What Was Your Last Impulsive Pen Acquisition?

[Gloucesterman]

14 minutes ago, Surlyprof said:

I believe that the two cartridges that came with it are the limited edition copper orange that was released with the pen in 2015.  I can’t tell for sure as the cartridges arrived unlabeled in the pen box not a labeled ink package.

You might want to post a question about it in the LAMY forum here on FPN. The reason I asked is that I think I have two bottles on "orange" colored ink which might be LE ink.

[inkstainedruth]

5 hours ago, Gloucesterman said:

Well, at the flea market I went to this morning I acquired two Esterbrooks (LJ, I think) with a 2668 and a 9555 nib, A blue Parker 21, a Fisher Space Pen (looks like NOS) and a sealed five-pack of Parker cartridges (black).

One Esterbrook will definitely need a new sac and all of them, except the Fisher, will receive a cleaning.

A reasonable result of a $20.00 investment, would you agree?

I'd say you did quite well!  Especially since one of the Esties has a 9xxx series nib on it.

Sadly, for me, the estate sale I went to had only BPs (it was hard to tell from the bad pix in the listing).  And then when I went up to a big antiques mall about 2-1/2 hours northeast of me, the pens I saw were mostly all junkers -- and I already have too many pens that need repairs or nib work already.  But at least I had a nice day out....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[dms525]

On 9/29/2023 at 3:14 PM, JonSzanto said:

I just received a NOS Pelikan M620 Madrid ("Cities of the World" series) from a long-time friend and dealer. I've wanted one of these for a good 10 years, and while they pop up from time to time, the likelihood of an unused, complete boxed set was not something I thought would happen. I didn't hesitate, and it is really lovely. Photo for reference, I will take pics in a day or two.

 

 

Nice, Jon! It's a special joy to get a pen you have wanted for a really long time.

 

The City and Famous Places series pens are the most beautiful Pelikans in my opinion. The Pelikan rep. at the SF Pen Show said, "Just wait 'til you see the Glauco Cambon." I am waiting, as instructed.

 

Enjoy your Madrid!

 

David

[greencobra]

impulse buy? those 2 jinhao 9019's. i'll admit it, pen snob here, so these pens, at $13 u.s.d. each, are foreign to me. i've tussled with one and expecting a replacement tomorrow and still expecting the other one tonight by 10pm. the one i have shows potential and i love the girth. i think once i get a feel for steel nibs (is there a learning curve for steel nibs?) we should get along fine. so one is the burgundy solid color and the second i'm waiting on is clear. the clear 9019 just is so cool looking, getting to look in and see that huge converter at work...

[jmccarty3]

Two impulsive acquisitions at the Dallas Pen Show, after a whole day of looking. I had almost decided to get one of the new large Pilots with a #30 nib, when I ran across two pens at Nik Pang's table.

 

The first is a Waterman 58 with a magnificent EF flex nib. It's black, and there is some irregular brown discoloration, but otherwise it's in amazing condition without a scratch on it. It has the name of the original owner engraved on the barrel, but I like that sort of thing, and the engraving is very elegant. It's an ideal pen for the office or a meeting of the Black Pen Society.

 

The second is a Pilot Custom 823 decorated by Huy Hoang Dao in Vietnam. It is done in Gold Kawari-nuri and Gilded Sea Snail Raden and looks like it belongs in a museum: https://huyhoangdao.com/pen/urushi-fountain-pen-20. The photos don't do it justice. The nib on this one is a Pilot #15 fine.

 

I wrote with these pens and was so impressed with the nibs that I bought both of them. With the huge number of pens on display at shows, you have to be lucky to spot the ones that really speak to you.

[jmccarty3]

1 hour ago, dms525 said:

 

Nice, Jon! It's a special joy to get a pen you have wanted for a really long time.

 

The City and Famous Places series pens are the most beautiful Pelikans in my opinion. The Pelikan rep. at the SF Pen Show said, "Just wait 'til you see the Glauco Cambon." I am waiting, as instructed.

 

Enjoy your Madrid!

 

David

Couldn't agree more. I'm waiting for my Glauco as well. Everyone at the Dallas Show who has seen one said that it looks much better than the photos.

[JonSzanto]

2 hours ago, dms525 said:

Nice, Jon! It's a special joy to get a pen you have wanted for a really long time.

 

Thank you, David. I know how you value individual pens and this certainly has enough backstory to be with me for a long time. I finally inked it and decided to splurge, using some of my last bottle of Sheaffer "Persian Rose". I'm happy!

 

30 minutes ago, jmccarty3 said:

I wrote with these pens and was so impressed with the nibs that I bought both of them. With the huge number of pens on display at shows, you have to be lucky to spot the ones that really speak to you.

 

Well said. I went to the link and saw the Pilot, a remarkable piece. It is interesting to see how the sphere of people who are custom-finishing pens has grown. And, along with @dms525 David I'll be looking for that colorful Pelikan to land.

[Paul-in-SF]

37 minutes ago, jmccarty3 said:

I had almost decided to get one of the new large Pilots with a #30 nib

New version of the Custom Urushi? Something other than the good old black or vermilion?

[vicpen123]

Traveler's Company Brass Fountain Pen - Fine Nib.

