Ugly Fountain Pens

[Piper 987]

I saw an SBRE Brown review of the Jinhao Dragon pen and it looked so gaudy and pretentious that I just had to have one. I chose the gold colored version and yes, it's gaudy and pretentious. Those two red eyes glaring at me, insisting I write only the truth!!

 

The thing grows on you. In Chinese folklore the dragon symbolizes (according to Wikipedia) "potent and auspicious powers, particularly control over water, rainfall, typhoons, and floods". Well, ink is mostly water so I now understand why the pen compels me to only write the truth.

 

http://g01.a.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1vS5JJXXXXXbHaXXXq6xXFXXX7/Noblest-Fountain-Writing-font-b-Pen-b-font-font-b-Jinhao-b-font-Dragon-18KGP-Medium.jpg

Edited April 16, 2016 by Piper 987

[max dog]

Just gonna throw these in here

 

http://i1.wp.com/static.flickr.com/99/280831103_ee765448fd.jpg?resize=500%2C126

http://i2.wp.com/static.flickr.com/110/280831111_ddc585d3c5.jpg?resize=496%2C500

Yeah. Never cared for the awkward looking retractable nib pilot VP and lamy dialogue. The clip placement looks like a design after thought. Oh why don't we just place the clip here so it doesn't get in the way of the fingers. Edited April 16, 2016 by max dog

[Shavely Manden]

Yeah. Never cared for the awkward looking retractable nib pilot VP and lamy dialogue. The clip placement looks like a design after thought. Oh why don't we just place the clip here so it doesn't get in the way of the fingers.

 

We'll have to agree to disagree on that one.

 

Personally, I have to say I can't stand the Monteverde Regatta Sport Rose Gold. It's too showy...looks like it's trying way too hard.

[Helen350]

I never thought I'd see the day...

I guess we can chalk this one up as learning experience.

A rather expensive learning experience to boot!

[Bluey]

Yeah. Never cared for the awkward looking retractable nib pilot VP and lamy dialogue. The clip placement looks like a design after thought. Oh why don't we just place the clip here so it doesn't get in the way of the fingers.

As an owner of a Pilot Decimo I have to agree. I bought it purely for the functional aspects of it and it's a great pen in many ways as well as having lots of quirky appeal, but it's never going be even runner up in Miss World.

[Skyppere]

I saw an SBRE Brown review of the Jinhao Dragon pen and it looked so gaudy and pretentious that I just had to have one. I chose the gold colored version and yes, it's gaudy and pretentious. Those two red eyes glaring at me, insisting I write only the truth!!

 

The thing grows on you. In Chinese folklore the dragon symbolizes (according to Wikipedia) "potent and auspicious powers, particularly control over water, rainfall, typhoons, and floods". Well, ink is mostly water so I now understand why the pen compels me to only write the truth.

 

http://g01.a.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1vS5JJXXXXXbHaXXXq6xXFXXX7/Noblest-Fountain-Writing-font-b-Pen-b-font-font-b-Jinhao-b-font-Dragon-18KGP-Medium.jpg

 

 

I got the silver one. I like bright sparkly shiny things. I wouldn't call this pretentious. PEOPLE are pretentious, inanimate objects (nor wine) aren't pretentious. Gaudi might be appropriate but hey I liked him too! It writes like a dream! and at $6.50 to boot!

[Skyppere]

 

I'm fully aware of that. You misread.

 

 

ah you're right. FOR me. I think there are two types of opinions here. Some without saying mean "The pen is ugly to me." Ugly is in the eye of the beholder. Others seem to believe there's some sort of external standard of ugliness. I would be in the first camp.

[Meltemi]

Lamy 2000. In my opinion it is very ugly.

[Cordovian]

I think Montegrappa is trying really hard to stay at the top of the ugly list. Their new Pirates pen:

http://blog.giardino.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/PiratesStilografica.jpg

[inkstainedruth]

I think Montegrappa is trying really hard to stay at the top of the ugly list. Their new Pirates pen:

http://blog.giardino.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/PiratesStilografica.jpg

 

I think they have largely left the competition in the dust....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[sciumbasci]

The problem with these "showy" pens is that they actually appeal rich people from the middle and the Far East. The more gaudy they are, they're sought after they will be.

[Tojusi]

I just saw a Hulk themed limited edition pen from St. Dupont, priced at EUR 23,400 plus change. The only good thing is that it is a limited edition of eight so that monstrosity should not be able to impart nightmares to too many people.

 

Unless I post pictures, that is...

[dogpoet]

This?

http://www.novelli.it/images/limited/2141206156.jpg

The stand is great, but the pen is pretty ugly.

(And if I recall the reprints I've read of early '60s Hulk comics, the pen looks nothing like the gamma bomb, either...)

Edited April 30, 2016 by dogpoet

[pajaro]

I have the distinct feeling that there is someone out there to condemn any pen as ugly. Hardly surprising. Some find virtues even in ugliness, such as theft deterrence.

Edited April 30, 2016 by pajaro

[dapprman]

I saw an SBRE Brown review of the Jinhao Dragon pen and it looked so gaudy and pretentious that I just had to have one. I chose the gold colored version and yes, it's gaudy and pretentious. Those two red eyes glaring at me, insisting I write only the truth!!

 

The thing grows on you. In Chinese folklore the dragon symbolizes (according to Wikipedia) "potent and auspicious powers, particularly control over water, rainfall, typhoons, and floods". Well, ink is mostly water so I now understand why the pen compels me to only write the truth.

 

http://g01.a.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1vS5JJXXXXXbHaXXXq6xXFXXX7/Noblest-Fountain-Writing-font-b-Pen-b-font-font-b-Jinhao-b-font-Dragon-18KGP-Medium.jpg

 

Considering I've commented on the latest Montblancs being nothing but gaudy bling, this is so bling I found myself buying one, still not quite sure why

 

[zwack]

Considering I've commented on the latest Montblancs being nothing but gaudy bling, this is so bling I found myself buying one, still not quite sure why

 

1) that pen is relatively cheap.

2) It is actually a pretty clean design. The texture is uniform over most of the pen, the clip is the only really odd bit. if you removed the head from the clip it could just be a textured pen.

3) while that pen has bling from the gold and the sharp reflective surfaces it is pretty restrained. The Montegrappa pirate pen has so many elements competing on it that it is difficult to try and look at one in particular.

 

 

Of course I might be wrong.

Edited April 30, 2016 by zwack

[Calabria]

I'm gonna say that among the many things I find ugly about some new pens is what's under the hood - an off-the-rack Bock nib and diminutive plastic feed

[Tojusi]

This?

 

The stand is great, but the pen is pretty ugly.

 

Yes, that one - the pen was the same, but the stand was different: a standing angry Hulk. But consider the price, over 23 thousand EUR, that's like 25 thousand USD.

[JuInd]

The problem with these "showy" pens is that they actually appeal rich people from the middle and the Far East. The more gaudy they are, they're sought after they will be.

 

 

It seems like you have never seen this:

 

http://nakaya.org/en/review.aspx?id=341&type=body

 

 

Urushi pens are very popular in the Far East but I guess some people only like those + 200g metal pens.

[Raif79]

Lamy 2000. In my opinion it is very ugly.

Ouch! But why?