Orient Express : A Gift -Pen Set

[Sagarb]

 

Two weeks earlier, one morning I got a phone call from my friend and client Mr.P.K. Madappa (an industrialist and an art lover), who wanted me to meet him at his office that afternoon. I asked him if there was anything urgent or not. He replied, “One of my friend has come from France and brought me a fountain & ball pen set for me as a gift. You know that I don’t have any use of fountain pens, so…” I didn’t let him finish what he had to say and excitedly asked, “You want to give it to me, right???” So I wasn’t late to go to his office and collect the pen box in the afternoon. When I opened the cover I found that it is an Orient- Express pen, not familiar name in FPN world but in luxury trains.

Georges Nagelmackers (24 June 1845 – 10 August 1905) was the founder of the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits, the company known for the Orient Express trains. The Orient Express was a showcase of luxury and comfort at a time when travelling was still rough and dangerous in Europe. First Orient Express that left Paris in October 1883. On12th December 2009, the last Orient express ran from Strasbourg to Vienna. 13th December the celebrated name Orient Express disappeared forever from the official European timetables after 126 years.

 

 

The orient Express collection is a tribute to the vision and inspiration that made the dream of George Nagelmacker’s come true.

 

Appearance and Design(9/10):

The package came with a dark blue colored, hard card- board outer box with a beautiful orient express logo imprinted in it.

After lifted off the lid, the crocodile leather pen case is seen which contains the pen, a piston converter, three black cartridges, a fountain pen section (which I immediately replaced with the ballpoint section) and an inlay card.

 

Inside the box

The metal bodied pen is nicely finished in high-gloss black lacquer with chrome accent which looks gorgeous IMHO.

 

When capped, uncapped and posted

Top of the cap is chrome finished and expanded towards the flat roof, where a logo embossed nicely. The ’U’ end clip is very well designed; comes down in a curved manner and the company logo engraved at the clip end. ‘Orient- Express’ name is nicely engraved on the cap band as well. The cap is snap on type and needs to push hard when capping and it makes a loud 'click' sound which is embarrassing in public.

 

Cap top, cap end,clip & the beautiful logo..

Tapering bottom of the barrel also ends with a chrome part.

Construction and quality (6/10):

It is difficult to say about the metal used in this pen, I guess it is brass because of its heavy weight. Externally the finish is excellent, internally there are few things which disappointed me a bit. When I push the cap down, it locks hard but if I hold the barrel and shake the pen gently the cap moves up and down (about a millimeter) and spins freely. The most struggling part I faced in this pen is its nib, which I am going to discuss shortly.

Weight and dimensions (7/10):

The pen is quite heavy; it weighs 44 grams without the converter. It cannot be a daily writer.

The dimensions are following:

 

Size comparison

 

Nib and performance (7/10):

 

First time when I saw the nib I really liked its design and the beautiful cross-hatch textured section as well. I was impressed with the grip and the section design indeed.

The stainless steel nib is friction fit and the name (Orient express) is nicely engraved on the top of the nib. The feed is well positioned but after inking, it just stopped replying, as I was writing with an un-inked pen. At least 5 times I washed it under the facet, 5 times I have changed the ink, and then I realized that the tines are too close and very tightly pressed to each other. Then I removed the nib from the section and ran a razor blade through the slit between two tines. After struggling around 45 mins,it gave it a proper shape. Now it writes very smooth and wet in medium line width, though it skips sometimes.

 

Writing sample

Filling system and maintenance (8/10):

The pen is built for compatibility with standard cartridges.It comes with a piston converter along with three small cartridges(black).First time I used a cartridge and the ink seemed quite dry to me.Now I have fitted the converter and inked it.

Conclusion (7/10 overall):

When dissasembled

I have mixed feelings about this pen, I must say that it looks gorgeous and very well balanced as well but not suitable to long write.No question is there to writing with it posted because of its heavy weight.It won't be my daily writing instrument indeed.

“Orient -Express “-the name I am attached with since my childhood when I saw the movie “Murder on the Orient Express” in somebody’s house in black and white television (I read the book later).I still remember that I liked Hercule Poirot and the luxury train so much.

I have found nothing special about this pen but the emotional attachment of getting it from the man I love and respect so much..and some childhood black and white memories..that's all. I will keep it as a memento of a our friendship and the luxury train which I was fascinated with a long,long time ago.

Edited June 3, 2016 by Sagarb

[visvamitra]

Thank you for nice review.

[rohit1974]

Thanks for the nice and detailed review.

[Sagarb]

Thank you for nice review.

Thanks very much..

[Sagarb]

 

Thanks for the nice and detailed review.

 

Thank you Rohit..

[jay.is.here]

Nice review..pen looks lovely.

[Sagarb]

Nice review..pen looks lovely.

Thanks Jay..

[subbucal]

Wow!!!!

 

Excellent review...for a moment I felt like I was travelling in Orient Express.

 

Sad that pen had som initial hiccups...hope you are enjoying it now.

 

Maybe a keep sake considering its history.

[Sagarb]

Wow!!!!

 

Excellent review...for a moment I felt like I was travelling in Orient Express.

 

Sad that pen had som initial hiccups...hope you are enjoying it now.

 

Maybe a keep sake considering its history.

Thanks very much Dada,

[sannidh]

Lovely review Sagar..with the bit of historical coverage of Orient Express

The pen looks good, it's a pity the nib didn't turn out well. (And a good opportunity to do some nib-adjustment )

[Sagarb]

Thanks very much Sannidh..BTW, does Sannidh means companion?

[sannidh]

Thanks very much Sannidh..BTW, does Sannidh means companion?

ha ha.. I think for a boy's name it means peaceful abode etc, for the girl sannidhya means close friendship or companion as you said (googled the latter )

[Sagarb]

ha ha.. I think for a boy's name it means peaceful abode etc, for the girl sannidhya means close friendship or companion as you said (googled the latter )

In Bengali, Sannidhya has no gender..it's a nice word to use in prose or poetry..

[Prithwijit]

Sagar,

 

Thanks for reviewing such an unique pen and for sharing the story behind it. Its anecdotes like these that make the pen appreciation such an enriching experience.

 

Regards,

 

Prithwijit

[Dr. Saleem Ali]

Very nice review and pictures.Congrats .

[Sagarb]

Sagar,

 

Thanks for reviewing such an unique pen and for sharing the story behind it. Its anecdotes like these that make the pen appreciation such an enriching experience.

 

Regards,

 

Prithwijit

Thanks Prithwi,for your appreciation and comments on my review

Very nice review and pictures.Congrats .

Thank you Dr.Ali for reading this review..

[ak2k5]

Nice review. Interesting to know many luxury companies has an accessory fountain pen business.

[Sagarb]

Nice review. Interesting to know many luxury companies has an accessory fountain pen business.

As far as I am concerned, "Orient Express" or some of like this companies don't manufacture fountain pens.Whenever they need to produce gift items like pen sets, lighters,wallets etc.,they give the orders to the manufacturers who produce these items. In this case the pen is manufactured in China.