What Was Your Last Impulsive Pen Acquisition?

[essayfaire]

Because of @amberleadavisgushing about it, I'm waiting on an Osprey Madison with a BB Architect grind.  It's an inexpensive way for me to see what I think of an architect and I can easily order other nibs later if it doesn't suit as the pen seems to be built for nib changing. 

[alexwi]

On 5/16/2022 at 12:19 PM, inkstainedruth said:

Amazing how things change in a decade.... 

 

 

Ruth, I think the clinical term is "degenerative." 😉

[Arcadian]

This guy, who I had spent three years dismissing, suddenly seduced me out of my mind today! 

[chromantic]

Another slim Targa, this one in gold and black length-wise stripes with 14k nib - M, but used buyers can't always be choosers. Was pleased enough with the plain Jane black/chrome one I recently got that I hopped on this handsome beast without hesitation.

[Paul-in-SF]

I ordered a pen from Eboya, even though it was an infuriating experience, even though it has a bog-standard Bock nib, and even though they charge 8100 yen for shipping (currently over $63). I had looked and thought and put the thought away, but on the day I bought, it was a total impulse. I hope I don't regret it. 

[Armo]

Everyone needs a lucky pen. Gaffed this one a few days ago and couldn't be happier. From what I've been able to gather I think it's probalby late 50's.

 

[essayfaire]

12 hours ago, Paul-in-SF said:

even though they charge 8100 yen for shipping (currently over $63).

I wonder if it's a Japan thing.  I have the same problem when ordering Hobonichi, the shipping is outrageous relative to the price of the Hobonichi itself.

[Paul-in-SF]

11 minutes ago, essayfaire said:

I wonder if it's a Japan thing.  I have the same problem when ordering Hobonichi, the shipping is outrageous relative to the price of the Hobonichi itself.

 

I've certainly gotten very timely shipments from Japan for a lot less, from places like Pensachi ($19.99 for the most recent pen I got from them). I don't need gold-plated delivery services, just something trackable. 

[SpecTP]

 Ran across this wonderfully pristine 1960's Merz and Krell Senator 880 with rolled gold cap.. the nib looks quite flexible.

 

[OldTravelingShoe]

TL;DR: I got a battered Mabie Todd Swan SF1 with what I take is the original nib, while perusing the clutter (rommel) in the Delft weekend market. I just felt someone needed to show some care to this little wonderful pen. Now I need to either learn how to fix such a pen or find an expert. 

 

Figure 1. The pen and I inspect each other. 

 

Figure 2. The nib has seen better days, but it was in a different century. 

 

Figure 3. The lever probably took off with the family jewels. 

 

Figure 4. There's your email address, 1920s (?) version. 

 

Figure 5. And there's your business cart, stating the craft and the precision of the result. 

 

For more pics of this pen, head out to OldTravelingShoe's Random Pics of European Fountain Pens. 

 

Comments, including the contact of a Mabie Todd restaurateur, are most welcome. 

 

 

[OldTravelingShoe]

4 hours ago, SpecTP said:

 Ran across this wonderfully pristine 1960's Merz and Krell Senator 880 with rolled gold cap.. the nib looks quite flexible.

 

Great looking pen, @SpecTP! I find the cap and ink view very attractive, snd the nib and grip seem also nice. If you don't mind, how does it write? 

 

To all: I have seen this nib, or at least nibs with the sunny logo, on a number of vintage pens. Do you think it is representative of Senator pens? If not, what is its source? (I have a pen with it in, and I'm having a hard time identifying it; I'll post about it if I think I've reached a dead end, but for now the puzzle is part of learning how to take care of the pen.) 

[DvdRiet]

7 minutes ago, OldTravelingShoe said:

nibs with the sunny logo,

That’s a Degussa nib. They are fantastic little vintage nibs! (Or so I hear.. I only have one but it is indeed a wonderful nib.) Whether they were common on Senator pens, I can’t say, as I don’t know anything about them. But you do see them around on pens of the period quite regularly. Mine came on a Dutch Duchesse but I have no idea if it was original. A friend recently bought a Tropen that was said to be NOS (it definitely looked absolutely pristine) and it has a lovely Degussa nib, so I guess it’s possible some pens came with them. But I’m sure some of our resident vintage pen experts would know more about that. 

[OldTravelingShoe]

4 minutes ago, DvdRiet said:

That’s a Degussa nib. They are fantastic little vintage nibs! (Or so I hear.. I only have one but it is indeed a wonderful nib.) Whether they were common on Senator pens, I can’t say, as I don’t know anything about them. But you do see them around on pens of the period quite regularly. Mine came on a Dutch Duchesse but I have no idea if it was original. A friend recently bought a Tropen that was said to be NOS (it definitely looked absolutely pristine) and it has a lovely Degussa nib, so I guess it’s possible some pens came with them. But I’m sure some of our resident vintage pen experts would know more about that. 

Aaah! Many thanks, @DvdRiet! I've read about them, because I was trying to find out about Dutch pens, and iirc somehow the Degussa nibs were linked in a discussion that featured several fantastic Boston pens, and then I started reading about German factories and pens and lost documents... 

 

Someday some writer is going to write the next European novel, and it's going to be about crazy messages hidden in Merlin pens in some cave near Lascaux and Degussa nibs hidden in dolmas in the Veluwe. 😄

[mallymal1]

6 minutes ago, OldTravelingShoe said:

Someday some writer is going to write the next European novel, and it's going to be about crazy messages hidden in Merlin pens in some cave near Lascaux and Degussa nibs hidden in dolmas in the Veluwe. 😄

 

Can't wait to read this. 😊

[mallymal1]

A Parker 51, with a rolled silver cap, and a super smooth nib. Inked with Diamine Blue Black.

 

 

This is a birth year pen for me. Dating to 1954.

 

 

 

[OldTravelingShoe]

16 minutes ago, mallymal1 said:

A Parker 51, with a rolled silver cap, and a super smooth nib. Inked with Diamine Blue Black.

 

 

This is a birth year pen for me. Dating to 1954.

 

 

 

Great post. Great pen. Great year. 

[DvdRiet]

6 hours ago, mallymal1 said:

 

Can't wait to read this. 😊

Me neither!!

[senzen]

On 5/16/2022 at 7:37 PM, InkyColors said:

It's very pretty.  What is it?

 

 

It's a Waterman Carène in "Frosty brown".

 

 

[essayfaire]

2 hours ago, senzen said:

 

It's a Waterman Carène in "Frosty brown".

 

 

What a beautiful pen!  I have so many brown inks, I wonder which one would be the perfect match! Lovely.

[Misfit]

Oh no! The eBay seller I got a Monteverde Mountains of the World pen from offered a 10% discount on the Black Mountains version which would make it cost $40.50. What to do?