Online purchase because price was less than buying from a store and also to save me a trip to the centre of town.

Let's see if it is worth the trouble.

[Misfit]

@vicpen123 I have the Factory Green version, and like it. I hope you like yours once you get it. 

[USG]

On 9/25/2023 at 5:57 PM, Surlyprof said:

 

I won my first ever ebay auction.  This copper orange Lamy Al-Star.  I had an extra z57 nib lying around so I eventually wanted to find a good home for it.  Saw this and put in the minimum bid.  Much to my surprise, I won a week later.  I always thought I’d pick up a Lamy Safari for that nib since the first fountain pen I ever bought was a white Safari.  I was in Design school when the Safari first came out and it had won a lot of design awards.  The budding Industrial Designer in me had to have it.  I don’t remember much about that pen except that it was dirty all of the time.  I opted for the al-star because of the added weight, colors and finishes.  I was outbid on an NOS charged green one so I bid on the orange one that I also liked.  A week and a half later it showed up in the mail.  It’s a nice sketching pen with that z57 nib.  

 

I wanted to complement you on that pen.  Wadda color !  Are those transparent sides on the section?  And +1 for the 2 tone gold nib.  It really decks it out. 👍😀

[jmccarty3]

8 hours ago, Paul-in-SF said:

New version of the Custom Urushi? Something other than the good old black or vermilion?

The Namiki Ayas are new pens, not versions of the Custom Urushi. They come in four colors: https://www.penboutique.com/collections/namiki-aya. The #30 nib is the same as the one on the Custom Urushi. Two or three dealers had them at the show. Even though they are Namikis, they carry the Pilot name on the clip.

[Ink Stained Wretch]

22 hours ago, Gloucesterman said:

Well, at the flea market I went to this morning I acquired two Esterbrooks (LJ, I think) with a 2668 and a 9555 nib, A blue Parker 21, a Fisher Space Pen (looks like NOS) and a sealed five-pack of Parker cartridges (black).

One Esterbrook will definitely need a new sac and all of them, except the Fisher, will receive a cleaning.

A reasonable result of a $20.00 investment, would you agree?

 

I definitely agree. The prospect of getting all of that for $20 might even get me off the wagon .

[Paul-in-SF]

3 hours ago, jmccarty3 said:

The Namiki Ayas are new pens, not versions of the Custom Urushi. They come in four colors: https://www.penboutique.com/collections/namiki-aya. The #30 nib is the same as the one on the Custom Urushi. Two or three dealers had them at the show. Even though they are Namikis, they carry the Pilot name on the clip.

Thanks, I had not read about these before. The materials are very ... subtle, at least in these photos, which I like. But I'm going to have to pass at that price. 

[PAKMAN]

Back from Dallas Pen Show and have two new impulse buys. 

Pelikan custom Raden M-800

and what I call my DoriVac

[Surlyprof]

15 hours ago, USG said:

I wanted to complement you on that pen.  Wadda color !  Are those transparent sides on the section?  And +1 for the 2 tone gold nib.  It really decks it out. 👍😀

Thanks @USG!  I'm having more fun with this Al-Star than I ever expected.  The copper-orange color looks even better in person than it does in photos.  The section is a transparent smoke gray through which you can see the feed.  I wasn't sure about that detail but it does go well with the black and gold nib I already owned.  Now all 7 Lamys I own have gold nibs.  I do think they really elevate the writing experience and are worth the investment (especially since most were purchased on sale).  They are so smooth that I've thought of putting a steel nib on one of the pens for sketching where I prefer a little more feedback.  But, I have a couple of Jowos that provide that experience.

[Surlyprof]

22 hours ago, jmccarty3 said:

The second is a Pilot Custom 823 decorated by Huy Hoang Dao in Vietnam. It is done in Gold Kawari-nuri and Gilded Sea Snail Raden and looks like it belongs in a museum: https://huyhoangdao.com/pen/urushi-fountain-pen-20. The photos don't do it justice. The nib on this one is a Pilot #15 fine.

Wow!  That 823 is stunning.  I've often admired the 823 but felt the color range was too limited.  This pen definitely bypasses that issue beautifully.

[jmccarty3]

On 9/29/2023 at 5:14 PM, JonSzanto said:

I just received a NOS Pelikan M620 Madrid ("Cities of the World" series) from a long-time friend and dealer. I've wanted one of these for a good 10 years, and while they pop up from time to time, the likelihood of an unused, complete boxed set was not something I thought would happen. I didn't hesitate, and it is really lovely. Photo for reference, I will take pics in a day or two.

 

Jon, that's a real beauty. Thanks to a well-known FPN member, I've been fortunate to acquire several of the City series pens and they are among my favorites. Hope you enjoy writing with the Madrid.

[jchch1950]

Lamy Aion in the new dark blue colour. I had doubts but when I saw how different is the shade from the old blue Aion I couldn't resist buying it.

[jmccarty3]

On 10/2/2023 at 10:14 AM, Paul-in-SF said:

Thanks, I had not read about these before. The materials are very ... subtle, at least in these photos, which I like. But I'm going to have to pass at that price. 

The Ayas look much better in person. However, they are very large, and would appeal to someone who feels comfortable with an Emperor. The MSRP indeed is quite high--I was offered discounts of $1,000-$1,100.