True Writer Pen Collection - So Far

[donnweinberg]

I've been collecting Levenger True Writer (TW) pens, mostly FPs, since 1999, when they first were introduced. I've got 84 of them (some duplicates), comprising about 2/3 of what's been issued; the ones I didn't get either I didn't want or I missed their availability. I'd like to post photos of the collection.

 

In this new Topic, I don't see the ability to post photos, as the "Post Options" on the right of this typing box (when typing) doesn't show the box for "Enable HTML," for some reason. I'm hoping that after this initial post, that box will appear so I can post photos. Even using the Upload option near the top of the screen, I can upload and copy to this box, but without "Enable HTML," the photos won't show up. Any help here would be appreciated.

 

On the Levenger site, under "True Writer" you can find the history of the pen and photos of the various colors/materials in which the pen can be found, along with the month-and-year when each was issued. I like the TW as a vintage Esterbrook-inspired pen (though a bit thicker), and I like that over time, so many different colors and materials for the pen have been issued. The TW FP comes with a Stainless Steel (SS) nib. Depending on the issue, the nib either is one-tone SS or two-tone SS with some GP. Sometimes the difference between models merely is that the same color scheme has, in the one case, all SS trim and, in the other, GP trim.

 

The FPs write smoothly with their standard SS nibs (I prefer at least a Medium nib or wider), but I like replacing them, here-and-there, with same-sized medium 14K gold nibs (made by Schmidt), which provide more springiness to the writing experience. There are also Rollerball (RB) and Ballpoint (BP) models, the BP taking Parker refills.

 

There have been reports on FPN about some cases of cracking or breaking off of the plastic (if that's what many are made of) in various places, particularly on the earlier-made models. I have not experienced that problem myself, but then I don't write with any one of my TWs with any regularity, so I haven't subjected mine to the stresses that others have.

 

With the very first issue -- the green one in 1999 -- the cap band got loose and came off after a few years. However, I used a small amount of super-glue to put it back on, and it looks as good as new, so to speak.

 

My impression from watching Ebay offerings of the TWs is that they have not increased much in market value, at least the more common (albeit retired) ones that I've seen placed for sale. I have no idea whether, for example, the very first 1999 TW, in green, would sell for a premium. I don't sell pens at this point, but only collect, so I won't be testing that question myself.

 

Some on FPN have wondered about the identity of the manufacturer of these pens. I have no idea. They use German-made nibs, but that doesn't help at all with identifying the manufacturer of the pens.

 

Well, let's hope that after this post, I will be able to post photos.

 

[donnweinberg]

Pending some guidance on how to directly post the photos here without having the "Enable HTML" box, I'm posting the direct links to the photos.

 

The first photo is of my entire TW collection. The large box contains all FPs. The smaller box has three more FPs in its top row, plus RBs and BPs in its bottom row. As the larger box has four rows and the smaller box two rows, I'm referring to a total of six rows. Please note that in the first four rows, the listing of colors alternates between "Left to Right" and "Right to Left." Next to the color, I show the month/year it first was issued. It's just a convention that I've been using.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/uploads/imgs/fpn_1589037203__levenger_tw_-_both_boxes.jpeg

 

 

FIRST ROW (L to R): Green (2/99); Green (2/99); Blue (7/99); Blue (7/99); Red (10/99); Red (10/99); Black (4/00); Black (4/00); White (4/00); White (4/00); Yellow (10/00); Periwinkle (3/01); Tangerine (9/01); Abalone (5/02); Blue Pearl (10/02); Mink (11/02).

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/uploads/imgs/fpn_1589037315__levenger_tw_-_row_1.jpeg

 

 

SECOND ROW (R TO L): Rose (1/04); Tortoise (8/05); Kyoto (1/06); White Metalist (9/06); Amethyst Metalist (9/06); Obsidian (9/06); Golden Tortoise (10/06); Seaglass (2/07); Pink (4/07); Dark Blue semi-transparent (4/07); Bahama Blue Demonstrator (5/07); Always Greener Demonstrator (5/07); Fireball Demonstrator (5/07); Flourish-Forest (9/07); Flourish-Forest (9/07); Flourish-Frost (9/07).

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/uploads/imgs/fpn_1589037379__levenger_tw_-_row_2.jpeg

 

 

THIRD ROW (L TO R): Flourish-Cranberry (9/07); Flourish-Cranberry (9/07); Obsidian Gold (9/07); Amethyst Demonstrator (6/08); Pinkly Demonstrator (6/08); Carnaval (7/08); Carnaval (7/08); Ivory-&-Gold (8/08); Starry Night (9/08); Mosaic Purple (10/08); Water Lilies (10/08); Ultra Violet (2/11); Blue Delft (10/11); French Impressionist (4/12); Silver Anniversary (5/12); Bright Write - Hot Pink (8/12).

