What Was Your Last Impulsive Pen Acquisition?

[Doug C]

A Pilot Falcon.

[carola]

Cypress Modern Raden Spring Bee with Bock nib from Taiwan.

 

After I had finally gotten my beautiful Nakaya Dorsal Fin 2, I had thought I would be done with buying pens for a while. But... umm... nope. Just a few days later, I stumbled across this little beauty somewhere on the internet, found out what it actually was, also found the homepage (https://mrcypress.com.tw/en/product/現代螺鈿-春蜂采釀/?wmc-currency=USD), saw that they had a few other pens that would appeal to me, but - being a beekeeper - finally went for the pen that had caught my eye on first sight.

 

As it arrived only yesterday, I haven´t gotten around to test it yet, but it feels very nice in the hand. The pen is a cartridge/converter model and the converter is included. And they got the pen into my hands, from Taiwan to central Europe, in just seven days, including clearing customs (it would haven been even less time if it hadn´t taken me a day to mail some paperwork required by some suspicious customs officer), while keeping me nicely updated. Yes, I am impressed. I hope I will still be when I have tested the pen.

 

[TitoThePencilPimp]

1 hour ago, carola said:

Cypress Modern Raden Spring Bee with Bock nib from Taiwan.

 

After I had finally gotten my beautiful Nakaya Dorsal Fin 2, I had thought I would be done with buying pens for a while. But... umm... nope. Just a few days later, I stumbled across this little beauty somewhere on the internet, found out what it actually was, also found the homepage (https://mrcypress.com.tw/en/product/現代螺鈿-春蜂采釀/?wmc-currency=USD), saw that they had a few other pens that would appeal to me, but - being a beekeeper - finally went for the pen that had caught my eye on first sight.

 

As it arrived only yesterday, I haven´t gotten around to test it yet, but it feels very nice in the hand. The pen is a cartridge/converter model and the converter is included. And they got the pen into my hands, from Taiwan to central Europe, in just seven days, including clearing customs (it would haven been even less time if it hadn´t taken me a day to mail some paperwork required by some suspicious customs officer), while keeping me nicely updated. Yes, I am impressed. I hope I will still be when I have tested the pen.

 

Very cute in a girly way. Are the abalone shells (I think thats what they are) beneath the outer layer, or can you physically feel them?

[carola]

6 minutes ago, TitoThePencilPimp said:

Very cute in a girly way. Are the abalone shells (I think thats what they are) beneath the outer layer, or can you physically feel them?

 

I don´t see the pen as particularly girly. 🤔 Not more than other Raden pens in any case. It´s just a pretty good rendering of what I see when I take a comb out of one of my hives.

 

The abalone shells look very colourful in the pictures I have taken at the window. When I have the pen at my desk under the lamp I use there, the shells are almost pearly white (like in some of the pictures on the homepage).

 

Under my fingers, the pen feels smooth, but when I draw my fingernail lightly along the pen, I can feel the inlays.

[Gloucesterman]

I find these type of inlaid pens to be quite attractive in regard to appearance.

My main question is about durability in anything approach regular (meaning constant or daily) use.

How well do they hold up? Is the inlay delicate and, of course, what happens if a piece "falls out"?

 

It may come down to a simple question, "is this a working pen or art" for occasional use as a writing instrument?

[carola]

7 minutes ago, Gloucesterman said:

I find these type of inlaid pens to be quite attractive in regard to appearance.

My main question is about durability in anything approach regular (meaning constant or daily) use.

How well do they hold up? Is the inlay delicate and, of course, what happens if a piece "falls out"?

 

It may come down to a simple question, "is this a working pen or art" for occasional use as a writing instrument?

 

I can´t tell you yet, but I will probably find out in the years to come. 🤷‍♀️

[Doug C]

26 minutes ago, carola said:

 

I don´t see the pen as particularly girly. 🤔 Not more than other Raden pens in any case. It´s just a pretty good rendering of what I see when I take a comb out of one of my hives.

 

The abalone shells look very colourful in the pictures I have taken at the window. When I have the pen at my desk under the lamp I use there, the shells are almost pearly white (like in some of the pictures on the homepage).

 

Under my fingers, the pen feels smooth, but when I draw my fingernail lightly along the pen, I can feel the inlays.

