What Was Your Last Impulsive Pen Acquisition?

[Doug C]

Rotring multipen.

[Gloucesterman]

29 minutes ago, Penguincollector said:

I bought this Sheaffer yesterday. I need to spend less time online, I wanted to take a buying break but it only lasted for about a week. 

Next time work at making it eight days (at least).

Over time, small steps do add up.

BTW, it does look like a nice pen. Please let us know how it writes (a writing sample, perhaps?).

[chromantic]

Another NOS Lady Charlotte, this one in blue/grey swirl pattern, ring-top, with tan leather sleeve. One interesting thing is it includes the original box of carts (no doubt dried), which shows a cart drawing that looks like it has a more cylindrical shape rather than the typical widening towards the butt-end. That would explain why normal standard shorts don't fit. I still have extra little plunger converters, just in case.

[PithyProlix]

18 hours ago, chromantic said:

Another NOS Lady Charlotte, this one in blue/grey swirl pattern, ring-top, with tan leather sleeve. One interesting thing is it includes the original box of carts (no doubt dried), which shows a cart drawing that looks like it has a more cylindrical shape rather than the typical widening towards the butt-end. That would explain why normal standard shorts don't fit. I still have extra little plunger converters, just in case.

 

I have a brown Lady Charlotte (I think - I am a little confused about the different Waterman Lady models.) with 18k nib on the way. The seller says an international shorts fit but I have doubts. I am assuming/hoping short Waterman cartridges fit. Do they? 

 

Are the small plunger converters you refer to a Waterman product? 

[Penguincollector]

On 1/13/2023 at 9:32 AM, Gloucesterman said:

Next time work at making it eight days (at least).

Over time, small steps do add up.

BTW, it does look like a nice pen. Please let us know how it writes (a writing sample, perhaps?).

I will start the clock over and see what happens. I’m an orderly person and have a queue of pens to ink in the order received. Next up are September pens.

[AmandaW]

On 1/11/2023 at 9:56 AM, A Smug Dill said:

 

In spite of...having no great love for either brass fountain pens or demonstrators myself, I find myself tempted by the Asvine P30 offered at ‘a good price’. Hmmm.

OK, I looked. I do like demonstrators and piston fillers and the antique look is interesting. What did you decide?

[A Smug Dill]

2 hours ago, AmandaW said:

What did you decide?

 

I ordered one. Just under US$30 (incl. GST) for that pen with an EF nib (which, unfortunately, cannot be expected to write finely enough out-of-the-box), and ten Jinhao no.26 nibs (five EF nibs, and five ‘art’ nibs) to fit into Jinhao 82 pens (all of mine having F nibs as supplied). I might buy some more Jinhao 82 pens in the newer colours later.

 

I'm hoping the brass piston unit won't make it too back-weighted, at least not when the reservoir is filled with ink (which, of course, realistically would only make a difference of 1.5g or so). The styling of the pen makes me think of an Aurora 88; and I do enjoy heavy pens with contoured bodies, if they're well-balanced. That's how I ended up with three colours of the Rotring Initial fountain pens (and then bought the matching ballpoint pens, too, as well as one of the mechanical pencils). I haven't used those pens in a long time, but I still have a fondness for them.

 

There are other nibs, such as the Kaigelu NMF nib or a Nemosine Stub nib, that I can fit into that pen if its factory-fitted EF nib really doesn't work for me.

[chromantic]

23 hours ago, PithyProlix said:

 

I have a brown Lady Charlotte (I think - I am a little confused about the different Waterman Lady models.) with 18k nib on the way. The seller says an international shorts fit but I have doubts. I am assuming/hoping short Waterman cartridges fit. Do they? 

 

Are the small plunger converters you refer to a Waterman product? 

 

The Montblanc int'l short I tries did not fit. It has a slightly different shape than usual, a little 'shoulder' up towards the opening so I tried a regular generic short and it didn't fit either; the butt-end is too wide to go into the barrel. I've never ordered any actual Waterman carts so I don't know what they look like but they did include carts with the small Lady pens. I'm assuming they have a slightly modified (narrower) shape. As you can see in the photo, the outline on the cart box appears to show an evenly-cylindrical shape, as opposed to the normal tapered shape. I'll know more when the pen arrives.

 

As for the converters, no idea. There are no markings on them. I just came across 3 in a bindle while looking through a box of unused pens. I'm assuming they're some generics intended for Kawecos that I bought when back when I ordered some Sports (I ended up using the squeeze ones instead). They do fit securely on the Agatha and the barrel is long enough to accommodate the fully extended plunger; it holds almost a full short's worth of ink if you're transferring with a syringe, which I had to do with the Corn Poppy cart. They're similar to the Monteverde Mini converters, except there's no plastic BB in mine; just search ebay for Monteverde Mini Fountain Pen Ink Bottle Converter.

 

FYI, the gold ring at the section threads is NOT firmly attached (at least not on my red one) and will easily slide off; be careful not to lose it.

 

 

 

 

p.s. - From what I can gather, there's the Agatha, gold nib and matching carrying tube, a Patricia (not to be confused with the 30's one), also gold nib, not sure on tube or sleeve, the Charlotte, gold-plated steel nib, leather sleeve and a "le Lady", also GP steel nib and leather sleeve and cap ring(?). The one I have coming is a le Lady, not a Charlotte as I first said.

 

[PithyProlix]

@chromantic

 

Thank you very much for all the info. I remember reading somewhere that some Lady Charlottes have gold nibs but I don't remember where. Doesn't really matter. 

