What's Your Quintessential Fountain Pen?

[de_pen_dent]

MB 149. Not glitzy. Sturdy sized. Holds a decent amount of ink. Well-made. Makes writing an absolute pleasure.

[Venator]

A Conway Stewart. I'm not sure which Conway Stewart yet, but I will keep looking until I find it.

[ThirdeYe]

Oh boy, this is tough. I honestly couldn't pick just one. I'd say either a Pilot Vanishing Point, a Parker 51, or a Parker Vacumatic. Honorable mention for pens that are also enjoyable, but not as practical: Sheaffer Valor, Parker Duofold Senior, Sheaffer Snorkel (because the ones I have constantly have issues with the filling systems, but when writing, they're a joy!).

 

By the way, I defined my quintessential as pens that are reliable, easy to use, and relatively inexpensive. Also, ones that I never really get sick of using. I also left the Pelikan m200 off of the list, because although I love the way they look and write, it's a bit too small and the barrel threads that the cap screws onto are right where I grip my pen and are somewhat sharp and uncomfortable.

Edited June 14, 2015 by ThirdeYe

[jameswatts]

Not sure I can narrow things down that well. I have so many pens that, when I use them, I think "Why don't I write with this pen every day?" Pens that have prompted that thought include:

 

Montblanc 149 -- for years the grail of all grail pens (and, coincidentally, featured in a book from the 1980s titled "Quintessence," as the quintessential fountain pen).

 

Aurora 88, superb writer, reliable and comfortable for long periods of writing.

 

Parker Sonnet, the original version, as much for sentimental reasons as any other.

 

Conway Stewart 100, the Poinsettia limited edition.

 

Waterman Edson, just a great pleasing heft in the hand and excellent performance.

 

Visconti Homo Sapiens, with a Dreamtouch nib that skates effortlessly over any page.

 

Pilot Custom 823. Just because.

 

Any number of Pelikans, but especially the red-striped M800.

 

But the one pen i find myself returning to again and again, that just feels to be an extension of my hand while writing rather than an instrument IN my hand, is the Platinum 3776 Century, in Chartes Blue.

[Postscript]

Yard O Led Grand Victorian.

[Arkanabar]

I'd have to go along with everyone else who mentioned the Pelikan M200, and consider the M600 as a very close first runner up. In all honesty, if those were the only pens I ever bought for the rest of my life, I would be content. The Estie J and Parker 51 both also deserve special mention.

[j1020]

Pelikan M800

+1 for Pelikan M800

[Water Ouzel]

Until yesterday, I'd probably have said Lamy 2000 EF, but that was before it was run over by a couple three cars. (Set my Midori with the L2K clipped to it on top of my wife's car while loading things inside the car ... you can see what's coming. It fell off a couple hundred yards down the road, and our daughter following us about three minutes later, saw the Midori get hit by a pickup. She stopped and recovered the Midori, and found the pen's blind cap nearby. No trace of the rest of the pen. Sigh. The Midori is fine; people pay extra for "distressed leather" goods, don't they?)

 

So a couple of alternatives (considering only pens I own and have used):

 

- Twsbi amber Vac 700, Bock EF nib. I got lucky with this one. Large capacity, pleasant to write with, completely reliable for me.

- Custom 823 F; first pen that set me back in my chair when I first wrote with it.

- Sheaffer Balance 500, fine semiflex Feather Touch nib. I hope I work as well when I'm 75.

- Platinum Kanazawa Maki-e, F. Soft, springy nib, almost effortless writing with it. And I like the Hare and the Moon on it.

[Dr. Saleem Ali]

I would say Parker 45 because :

ergonomics

nibs available

flighter available

steel and gold nib options

affordable

time-tested

[Bex66]

It's a tough decision between my Pilot Decimo, M and my Sailor Pro Gear Slim II, M. Both the nibs are superb, the size, balance and weights of the pens are perfect for my hand.