Girly? I would take this in a heartbeat and I'm a super macho .....er 70 year old man...🙄

I have 3 Cypress and they are all great pens. 

[Gloucesterman]

Bought about 40 pens at a flea market today.

One of them was a Pelikan M300. I did not know that Pelikan made such a small pen.

[inkstainedruth]

Now you've got me curious about the size.  Because I have what I think is an M100 from the 1980s, that I bought on eBay a few years ago, and it's pretty small (especially compared to my first one, the 1990s era M400 Brown Tortise.

As for me?  I ended up happening onto a couple of pens in a booth at an antiques mall about 8 miles downriver from me yesterday afternoon: what I *think* is a Laidtone Duovac Senior (F or EF nib -- I can't tell yet); and some little 3rd or 4th tier lever-filler that was made of a pretty material (the clip and nib say "Treasure") and I found an old thread from around a decade ago that suggests it was made by -- or was a sub-company of -- Wearever.  At under $30 US for the two of them, including sales tax?  Sure, I bought both (although I misread the price tag on the Laidtone at first and thought the price was $150  -- and so did the guy who opened the case for me, only to turn out the price was $18 and the 150 was the booth #.... (Whew!)

Don't know if either pen works yet and I suspect I won't be able to find out for sure until the fall (and OPS...).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Gloucesterman]

27 minutes ago, inkstainedruth said:

Now you've got me curious about the size.  Because I have what I think is an M100 from the 1980s, that I bought on eBay a few years ago, and it's pretty small (especially compared to my first one, the 1990s era M400 Brown Tortise.

As for me?  I ended up happening onto a couple of pens in a booth at an antiques mall about 8 miles downriver from me yesterday afternoon: what I *think* is a Laidtone Duovac Senior (F or EF nib -- I can't tell yet); and some little 3rd or 4th tier lever-filler that was made of a pretty material (the clip and nib say "Treasure") and I found an old thread from around a decade ago that suggests it was made by -- or was a sub-company of -- Wearever.  At under $30 US for the two of them, including sales tax?  Sure, I bought both (although I misread the price tag on the Laidtone at first and thought the price was $150  -- and so did the guy who opened the case for me, only to turn out the price was $18 and the 150 was the booth #.... (Whew!)

Don't know if either pen works yet and I suspect I won't be able to find out for sure until the fall (and OPS...).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Check out the "review" at the Pelikan Perch website. He has a lot of information on the M300. Mine has a fine nib. I also picked up a blue swirl M200 w/ an "M" nib and a black M200 with what appears to be a formal (sharp corners) Italic nib.

Wish you were coming to Boston in September Ruth, I would save them (all three) for you.

[inkstainedruth]

Wish the show in Boston was happening.  Actually got the Philistine (er, darling husband) to go to it last year, and he bought a bottle of Noodler's Dark Matter on the recommendation of someone we were talking to at the "freebies" table in the center of the room.  Not sure if he's actually used the ink yet but recently had me get him a blue Safari with an EF when I was ordering myself the Lilac al-Star SE.

As for the three pens you're offering?  I have an M205 blue marble (but don't remember offhand what the nib on it is).  Ironically, I was JUST thinking of inking it up, now that I've managed to get my hands on a bottle of Pelikan 4001 Blue-Black.  

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[JonSzanto]

On 7/8/2023 at 5:30 AM, carola said:

Cypress Modern Raden Spring Bee with Bock nib from Taiwan.

 

Ok, that is officially one very cool pen - congrats!

[JonSzanto]

This great collab came my way a couple of weeks ago (life has been busy). It's a limited edition (so I hopped on it immediately) by mondo artist (and pen aficionado) Joey Feldman, in conjunction with Franklin-Christoph. Joey chose a model 66 Stabilis for the body, and they made up an acrylic in his fave orange/black combo. Those aren't scratches on the flat side of the barrel, but his signature, on pen #21/24. Like I said, limited.

 

I paired the pen with a previous Nagahara/FC "shadow" cursive italic. The enamel pin at the top is Joey's iconic "Plague Doctor", and the background art is the frontispiece to "The Frank Book" by artist Jim Woodring. Totally fun stuff! While I may post a lot of vintage pens... SUPPORT LIVING ARTISTS!!!

