2015 by Kaweco

[Don Jr]

Thomas,

Thanks for your comments, and I hope that you are able to find some pens with similar filling knobs in your miscellaneous box that has a name brand we can link to! Also, from my photo, I know the the clip ring on the green pen looks smaller, but it is actually the same diameter as where it mates to the cap top and the cap barrel. The cap top was not tight and the clip ring shifted.

 

Don Jr

[Bo Bo Olson]

Osmia made the Akkermann department store pen, and Merlin and Ciba pens.

 

Some one made parts for a lot of local market pen 'makers' who sold to local department stores or corner pen shops. If I remember right there were some 120 + or - 'pen makers' from the thirties.

 

I know MB made Pelikan nibs in the start.

 

Orignal Reform made (I can't find the pen right now )...a Cleo or something similar. Thomas (Kaweco) either pointed out both pens so I could buy them at a flea market or got there right after I picked both war pens up. We talked about the war nibs on them with out their names. Both were very solidly made pens. The nibs not so....but there was a war on.

Nothing second class about that 'cleo'.

 

That first clip looks like it fits the pen....the second one not....but is real pretty.