Help With Info On This Brand - Elster

[EdwardSouthgate]

Anyone have one of these ?? New one to me . I just bought it from Wasupen on ebay this morning . Any info will be much appreciated . All pictures are from the seller as is the writing sample .

 

Thanks

Eddie

Edited November 29, 2018 by EdwardSouthgate

[Bo Bo Olson]

Don't know that pen....but there were 120 makers in Germany alone.....could also be Belgium or even French. Danish.

The binde was wrapped on a mandrel, which was normal in those days. Late '30's and I have third tier pens from the early '50's that are mandrel wrapped. With Parker's P-51 pressed plastic....everyone who could afford to followed Sheaffer, Lamy, MB, Soennecken, Osmia. The small guys couldn't, so died. The pretty pens died....no more Vac's.

 

Looks late '30's because of the tall Final..........nib is warranted 14 K....which were made in many places....all it says is the nib is 14 K gold, not what flex it has. I have one that is semi-flex, have one that is regular flex....at least I think I do, but it's not worth looking to make sure.

Edited November 28, 2018 by Bo Bo Olson

[amk]

You have a bird to go along with Pelikan, Swan and Blackbird - this one is a magpie, in German. A very attractive little bird, too!

[Bo Bo Olson]

""""this one is a magpie, in German. A very attractive little bird, too!""""

My vocabulary in German leaves more to be desired than I recognize. My wife looks at some strange looking bird and has a name for it....I don't..........could well be I'd be half that bad in English/American for birds.

[bass1193]

Golly, Eddie. You keep posting some awesome finds, and this one is gorgeous!

[EdwardSouthgate]

You have a bird to go along with Pelikan, Swan and Blackbird - this one is a magpie, in German. A very attractive little bird, too!

 

Thanks . So happens I have at least one of each of those .

[Bo Bo Olson]

The prettiest pen, in my taste, I've seen posted here was a Swan Blackbird...........so second tier don't have to be ugly.

 

I'm really glad you you are into Vintage pens.

Back before I developed the term 'Easy Full Flex' pens were often described as 'flexi', which could have been semi-flex, maxi-semi-flex or first stage of superflex, Easy Full Flex.

Wet Noodle was not a problem in definition.

 

I'd chased Swan so very slowly, in the six weeks I didn't win a single pen. I'd finally decided to buy it from a professional, for a bit more money....from a restored pen who the seller knew what flex the nib had. Had decided if I didn't, I'd be buying the '50-55 Swan Torpedo sac pen, in the convoluted ways Swan tried to get around patents made for difficult repairs.The last of the Great Swan pens before the ball point killed it off....after '55 the Swan wasn't as good as early '50's.

 

I ran into a Degussa nibbed 'no name' German War pen, that was the 'flexi' I'd been looking for....Easy Full Flex, so I stopped looking for Swans....never got one.

I had a very nice Easy Full Flex/'flexi' English Wyvern, that I swapped for a Osmia with a Supra nib.

 

My flex rating system. First you have to have a regular flex nibbed pen. Esterbrook, Pel 200, some Sheaffers, Wearever. I really don't know US pens more than when I had them as a child....do don't know which Sheaffers are regular flex.

 

Mash the regular flex nib so the tines go 3 X a light down stroke.

Semi-flex takes half that pressure.

Maxi-semi-flex half of that or 1/4th the pressure needed to mash a regular flex to 3X.

Those are the 3 X flex set.

Superflex is 4, often 5-6 and very seldom when not sprung 7 X tine spread. The more superflex pens one has the more variation. But the 'system' works well for superflex noobies.

Easy Full Flex, takes half the pressure needed to make a maxi go 3 X, or 1/8th of a well mashed regular flex.

 

Wet Noodle....... half of that or 1/16th the pressure needed to well mash a regular flex.

IMO does not need to be lack of spring back as one poster said......

 

Weak Kneed Wet Noodle...= even less...a term invented by John Sowoba(sp)/Oxnard on the com, a well known nib grinder. Don't have, don't want. I'd really have to learn to write if I got one.

 

There are dip pens like the Hunt 99-100-101, that make a Wet Noodle look uncooked for flex.

There are many medium flex dip pens that have the ease of a wet noodle and easily go more than 7 X.

[EdwardSouthgate]

Bo Bo ,

 

Do you know anything about Arengo piston fillers ? Bought one from a seller in the states last night on ebay , looks good but only has partial function of the retracting mechanism so will need repair . This one has a steel Degussa nib . Bought it cheap so I can afford to have it fixed . Will post pictures later on a seperate thread. Am bidding on a Osmia Supra 48 with EF nib but probably wont get it . It is BCHR but looks to have a fair amount of wear , not bad , just noticable . Won't hurt the writing any so who cares !

 

Eddie

Edited November 30, 2018 by EdwardSouthgate

[Bo Bo Olson]

42,44, 46 ...no 48 listed in the book

444, 448 listed as pens Osmia/F-C chased MB with....Were once on my list to buy...then one came up and it was no longer on that list$$$$.

 

Osmia is at an all time low in Germany....same price as ten years ago.....E60 or so ....same problem as 10 years ago. LOM......this time due to old bought new cars. ...getting real old.

 

Actually I think I've reached the point of having enough pens.....!!!

I seldom look any more, then in live auctions.

Edited November 30, 2018 by Bo Bo Olson

[EdwardSouthgate]

This pen came in yesterday . It has broken me from only looking at the well known brands and ignoring the unknown . It is superb ! The nib is very position sensitive and it is a ditch digger if not held the way it wants to be held . Hold it correctly and it writes as pretty as any pen I own . Seller said the nib was very picky . Quality overall is equal to any pen I own including my Pelikans and Montblancs . It is a button filler and has had a new sack fitted . Pure Sex in a pen for less than $60 shipped .