 

[elton7033]

On 4/16/2021 at 2:02 PM, elton7033 said:

Is this impulsive? I don’t know, but I am very sure this will be my end-game pen. And please allow me to share you my unbox experience.

Montblanc Meisterstück No149. Skeleton in Ruthenium 90th anniversary fountain pen with Solid Rose Gold M size nib. 

 

Back in 2021 I impulsive purchased the Moneblanc 149 Skeleton 90 and claiming the grill pen for all time and the pen to stop all pen purchase, the first half holds true, where the skeleton are still my favorite pen but last week I picked up another 149...oh yeah, another Meisterstück No149...

 

For the last 60years, most normal 149 are in black (with the exception limited edition), but this time its blue!! Welcome the Montblanc Meisterstück No149 High Artistry A Journey on the Oriental Express Limited Edition 1883.

 

Wondering should I change the nib to OBB so at least I have something different to play with. But i am not sure will is a OBB even useable for daily notes taking... 

 

[newkid12]

Parker 61, black with rainbow gold cap.

 

[Gloucesterman]

11 hours ago, elton7033 said:

 

Back in 2021 I impulsive purchased the Moneblanc 149 Skeleton 90 and claiming the grill pen for all time and the pen to stop all pen purchase, the first half holds true, where the skeleton are still my favorite pen but last week I picked up another 149...oh yeah, another Meisterstück No149...

 

For the last 60years, most normal 149 are in black (with the exception limited edition), but this time its blue!! Welcome the Montblanc Meisterstück No149 High Artistry A Journey on the Oriental Express Limited Edition 1883.

 

Wondering should I change the nib to OBB so at least I have something different to play with. But i am not sure will is a OBB even useable for daily notes taking... 

 

somehow, if they offered this pen with a calligraphy nib (not the "curved" one) I think I would find a way to fund the purchase. I might have to sell most of my other pens and I think I would do it.

[Doug C]

A Kilk Epigram. The price was too good to pass up.

[Penguincollector]

11 hours ago, elton7033 said:

 

Back in 2021 I impulsive purchased the Moneblanc 149 Skeleton 90 and claiming the grill pen for all time and the pen to stop all pen purchase, the first half holds true, where the skeleton are still my favorite pen but last week I picked up another 149...oh yeah, another Meisterstück No149...

 

For the last 60years, most normal 149 are in black (with the exception limited edition), but this time its blue!! Welcome the Montblanc Meisterstück No149 High Artistry A Journey on the Oriental Express Limited Edition 1883.

 

Wondering should I change the nib to OBB so at least I have something different to play with. But i am not sure will is a OBB even useable for daily notes taking... 

 

  I would love it if you would post pictures of this 149 in the Blue Pen Club thread. The color is truly beautiful and I want to see the whole pen and presentation box.

[carola]

13 hours ago, JonSzanto said:

This great collab came my way a couple of weeks ago (life has been busy). It's a limited edition (so I hopped on it immediately) by mondo artist (and pen aficionado) Joey Feldman, in conjunction with Franklin-Christoph. Joey chose a model 66 Stabilis for the body, and they made up an acrylic in his fave orange/black combo. Those aren't scratches on the flat side of the barrel, but his signature, on pen #21/24. Like I said, limited.

 

I paired the pen with a previous Nagahara/FC "shadow" cursive italic. The enamel pin at the top is Joey's iconic "Plague Doctor", and the background art is the frontispiece to "The Frank Book" by artist Jim Woodring. Totally fun stuff! While I may post a lot of vintage pens... SUPPORT LIVING ARTISTS!!!

 

 

Talking about a very cool pen... I´ll gladly return that compliment! Beautiful. And that black nib compliments the pen. If I had found that pen, I would probably have bought it myself.

[KBeezie]

These two guys at the local antique store when visiting the inlaws. They were the two name brand ones in a tray of generics all priced for 12 each. I thought the gold filled one was a generic body with a Mabie Todd nib, but it's not, the gold filled pen is a Swan. 

 

The Parker 45 which I just flushed at the in-laws house has a 14K "M" nib. Cleaned up pretty easily and quickly of the blue ink it had and the converter is working (though I'll replace it's latex sac with a PVC one later anyways). 

 

Not quite sure when Mabie Todd switched from "Mabie, Todd & Co, NY" to Mabie Todd & Co LTD (UK), guessing early 1920s or late teens?