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/uploads/imgs/fpn_1589037415__levenger_tw_-_row_3.jpeg

 

 

FOURTH ROW (R TO L): Bright Write - Cornflower blue (8/12); Teal Appeal (9/12); Purple Majesty (2/13); Silver Seas (9/13); Foliage (10/13); Navy (12/13); Raven (12/13); Element Guilloche (11/14); Royal (2/15); Java (5/15); Stone (6/15); Oceanic Grey (11/15); Checkmate black (5/16); Pinstripe Guilloche (10/17); Wintergreen-&-Gold (10/17); Red-&-Gold (11/18).

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/uploads/imgs/fpn_1589037447__levenger_tw_-_row_4.jpeg

 

 

FIFTH ROW (L TO R): 2-Tone Herringbone Anniversary (7/19); Lavender-&-Black (My name for it; not shown in the official listing; month/year forgotten); Black-&-Grey (My name for it; might just be a variation on the 1999 black, but looks different enough that I'm not sure; month/year forgotten).

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/uploads/imgs/fpn_1589037487__levenger_tw_-_row_5.jpeg

 

 

SIXTH ROW (L TO R): Blue BP (7/99); Red BP (10/99); White RB (4/00); Abalone BP (5/02); Rose RB (1/04); Tortoise BP (8/05); Sea Glass BP (2/07); Pink BP (4/07); Always Greener Demonstrator RB (5/07); Fiery Amber BP (4/08); Amethyst Demonstrator (6/08); Mosaic Purple BP (10/08); Café au Lait BP (9/10); French Impressionistic BP (4/12); Spring Inspired Rose BP (4/13).

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/uploads/imgs/fpn_1589037520__levenger_tw_-_row_6.jpeg

 

Edited May 25, 2020 by amberleadavis
Added pictures.

[BaronWulfraed]

  On 5/9/2020 at 3:51 PM, donnweinberg said:

Pending some guidance on how to directly post the photos here without having the "Enable HTML" box, I'm posting the direct links to the photos.

You appear to have enough posts on record to be able to do photos (I seem to recall one needs about 10 posts before they can upload images).

 

Presuming you are using a full-up computer, and not some tablet/phone...

 

• At the top of the screen/page is a tab marked "Upload" -- click it (for me, it opens a new tab in Firefox)
• Click on the [browse] button to permit locating the desired image file on your computer (since you already have a set of images available at URLs, you might be able to enter the URL in the text box and upload from the web host)
• Click [Add Image] to upload to FPN
• After upload, you should have an information screen with three URL formats -- I typically use the top one (Direct). Select the text string and copy it.
• Go back to the browser tab with your message (I've assumed you did the upload in the middle of making a post).
• Select the image icon (monitor screen) on the formatting bar
• paste the string into the box
• That should do it...

To reuse an image you already have uploaded, locate the image in the list from the upload tab, and click the icon of a page with a green up-arrow. That will display the three URL formats for that image again.

[donnweinberg]

CORRECTED POST: WITH PHOTOS EMBEDDED RATHER THAN LINKS

 

The first photo is of my entire TW collection. The large box contains all FPs. The smaller box has three more FPs in its top row, plus RBs and BPs in its bottom row. As the larger box has four rows and the smaller box two rows, I'm referring to a total of six rows. Please note that in the first four rows, the listing of colors alternates between "Left to Right" and "Right to Left." Next to the color, I show the month/year it first was issued. It's just a convention that I've been using.

 

 

 

FIRST ROW (L to R): Green (2/99); Green (2/99); Blue (7/99); Blue (7/99); Red (10/99); Red (10/99); Black (4/00); Black (4/00); White (4/00); White (4/00); Yellow (10/00); Periwinkle (3/01); Tangerine (9/01); Abalone (5/02); Blue Pearl (10/02); Mink (11/02).

 

 

 

SECOND ROW (R TO L): Rose (1/04); Tortoise (8/05); Kyoto (1/06); White Metalist (9/06); Amethyst Metalist (9/06); Obsidian (9/06); Golden Tortoise (10/06); Seaglass (2/07); Pink (4/07); Dark Blue semi-transparent (4/07); Bahama Blue Demonstrator (5/07); Always Greener Demonstrator (5/07); Fireball Demonstrator (5/07); Flourish-Forest (9/07); Flourish-Forest (9/07); Flourish-Frost (9/07).

 

 

 

THIRD ROW (L TO R): Flourish-Cranberry (9/07); Flourish-Cranberry (9/07); Obsidian Gold (9/07); Amethyst Demonstrator (6/08); Pinkly Demonstrator (6/08); Carnaval (7/08); Carnaval (7/08); Ivory-&-Gold (8/08); Starry Night (9/08); Mosaic Purple (10/08); Water Lilies (10/08); Ultra Violet (2/11); Blue Delft (10/11); French Impressionist (4/12); Silver Anniversary (5/12); Bright Write - Hot Pink (8/12).

 

 

 

FOURTH ROW (R TO L): Bright Write - Cornflower blue (8/12); Teal Appeal (9/12); Purple Majesty (2/13); Silver Seas (9/13); Foliage (10/13); Navy (12/13); Raven (12/13); Element Guilloche (11/14); Royal (2/15); Java (5/15); Stone (6/15); Oceanic Grey (11/15); Checkmate black (5/16); Pinstripe Guilloche (10/17); Wintergreen-&-Gold (10/17); Red-&-Gold (11/18).

 

 

 

FIFTH ROW (L TO R): 2-Tone Herringbone Anniversary (7/19); Lavender-&-Black (My name for it; not shown in the official listing; month/year forgotten); Black-&-Grey (My name for it; might just be a variation on the 1999 black, but looks different enough that I'm not sure; month/year forgotten).

 

 

 

SIXTH ROW (L TO R): Blue BP (7/99); Red BP (10/99); White RB (4/00); Abalone BP (5/02); Rose RB (1/04); Tortoise BP (8/05); Sea Glass BP (2/07); Pink BP (4/07); Always Greener Demonstrator RB (5/07); Fiery Amber BP (4/08); Amethyst Demonstrator (6/08); Mosaic Purple BP (10/08); Café au Lait BP (9/10); French Impressionistic BP (4/12); Spring Inspired Rose BP (4/13).

 

 

Thank you to BaronWulfraed for the instructions. It seems that my way of doing it as of yesterday no longer worked. The new instructions worked.

[TSherbs]

Nice collection, donnweinberg. I own two (gave one to my wife). I have been using mine loaded with Sheaffer Blue-black for a month straight now. Loving the combo.

 

You got some real pretty pens there.

 

Question: my wife's TW lost its finial (top of cap). Any idea where I could try to locate another? The missing finial REALLY bugs me.

[peroride]

Whoa! Thank you for sharing your comprehensive collection @donnweinberg, the Seaglass (2/07) is a looker!

[stacybean]

Thanks for posting these photos. I purchased some of these pens over the years. Theyve been reliable writers and some of the acrylics are quite pretty. Perhaps I could replace some of the the medium and broad nibs I have with stubs or italics. I prefer taking these pens , TWSBIs and Lamys to work and leaving the irreplaceable ones at home.

[donnweinberg]

  On 5/9/2020 at 10:51 PM, TSherbs said:

Nice collection, donnweinberg. I own two (gave one to my wife). I have been using mine loaded with Sheaffer Blue-black for a month straight now. Loving the combo.

 

You got some real pretty pens there.

 

Question: my wife's TW lost its finial (top of cap). Any idea where I could try to locate another? The missing finial REALLY bugs me.

 

My first idea: If your wife's TW's finial is the standard black one, then maybe Levenger could provide a replacement. If the finial is not black, but color-coordinated with the body color (as some are), then I'm guessing that there's much less chance that Levenger would have any in stock, but it never hurts to ask.

 

My second idea: Ebay, but I've not seen TW finials for sale there the few times I've looked at TWs there.

[donnweinberg]

To give you more detail on some of the TW pens, here are two photos of the very first one -- Green (February, 1999), in the First Row. In the second shot, you can see the 14K gold nib that I put on it, to replace the standard SS nib.

 

 

 

This one is the Starry Night FP (September, 2008), seen smaller in the 3rd Row of my earlier post here. It's a real looker, eh?

 

 

Here's the Two-Tone Herringbone Anniversary FP (July, 2019) from the 5th Row. As a metal-bodied TW, it is heavier than the acrylic ones. It sports a two-tone SS nib with gold plating on most of the visible nib.

 

 

The Carnaval (July, 2008) from the 3rd Row is seen here. It's a bit outrageous and whimsical. I bought two, as they were discounted then.

 

 

This beauty is the Kyoto FP (January, 2006) from the 2nd Row. There are hints of blue along with the other browns and black.

 

 

Similar but not the same as the Kyoto, this BP is the Fiery Amber (April, 2008) from the 6th Row.

 

 

Finally, at least for this post, is the White RB (April, 2000), from the 6th Row. Wonderful reflections are seen.

 

 

 

[kestrel]

  On 5/9/2020 at 11:05 PM, stacybean said:

Thanks for posting these photos. I purchased some of these pens over the years. Theyve been reliable writers and some of the acrylics are quite pretty. Perhaps I could replace some of the the medium and broad nibs I have with stubs or italics. I prefer taking these pens , TWSBIs and Lamys to work and leaving the irreplaceable ones at home.

You can also send an existing nib off to someone to have it ground to your specifications. I had two broad True Writer nibs ground to butterline stubs by Pendleton Brown with wonderful results.

[PaperDarts]

Amazing and beautiful collection! I've watched the True Writers over the years in the online Levenger catalogue, and a few years ago was lucky enough to find a Seaglass FP for sale in the FPN Classifieds. It's a great pen. Now I'm going to be hungering after more of these beauties. Thanks for all the trouble you took to show us your TWs.

[donnweinberg]

  On 5/10/2020 at 5:11 PM, PaperDarts said:

Amazing and beautiful collection! I've watched the True Writers over the years in the online Levenger catalogue, and a few years ago was lucky enough to find a Seaglass FP for sale in the FPN Classifieds. It's a great pen. Now I'm going to be hungering after more of these beauties. Thanks for all the trouble you took to show us your TWs.

 

My pleasure, and thank you.

[gerigo]

Donn, thanks for the share. I have to admit that the pen snob that I am, I did not get into the TW pens until I spent quite a few months in Chicago a few years ago. Having a bunch of time with nothing to do and a real Levenger store to visit made it very easy to open my wallet. I have quite a few now and my favorite is the all metal one.

Curious as to where you purchased the 14k nibs from? I would love to get one or 2 to put on my TWs.

[SashK]

Wow, that's incredible.

 

Thank you for the amazing share.

 

Keep it up!

[donnweinberg]

  On 5/11/2020 at 3:09 PM, gerigo said:

Curious as to where you purchased the 14k nibs from? I would love to get one or 2 to put on my TWs.

 

I didn't get them from Levenger. I had them as unsold inventory from Cesare Emiliano from back in the late 1990s. They are Schmidt nibs. So what I use now is what I have left over from back then. If you happen to have 14K nibs of that size from other pens or just loose, you might try one of those. Some of the old Eversharp Skyline gold nibs would fit.

[ENewton]

I have a Levenger Galaxy Aurora that was given to me as a gift maybe 15 years ago. It has a very smooth steel nib, but what is most remarkable about it is that, after I'd had it for something like 10 years, it survived a leap from my bag as I crossed a busy intersection. I had little hope for the pen when I opened it and found that the nib, the feed, and the converter had flown asunder from the impact, but my immediate concern was the mess. Luckily, at that time I used to pass a FLAX store on Market Street (in San Francisco) on my way home, and the woman at the pen counter let me use a sink there to clean the leaky mess. I reassembled the pen, took it home, filled it, and was quite surprised to find that it behaved as if nothing had happened.

[donnweinberg]

  On 5/14/2020 at 3:34 AM, ENewton said:

I have a Levenger Galaxy Aurora that was given to me as a gift maybe 15 years ago. It has a very smooth steel nib, but what is most remarkable about it is that, after I'd had it for something like 10 years, it survived a leap from my bag as I crossed a busy intersection. I had little hope for the pen when I opened it and found that the nib, the feed, and the converter had flown asunder from the impact, but my immediate concern was the mess. Luckily, at that time I used to pass a FLAX store on Market Street (in San Francisco) on my way home, and the woman at the pen counter let me use a sink there to clean the leaky mess. I reassembled the pen, took it home, filled it, and was quite surprised to find that it behaved as if nothing had happened.

 

You have a charmed TW, ENewton.

[ArchiMark]

Wow!

 

That is quite the collection!

 

Some real lookers....

 

Thanks for sharing it!

 

 

Mark

[donnweinberg]

  On 5/14/2020 at 2:47 PM, ArchiMark said:

Wow!

 

That is quite the collection!

 

Some real lookers....

 

Thanks for sharing it!

 

 

Mark

 

Thanks, Mark.

[donnweinberg]

Here's another TW color -- GREEN MOSAIC -- in a BP that I just obtained from Levenger, which didn't have this color any longer as a FP or RB. Notice the color-coordinated cap jewel on this BP. I've gotta pay more attention to the website and mailers, as I've missed several of the colors that I would have wanted to get but that now are retired. Such is life; that should be my biggest problem going forward.