I got this pen today

[Number99]

The original ones with the names of artists and（ or ） workshops are called "共箱" and "to-mo-ba-ko".

 Boxes of similar quality but unrelated to the work are called "合箱" and "a-i-ba-ko".

 

 The "共箱" is a part of the work and also serves as a proof of its identity.

If you don't have a "to-mo-ba-ko" "共箱", you just have to make a "a-i-ba-ko" "合箱", so a box is essential for storing your work.

 Please note that Japanese lacquer is vulnerable to dryness and light rays.

 Also, it's definitely part of the price.

 

 

[Dan2]

Please, help me identify this pen which I found today (I have no information at all). It has some kind of lizard on nib and swan on cap (see pics)

 

https://ibb.co/gMLgZ3t
https://ibb.co/jTXS3Hn
https://ibb.co/nbKbYMX
https://ibb.co/TYp1s4H
https://ibb.co/XtDWbBj

[amberleadavis]

7 hours ago, Dan2 said:

Please, help me identify this pen which I found today (I have no information at all). It has some kind of lizard on nib and swan on cap (see pics)

 

https://ibb.co/gMLgZ3t
https://ibb.co/jTXS3Hn
https://ibb.co/nbKbYMX
https://ibb.co/TYp1s4H
https://ibb.co/XtDWbBj

 

 

Please check out this thread for how to add images to your post.

 

 

 

In the meanwhile, I've uploaded your images.

 

 

 

[Dan2]

Thanks, amberleadavis!

[AmandaW]

Lamy Studio Lx All Black with a fine nib. This one was a long time on the wish list with a number of false starts - out of stock, cancelled and messed up orders from several stores over many months. It was worth the perseverance in the hunt because this secondhand one came with a 14K nib.

 

[A Smug Dill]

23 minutes ago, AmandaW said:

Lamy Studio Lx All Black with a fine nib. This one was a long time on the wish list

 

How do you like the feel and handling of the pen, compared to the Black Forest variant?

[AmandaW]

2 minutes ago, A Smug Dill said:

 

How do you like the feel and handling of the pen, compared to the Black Forest variant?

The 14K has noticeable softness compared to the steel nib on the Black Forest and even with a light touch it's catching a little on diagonal strokes. It's probably user error / sweet-spot issue so I'll report back in a few days when I get enough pages down to be fair.

 

Admitting here that I quite like nibs that behave like a nail...

 

 

[amberleadavis]

2 hours ago, Dan2 said:

Thanks, amberleadavis!

 I think you will want to get a better picture of the nib. 

[DvdRiet]

This was yesterday: a selection of vintage Diplomats (forgive the BP, it was a gift!)

 

And this is today: Diplomat Esteem MadC Purple Caneva and Blue Caneva

 

Why do I seem to be buying in bulk now? 😅

[mizgeorge]

24 minutes ago, DvdRiet said:

This was yesterday: a selection of vintage Diplomats (forgive the BP, it was a gift!)

 

And this is today: Diplomat Esteem MadC Purple Caneva and Blue Caneva

 

Why do I seem to be buying in bulk now? 😅

Haha! Now you definitely need more ink

[DvdRiet]

1 minute ago, mizgeorge said:

Haha! Now you definitely need more ink

Haha! Somehow I knew you would say that! Funny thing is that I have managed to limit the number of inks I buy, but not the pens??? 🤔

[Chi]

[Paul-in-SF]

Montblanc 256 ("the big one"). I already had a 254, and this one only looks to be a little bigger, but it does make a surprising difference. 

 

[PithyProlix]

My latest 'new to me' pens, Japanese edition. I haven't cleaned them up.

• Sailor 'lady' pocket pen - 21k nib, size unmarked but writes like a fine. 
• Platinum pocket pen - 18k F. Appears to be unused. This was a generous, completely unexpected gift from a really nice guy I have bought a number of fountain pens from!
• Sailor Hoscal - 14k F. This is identical to a Hoscal I got a few months ago except it was manufactured 21 months later. The price was right and I couldn't resist buying it because the Hoscal I already had is one of my favorite pens. This new one reinforces that Hoscals are one hell of a great pen and quite different from any other pen I have.
• Pilot Custom in 'fabric' finish - 18k M.
• Pilot Murex. M nib. I only buy pens at very good to great prices but this one was approximately $3.00 USD (😮)! If you know about the Murex, then you know ...
   

 

[PithyProlix]

And, 'new to me' pens, Western edition. Again, not cleaned up.