For appearance, my Pelikan M400 white/ tortoiseshell. I adore the pen, though the nib and grip don't suit me as well as the other 2.

 

I love my Platinum 3776 Chartres M, too. The nib is wonderful, but the section is a little fat for me.

 

For nib alone, my Italix Parson's Essential would be up there with the top 2. I'm not as keen on its appearance though.

[Sergio 46]

MontBlanc 149 in medium.

[atomic_doug]

I look at the question this way. If someone said "Quick, think of a fountain pen" without prompting me to name a brand or model, the image that would pop in my head would look very much like a Montblanc Meisterstueck.

 

So there's my answer.

 

(My mind's eye has pretty poor eyesight, so it could very well be a Sailor 1911 or a Platinum President or any of a thousand other black cigar pens with gold trim.)

[FountainPages]

For me, my quintessetial pens:

 

Expensive... Aurora Optima...piston filler, homemade gold nib, old company.

Medium cost... Lamy Studio Platinum...huge cartridge, flexy gold nib, old company.

Inexpensive... Bexley Hometown Delaware... Made in USA, smooth writer, great pen for the money.

Edited July 7, 2015 by FountainPages

[Bklyn]

I look at the question this way. If someone said "Quick, think of a fountain pen" without prompting me to name a brand or model, the image that would pop in my head would look very much like a Montblanc Meisterstueck.

 

So there's my answer.

 

(My mind's eye has pretty poor eyesight, so it could very well be a Sailor 1911 or a Platinum President or any of a thousand other black cigar pens with gold trim.)

Agreed. A cigar in black with gold trim that is a bit large and a bit thick. The Mb 149 is lovely but it is simply too expensive. At $935, it is just too costly. At $500, we are getting close to the value proposition that seems to make sense for me.

[Frank C]

The quintessential fountain pen would have to be the Montblanc 149. It was the first really nice fountain pen I bought and I still like it today. Lots of nice pens mentioned above, though.

[shawndp]

Platinum 3776 -

 

it's a classic sort of shape ( cigar shaped with a large nib - it is instantly recognizable even to non FP-users,)

 

Not insanely priced (got both of mine for under US100 - an excellent price for the performance)

 

Writes well even after long periods of being capped (Platinum has some technical explanation for this)

 

There are so many nib choices (SM is my fav but you can get EF to Music - there's got to be a width you like)

 

Choice of colours - Chartres Blue was my first and I have a Black w/ Rhodium trim too but there's Red and Demo's for people who like that sort of thing

 

And there you have it - this is the pen that broke my decades long relationship with Waterman. It gives my Carene's a run for their money and makes me second guess buying an Edson. I own nicer pens, more expensive pens, more beautiful pens and more unique writers but if I had to imagine good generic FP this would be it.

[LuckyKate]

Pelikan 600--not too thin or too thick, too flashy or too plain, with a wonderful smooth nib. I enjoy writing with this attractive pen without being overwhelmed by its beauty (at least the blue one, maybe not the white tortoise). It functions well. It was expensive but not so much that it makes me question my judgment or common sense. It's a good buy for what I need it to do.

[FOUR X FOUR]

I enjoyed the video. I was going to ask you about your tobacco, your pipe and the pen itself. To state it mildly, what you did was misleading.

[trandy]

For my journal: 1952 Parker 51 Aerometric with fine nib.

 

For the office: Lamy Safari Fine with nib.

[spaceink]

By number of pens, Esterbrooks are by far the most dominant presence in my 50ish pens collection, so the J pens must be it for me, what with the interchangeable nibs and easy to maintain lever fill system and pretty celluloid colors.

 

Behind that would be Parker 51s and 1970s affordable-level Montblancs.

 

Yet I'd say that in terms of actual active call-up time in my rotation, the Parker 51s are probably the most frequent presence. I always seem to have one in use because they are the pens I can count on to be ready to go, even if I've not used them for a few weeks after they're filled.