What Was Your Last Impulsive Pen Acquisition?

[VacNut]

I collect pens because the older pens are the pinnacle of style and technology for their time. The type of materials, metals, and fabrication techniques that went in to a 1930’s Vacumatic are astounding, compared to their contemporaries.  They are akin to the first generation of smart phones.

 

I have an affinity for 1930’s Italian design - fascism aside. The Italians were forward thinking in their futurists design approach. Instead of carrying two pens to write in different colored inks, they combined two pens into a single pen. Most countries would have designed a pen with a nib on each side, similar to the pen/pencil combination pens. Others tried to combine two nibs into a single barrel. Orlando Quadretti thought differently.....

 

I won’t go into the design history of the Colorado, as Letizia has written a wonderful section about the pen in her book, and other more informed collectors have written about the pen on this forum. But how can anyone beat this for cool....

 

 

 

 

If one is good then two must be better!!!!

 

And if two are better, then four must be great!!!!

 

 

 

The pens are nearly complete rubbish, when you try to write with them. Their filling mechanism are stiff and the plungers are delicate. The diameter of the pens makes them difficult to grasp and having to rotate the non-writing nib to the capped end unbalances the pen. The two half barrels hold only a small reservoir of ink.

 

I have had one of these pens for years. When another one became available, it was a complete impulse buy. The question for me is whether or not to buy the laminated version, which is similar to the lovely Vacumatics....

 

 

 

 

[Chinchy]

52 minutes ago, VacNut said:

And if two are better, then four must be great!!!!

 

I have had one of these pens for years. When another one became available, it was a complete impulse buy. The question for me is whether or not to buy the laminated version, which is similar to the lovely Vacumatics....

 

 

Oh WOW.  I never thought I'd see one in "person", let alone TWO!  That's crazy!  And they look like they're in spectacular condition!

[christam]

It's all the fault of the Stipula Etruria photo thread ....... this one's not celluloid but when I saw the stock photos I couldn't resist. All being well, it should arrive on Wednesday.  (Photo courtesy of Novelli.it)

 

[essayfaire]

Actually, not a pen, but a pen holder - The Taccia kimono pen wrap for eight pens.  I bought one (even though I thought it was pricey), and now that I have seen the quality of material and protection (along with the beautiful fabric), decided to buy a second eight-roll wrap and a separate single because the pattern I loved was only available in a single.  Perhaps I'll be able to fit two skinny pens inside.  Here's a link from Taccia's website, but the pictures don't do them justice:

 

http://taccia.com/accessories/kimono-pen-roll-collection/

 

I got mine from Pen Chalet.  I think these will be durable as long as they don't get soaked.

[Ethelios]

Inks. Diamine at 3 bucks here is hard to resist. Some years later and I'm still going through these bottles. And of course, didn't finish them and got Lamy Turqoise because OH PRETTY BLUE

 

At least the paper part is under control, and the pens are falling into place at last.

@VacNut's butterfly pen is beautiful, it looks amazing even on display.

[Detman101]

...and I'm soooooo glad I didn't hesitate when I got it.
This was soooooooo worth the wait!

[Detman101]

On 4/16/2021 at 10:16 PM, elton7033 said:

Thank you, the only think I am now worrying is I hope my wife don’t see the credit card bill!

 

thank you(*･ω･)ﾉ I generally like the montblanc skeleton series especially the 75th anniversary yellow gold and the 90th anniversary ruthenium skeleton since they share similar design. However, the 75th is now so out of reach a collector trying to sell it for 88000usd in eBay. 

 

Thank you, this is a pen with the potential to put a stop on my pen search for many reasons. But since I am a fountain pen collector from heart, sooner or later may be in a few years time I might find myself another excuse to buy another fountain pen which I guess many might experience the same in this forum. 
Hobby is giving me a reason to work even harder.

Well... I wish you the best in topping that acquisition.
I know that would complete the game for me and I'd be D-O-N-E lol...

[sirgilbert357]

On 4/16/2021 at 4:25 PM, rookie85 said:

Leonardo Momento Zero Grande in Arco Bronze. The pen is still incoming but I cannot wait!

 

Congrats!! I asked Leonardo about doing that exact pen in that exact material about a year and a half ago. I was given the price and decided I had better things to spend that kind of money on, LOL. It would have been THE grail pen for me and the jewel of my collection. Kind of regret not getting it done to be honest.

 

I hope you really enjoy it!

[InesF]

Kaweco Special FP (in black) - I love all these pencil-like slim pens!

Can't resist their whispering voices: 'buy me, buy me, I can be yours ...'

[A Smug Dill]

A Fine Writing International Venus pen in the Planets series — not my preferred look in a fountain pen (opaque cap and end finial bracketing a clear barrel isn't my thing, irrespective of whether the pen is designed to hold ink directly in the cavity of the barrel), it isn't my preferred acrylic colour and pattern out of the five variants, and it wasn't even on clearance/closeout sale.

 

An Opus 88 Demonstrator, which I'm prepared to dislike and find inferior to the Opus 88 Picnic and Koloro models.

[writerlydoohickey]

PenBBS 535 Year of the OX

[Detman101]

1 hour ago, writerlydoohickey said:

PenBBS 535 Year of the OX

Exactly how many inches long is that pen?
It looks more like a wand from Harry Potter lol....

[Smear]

Bought at least two different models of coverters for my pens that work with them, and I've taken an interest in those J. Bourne - Denby bottles, many of which used to contain ink. They are catchy looking, and easy to find if you're looking!

Edited April 30, 2021 by Smear

[JonSzanto]

I alluded to this set a couple weeks ago or so (haven't had time to shoot pics, this is an auction photo). Picked up on a whim to share in a "Obscure Pen Brand" thread elsewhere, this was being sold as from the "Fountain Pen Company", but it turns out - only by virtue of the nib marking - to be an Epenco set (2nd tier items from the Eagle Pencil Company). Very fun celluloid - guess what the little 3rd item is!

 

 

[carola]

Umm... a container for pencil leads?

[JonSzanto]

1 minute ago, carola said:

Umm... a container for pencil leads?

 

That's what I thought (it was neither shown nor described) until it arrived...

[Gloucesterman]

Beautiful set. Love the color. Is it in working order or will you need to restore it?

 What was the auction site, if I may ask?

[JonSzanto]

16 hours ago, carola said:

Umm... a container for pencil leads?

 

Carola, I want to come back to this - I think you are correct. I originally - silly - thought it was simply a secondary eraser for use (and possible extra erasers. I replace the old one (for the moment, as it was worn out) with a piece of new eraser. I realized that the tube that holds it also had enough room for spare pencil leads, so I think you are right!

[JonSzanto]

37 minutes ago, Gloucesterman said:

Beautiful set. Love the color. Is it in working order or will you need to restore it?

 What was the auction site, if I may ask?

 

Not working, though this is more a visual piece than anything (the great era of crazy celluloids!). The nib is in rough shape, which is in complete contrast to the rest of the exterior. Pencil works. I'll likely put in a nicer-looking nib and leave the sac out to preserve the white in the celluloid. I have plenty of pens to write with.

 

Oh, and this was a basic eBay BIN purchase. I actually asked for a small accommodation from the seller and ended up only paying $20.00 for the set. I'm slowing way down on my pen purchases and have recently decided to do a small display of the colorful, lower-tier pens. I think that will be fun.

 

[Smear]

Another BIN ebay purchase arrived today after an impulse buy- vacumatic Parker P51 in Dove Gray (w/ medium nib.)