 

You have a pretty pen! 

[Mercian]

On 1/9/2023 at 9:18 PM, Mercian said:

The other day I impulsively ordered Yet Another Lamy Safari.

I already own four, and a Vista, and I don’t even think that they are ‘pretty’ - but I found one on the Bay of Evil that appeared to be one of the 2018 ‘all-black’ ones, for sale at less than the RRP of a new Safari.

 

If it turns out to actually be a ‘Charcoal’/‘Umbra’ when it gets here, I shall be disappointed, as I already own one of those.

My new-to-me Safari has arrived, and it is indeed one of the 2018 ‘All Black’ ones 😊

 

 

The difference between the ‘All Black’ and the ‘Charcoal’/‘Umbra’ version is a little bit more obvious in ‘real life’ than it is on my (badly-taken) photo, but it is still subtle.

[txomsy]

That looks quite elegant indeed!

[Mercian]

On 1/15/2023 at 4:08 AM, PithyProlix said:

I have a brown Lady Charlotte (I think - I am a little confused about the different Waterman Lady models.) with 18k nib on the way. The seller says an international shorts fit but I have doubts. I am assuming/hoping short Waterman cartridges fit. Do they? 

I wondered whether these pens might need the old type of Waterman cartridges - the ones from the ‘CF’ line of pens.

I searched for “Waterman Lady Charlotte fountain pen”, and I found the following  listing-&-information on the Peyton Street Pens website, at:

https://www.peytonstreetpens.com/waterman-lady-charlotte-fountain-pen-black-18k-fine-nib-excellent-in-box-works-well.html

 

The most straight forward way to use this pen is with Waterman mini cartridges.…

Finding a converter that fits will be more challenging, as it takes one of the two types of Waterman CF converters which are no longer made.

 

I advise you to have a look at the page to which I linked - both to see whether that pen is actually the same model as yours, and to read the work-around that they suggest for converters.

 

Good luck 👍

[PithyProlix]

7 hours ago, Mercian said:

I wondered whether these pens might need the old type of Waterman cartridges - the ones from the ‘CF’ line of pens.

I searched for “Waterman Lady Charlotte fountain pen”, and I found the following  listing-&-information on the Peyton Street Pens website, at:

https://www.peytonstreetpens.com/waterman-lady-charlotte-fountain-pen-black-18k-fine-nib-excellent-in-box-works-well.html

 

The most straight forward way to use this pen is with Waterman mini cartridges.…

Finding a converter that fits will be more challenging, as it takes one of the two types of Waterman CF converters which are no longer made.

 

I advise you to have a look at the page to which I linked - both to see whether that pen is actually the same model as yours, and to read the work-around that they suggest for converters.

 

Good luck 👍

 

Thanks for that!

 

I don't have the pen in hand yet but it does, indeed, look to be the same model. I'm getting a pack of the current Waterman "small" cartridges so hopefully they will fit. From a photo of them that I saw the  'shoulder' of their open end does look a bit different from other short international cartridges I have, cf. @chromantic above.

 

I have a lot of pens and also change inks frequently so I usually only do a half-fill. I'm happy with filling cartridges with a syringe - long cartridges or converter not required.

[JonSzanto]

I went to check on an item I was watching, and happened to glance at new listings. BOOM. Picked up a just-listed mid-90s Namiki faceted VP in dark blue.

[Doug C]

26 minutes ago, JonSzanto said:

I went to check on an item I was watching, and happened to glance at new listings. BOOM. Picked up a just-listed mid-90s Namiki faceted VP in dark blue.

I'm sorry I sold mine a couple of months ago. 

[essayfaire]

1 hour ago, JonSzanto said:

I went to check on an item I was watching, and happened to glance at new listings. BOOM. Picked up a just-listed mid-90s Namiki faceted VP in dark blue.

Good timing!  Nice pen.

[JonSzanto]

Latest (to actually arrive) is a Moore desk pen for my Moore collection. While I don't often pick up dp's, this looked nice in their grey striated celluloid. As often the case, the 70-80+ year old nib was in very nice shape and a lovely writer. A quick re-saccing and it is already in service, using an old Sheaffer tulip. I think the photo is not the crispest, and I'm due to see my eye dr!

[Misfit]

@JonSzanto both those pens look very nice. The Moore desk pen is beautiful. 

[PithyProlix]

3 hours ago, Misfit said:

@JonSzanto both those pens look very nice. The Moore desk pen is beautiful. 

 

I think the Moore is beautiful too. I normally don't find celluloid pens very attractive but I really like this classy-looking lengthwise striated celluloid, as with vintage Sheaffer Balances.

[JonSzanto]

15 hours ago, Misfit said:

@JonSzanto both those pens look very nice. The Moore desk pen is beautiful. 

 

11 hours ago, PithyProlix said:

I think the Moore is beautiful too. I normally don't find celluloid pens very attractive but I really like this classy-looking lengthwise striated celluloid, as with vintage Sheaffer Balances.

 

Thank you both. It's interesting to collect a lesser known brand, and wonder that if they had had a better business plan or marketing, if they could have had a bigger impact. In any event, the best of their pens are well made and the cherry on top is their nib design, which is a 14k nib called a "Maniflex". True to it's name, it is somewhat stiff but has just a little flex, not unlike a contemporary Japanese SF or SM nib. Most have a slightly italic shape, too. Here's an earlier purchase, one of my best finds: