What's Up At Christof's

[christof]

Just a short update about a "little" birthday present I made myself.

Last week I presented here my new Waterman's #55. I really was excited about this pen and I think I got a bit in a Waterman's hard rubber rush, finally buying another one. It's this pen:

 

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2836/9650206739_7834a717d0_c.jpg

 

It's a huge Waterman's #58 in woodgrain hard rubber. A pen I always wanted to own. And here comes a size comparison:

 

from top down:

Waterman's #52V olive ripple

Waterman's #52 RHR

Waterman's #55 BHR

Waterman's #58 woodgrain HR

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7455/9650207593_9b02a8ffb0_c.jpg

This pen is really huge. It's the biggest pen I ever owned. But unbelieveable cool...

 

 

...and huge is also the nib!

 

 

Edited September 2, 2013 by christof

[Xof72000]

His there a french word stronger than "superbe" ??

Could you add a picture of the nib please ?

[christof]

As you can see, we are pretty busy here at Christof’s and I don’t find the time to post as often as I did in the past. Sorry for that.

That said, now, I’d like to show you my newest pen. It came in accompaniment with a pen frien of mine. Or in other words, my friend came for a short visit and pen chat to my town. He brought a couple of pens – one stayed.

 

In my opinion it’s a quite interesting pen. The Brand is Orthos and the design is…., well it’s not Orthos, haha.

Orthos is a German brand, founded in 1930 by Josef Lamy. I’d like to quote from Paul Eranos Article in the pennant from summer 2013:

„…The company was established in 1930, a few years afterParker employe Josef Lamy was sent to Germany to help Parker expand ist foreignmarket. Parker’s efforts included the purchase of the Osmia company; but whenParker parted with Osmia, Josef Lamy remained in Germany to establish his owncompany under the name Orthos…“

 

Here comes the pics:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7401/9712825143_9126c61f67_b.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5442/9712824637_b1c3374f85_b.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5489/9716073934_89ee228b0d_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7448/9716060316_b9b1a1308a_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7421/9712825671_3391d110eb_b.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5447/9716074354_2bf0d0c8f6_b.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5341/9716059324_494af522a8_b.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5343/9716075184_437f3eac95_b.jpg



The pen is completely restored now and filled with black quink in my pocket. Nice writer…


So thanks for your patience and let^s see what’s next.



Christof

 

 

[proton007]

Nice Pen!

 

So Orthos became Lamy?

[christof]

Yes. As far as I know around 1950.

[BMG]

Interesting story and nice pen! You do have interesting friends stop by...

[christof]

My newest toy

 

A week ago, I got a late brithday present from my mife. No, not a pen. If you are a pen collector, you will know that it is nearly impossible to find the perfect pen gift for a pen enthusiast as I am, and my wife knows that also.

 

So she presented me something not pen related.... one could think. But in my hands, nearly everything turns to be pen related, haha.

 

Here's the gift: It's called "toolbox" and is made by Vitra.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7360/10252818526_802ffd5ce8_b.jpg

 

This thing is a box to keep nearly everything what you need when you're at home. At the breakfast table, in the kitchen (when flushing pens, haha), in the workshop, at the computer and in the bed! You always have the right thing by hand: Iphone/pad, camera, pen tools, pen parts storage box, a book, pocket knife, and of course pens!!

 

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3768/10252922093_1dca5ed266_b.jpg

 

This thing is very practical AND looks great at nearly every place in your apartement, house, flat etc...where you put it.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7322/10253075175_be6f4849e6_b.jpg

 

There are lots of other colors available. The one my wife choosed is called "brick".

 

For more pictures and toolboxes in different colors see here: http://www.vitra.com/de-ch/product/toolbox

[christof]

Finally, I managed to buy a new pen!

 

I really do not collect Esterbrooks. But I have a weak spot for desk sets. I always wanted one of these:

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7436/10380831614_c2a853ce48_b.jpg

 

...and when this cool pen came along, I couldn't resist.

 

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5491/10380836014_a506f431d9_b.jpg

 

It's unused NOS condition. But the part I like most is the chain! If you're a chaotic person as me, everything should be fixed with a chain to the place it belongs. Just ask my wife...

 

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5532/10380863025_3690fa0858_b.jpg

Edited October 20, 2013 by christof

[Xof72000]

You mean you chain your wife ??????

[christof]

No, this is not what I meant.

c.

[christof]

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7418/10552536296_c9848df6ca_b.jpg

 

...even better than locking with a chain is to glue the thing permanently in the right place! Every one who works in an open space office knows that...

 

The picture shows the underside of the socket.

Edited October 29, 2013 by christof

[proton007]

I can imagine the desk set would firmly need to be in place.

 

Imagine trying to put the pen in the socket, only to find the whole thing just moved off the table!

[christof]

That's not the problem. the socket is made of cast metal and is quite heavy.

c.

[dcpritch]

Hi Christof,

 

You always have something interesting to show us!

 

I have a similar Esterbrook pen base, though its not nearly as new and perfect as the one you have shown us. Interestingly, the chain on mine attaches not to the top of the taper but to a point just behind the lever, in front of the threads by which the taper is attached. Another difference is that mine is made of ceramic, not cast metal. The black coating on the top side appears to be painted on. This is visible in the picture below, possible because the adhesive backing on mine was removed somewhere along the way. Regardless, the pen base has some heft and would not easily move around on a desk, though adhesive is certainly a good idea to keep it firmly in place.

 

Clearly, these were used in an era when fountain pens where as ubiquitous as smart phones, and literally everyone know how to use one. Can you imagine such a thing today at a bank teller's window?!

 

Cheers, DAVID

 

[christof]

David

 

This is a cool pen too! I like the clear taper.

Of course, you are right. My socket is made of porcellaine too, I just checked this.

The fact that there has been a time when these have been totally common items makes it really interesting for me. Especially from a European point of view, where deskpens were not that common as in America.

Thanks for jumping in herewith your great pics which I really apreciate.

 

Christof

Edited October 29, 2013 by christof

[TassoBarbasso]

This thread is one of the most interesting on the whole FPN! thanks for all these informative posts.

[Xof72000]

+1 !

Very nice pens, allways beautifull pictures, interesting ephemera ... Congratulations Christof !

[christof]

Thank you guys!

 

Recently, I found a very funny pen. Not valuable and not antique, and probably not desireable....but funny.

 

You all know Montblancs fancy 1970's cheap economic pen model "Carrera", right? If not, it Looks like this:

 

It's this one:

 

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5473/10572997073_73f724e62e_b.jpg

 

But the pen I want to Show you Looks like this:

 

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5507/10572754156_09fc206213_b.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3742/10572755806_dd32d9b60b_b.jpg

 

It's a Pelikan "Happy Pen" from 1973. Well, I don't want to discuss the deeper philosophical meaning of this Name... but I think it's quite funny to see that Pelikan sometimes (only very, very few times of course) did copy ideas of other brands. Actually the very happy pen is a common Pelikano P472, just in other Colors.

[yus2001fr]

Not my favourite colors, but really funny to see the Pelikan's clone of the carrera.

 

But it was the standard colors of this period, my youth !

 

Thank you for this article.

[christof]

Although I do collect vintage pens of several brands, my favourites are Parkers from 1940's to 1960's. This means specially, Parker "51", 61, and VP's.

 

Now, recently I recognised another Preference of mine. When I took out my Parkers last time, I saw that of nearly every model is one example there in Gray. Actually, I love Gray pens, especially in combination with Steel caps and Gold trim, but I never focussed consciously on this, when I gathered these pens.

Amazing insight, when I've seen all the pens, laying side by side...

 

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7298/10593555666_9a793502df_b.jpg