Jonesing For An Artist's Nib

[sidthecat]

I lost an eBay auction and was too slow on the draw in Classifieds. How many did they make? Fifteen?

I don't even think one would be all that much fun to write with but I really want one...how sick is that?

[playtime]

great nibs to be sure - but there are other nibs that are just as fine and as responsive.

Edited May 25, 2015 by playtime

[Vintagepens]

I was just going through my nibs and found two Skyline nibs that are very similar to Waterman artist nibs: very very fine tips, long tines, springy flexibility (artist's nibs aren't limp-soft, note).

Will be mounting them in suitable pens in the next week or two, probably will try listing them on eBay.

[sidthecat]

I see the Universe has thrown down the gauntlet: a Safety with an Artist's nib for six bills. It's got original stickers - to use it would be to reduce its value as a collectable (watch a couple of "Antiques Roadshow" episodes and you quickly learn the importance of condition). The owner admits that he's never actually used the thing, which is not only why he can sell it for twice what I'm willing to pay, but also rather sad.

[inkstainedruth]

What's special about an artist's nib? I don't think I've heard of one before? Are they specific to one pen brand?

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[ANM]

Inkstainedruth, See the color band at the top of the cap of this Waterman? The color coded the kind of nib it had.

 

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii101/matthewsno/DSCN2608_zpstu2v8imv.jpg

 

This chart shows the variety of nibs Waterman offered.

 

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii101/matthewsno/DSCN2606_zpsquvwo9de.jpg

 

At the bottom are uncolored music and artist nibs. Both are hard to find. The Artists nib is so hard to find, its existence borders on legendary.

Edited May 26, 2015 by ANM

[Christopher Godfrey]

Well, since at least one of us here doesn't know about artists' nibs (and I'm glad to learn that I'm not the only one) (I have <heard> of them!), would someone be good enough to educate us about them? If the tip is so fine, is there, perhaps, a lack of tipping material? Also music nibs -- I know they have three tines; but...why? And what has music got to do with it?

 

Apologies for hijacking the thread; but I think it's probably OK...? Thank you in advance!

Edited May 27, 2015 by Christopher Godfrey

[sidthecat]

I see a Waterman with a Music nib being offered in Classifieds...I wonder if it's the same one that sold on ebay last weekend for five bills. Nice nib, to say the least. The thick and thin of the nib is optimised for copying music - another vanished occupation. My dad was a musician who worked with a copyist but I don't remember what kind of pen she used.

 

I have a Platinum with a music nib and I don't like it very much - a Naginata Togi does the job rather better.

 

The Artist's nib is an absolute needle, and I'd like to play with one at least once. You can do a lot with a pen like that, given a decent paper.