• Sheaffer Triumph TM Touchdown (a guess since I don't know much about vintage Sheaffers) - broken nib 😢.*
• Sheaffer Imperial Triumph Touchdown (another guess) - 14k writes like a Western F. The rubber seal in the Touchdown tube needs replacing but I just put a new sac on it and it works well enough to just use fingers to squeeze the sac when filling. This one and the one below are my first experience with vintage Sheaffer Imperial nibs. I really like these two - great nibs.
• Sheaffer Imperial VIII Touchdown (yet another guess) but maybe a frankenpen - 14k writes like a Western EF. Fantastic writer in my preferred nib width! Again, put a new sac on it and squeeze the sac with fingers to fill. I just noticed that the cap logo ("Sheaffer") does not match the logos on the barrel and nib ("Sheaffer's") so I think it is a replacement cap - it seems to fit and look right and it does the job so, no problem, I think this pen will see a lot of writing by me.
• Dunhill Gemline (confident guess) - 14k writes like a Western EF. Another fantastic writer in my preferred nib width! 'Made in Germany' which means made by Montblanc on a variation of the Noblesse blueprints. Great feeling lacquer with gold glitter, super solid, weighty-for-its-size. This one has a longer clip than my tortoiseshell-finish Gemline - it looks much like a ST Dupont clip, also sans logo - has a more conventionally shaped nib tip, and instead of a flat, plain cap finial, a slanted finial with the Dunhill logo.

 

 

* I got these three Sheaffers together, knowing the Touchdown filling systems on the three would need some restoration, and, of the three, I was most looking forward to the Triumph. Unfortunately, when I dip tested the Triumph something felt very wrong - looking under the loupe I saw that the tip of left tine was sheered off. I've bought enough pens from the seller to have built up sufficient trust with him to think I no longer needed to ask him for detailed pictures, etc.. I don't think he knew the nib is broken - I believe he was just quickly turning around some pens he recently bought. When I told him about the broken nib he just said, 'sorry, I didn't know', and offered nothing else. I got the three pens at a very good price and the other two are not problematic, so I am just letting it go and will be very careful if/when I am considering buying from this seller again. You win some, you lose some, and you learn some. I've gotten many great wins, haven't lost many, and certainly learned a lot along the way.

[DvdRiet]

Relieved to see I'm not the only one buying in bulk, @PithyProlix 😅 

 

And too bad about the Triumph! I have the same philosophy about winning some and losing some. A while ago, I read an interview with a woman who has a very positive outlook on life and people are always telling her what good fortune she has. The secret, she said, was to realize that most people are good and honest and to see the small losses (never risk what you can't afford to lose!) and disappointments from the small percentage who aren't as the price to pay for good fortune. By focusing on the good interactions instead of the bad ones, seeing them as the small price to pay, your life will be overwhelmingly positive, she said. I liked that. Doing my best to live by that every day... and so far, so good! And it looks to me like all these beautiful pens you have found are proof you're doing the same!  

[PithyProlix]

9 hours ago, Paul-in-SF said:

Montblanc 256 ("the big one"). I already had a 254, and this one only looks to be a little bigger, but it does make a surprising difference. 

 

 

How's the nib?

[PithyProlix]

14 minutes ago, DvdRiet said:

Relieved to see I'm not the only one buying in bulk, @PithyProlix 😅 

 

I wasn't expecting to! I was talking to the seller about another pen he was selling, then he mentioned these three Sheaffers, and that he needed to pay his daughter's private school tuition the next day! It just so happens that I have recently become more and more interested in Sheaffers so the timing was right. 

 

(It's rare that I buy more than one pen at a time but, when buying a pen, I often ask the seller if there are any others he/she wants to sell ...)

 

23 minutes ago, DvdRiet said:

And too bad about the Triumph! I have the same philosophy about winning some and losing some. A while ago, I read an interview with a woman who has a very positive outlook on life and people are always telling her what good fortune she has. The secret, she said, was to realize that most people are good and honest and to see the small losses (never risk what you can't afford to lose!) and disappointments from the small percentage who aren't as the price to pay for good fortune. By focusing on the good interactions instead of the bad ones, seeing them as the small price to pay, your life will be overwhelmingly positive, she said. I liked that. Doing my best to live by that every day... and so far, so good! And it looks to me like all these beautiful pens you have found are proof you're doing the same!  

 

The pens are just icing on the cake. 😉 (I am a serious practitioner of what Buddha taught and could go on and on about this subject but I'll resist discussing religion or religious-like subjects here ...)

[DvdRiet]

3 minutes ago, PithyProlix said:

The pens are just icing on the cake. 😉 (I am a serious practitioner of what Buddha taught and could go on and on about this subject but I'll resist discussing religion or religious-like subjects here ...)

Ah, interesting! I have only a very basic knowledge of Buddhism but I may have to delve a little deeper since you mention it!  

[basterma]

On 2/27/2022 at 2:54 AM, amberleadavis said:

@basterma

 

I pulled out my pen to show you.  I loved the nib and had the pen created just for it.

 

 

The other amazing pen / nib combo is the @terim Peyton Street Pen pens that take vintage nibs and create new pens.

 

Or here is a custom pen that holds a Sailor music nib.

 

Those look amazing!