I got this pen today

[Misfit]

On 1/13/2023 at 4:45 PM, Paul-in-SF said:

This pen arrived today, a Visconti Opera Silver Dust, with a Broad Smartouch nib. Currently loaded with Sailor Souboku ink. I have written a few lines only, so far, and it seems a very very wet nib, which is not a great thing (in my view) for a Broad nib. But I will withhold judgment until I have written with it for a page or so. I will probably end up having it ground down to something better suited to journaling. 

 

Very nice pen. Are you enjoying using it?  I do hope so. 

[Paul-in-SF]

8 hours ago, Misfit said:

Are you enjoying using it?

 

Yes, thank you, although it takes a bit of getting used to. I apparently loaded it with an ink that is too wet, so that when the filler knob is backed off even a little, the ink gushes, and when the filler knob is completely closed, the nib starts to slowly dry up. I need to try it with a drier ink. I don't know if there is any other way to adjust ink flow in this pen. 

[vin2187]

I got this fountain pen recently and have no idea what type or brand it is, but would love to find out. It doesn't have a cap unfortunately and the only writing on it is on the nib (Iridium point, Germany). It's metal with some gold color trim and the length is 4.75". The front section unscrews and it has an empty cartridge in it which looks like it's standard size. It's a nice little pen and maybe I can track a cap down someday. Would love to know if anyone has an idea if it looks familiar or a name of it.

 

       

 

 

 

[Arkanabar]

So today I inked up the purple FPR Guru Ultra Flex with BBM diluted 1:1.  (I think it actually arrived before the Tanoshii Blue Dragon.)  It promptly burped when going from outside to inside to writing, even though it was nearly full.  It writes really wet, and, unlike the ultra flex nib blue Jaipur v1 I recently acquired, it can keep up with the flex.  I like the size and shape.  It's not the most beautiful of pens, but it's functional for me.  I may go and put a stub in it at some point, but it's the best flex pen I have right now, and I'm going to play with that before I do.

[PithyProlix]

Pilot Super 200 with Falcon nib. Yes, it does write amazingly well ...

 

 

[Number99]

21 hours ago, PithyProlix said:

Pilot Super 200 with Falcon nib. Yes, it does write amazingly well ...

 

 

I think it is a nib that is hard to find. Thank you for sharing the image of this rare nib.

 

When I saw another Pilot Super Falcon nib on this forum earlier, it had a structure that I am not sure if it was convex or concave in the midline of the nib.

I believe that structure is also present on this nib.

Do you know what structure (convex or concave) it is and what role it plays?

 

I think the period is different from the Falcon nib in the thread below because the design of the "Pilot" text is different.

Is the design of the nib also different?

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/307546-1964-pilot-super-250-w-14k-falcon-and-quarter-turn-filler/

 

 

 

[PithyProlix]

2 hours ago, Number99 said:

 

When I saw another Pilot Super Falcon nib on this forum earlier, it had a structure that I am not sure if it was convex or concave in the midline of the nib.

I believe that structure is also present on this nib.

Do you know what structure (convex or concave) it is and what role it plays?

 

Hmm, I am not quite sure I understand the question completely but the nib has a consistent curve from side to side. Please let me know if that answers your question.

 

2 hours ago, Number99 said:

I think the period is different from the Falcon nib in the thread below because the design of the "Pilot" text is different.

Is the design of the nib also different?

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/307546-1964-pilot-super-250-w-14k-falcon-and-quarter-turn-filler/

 

Yes, different period. Mine is from the Super series of the 1950s (it predates when Pilot starting stamping date codes on the barrel and I don't want to disassemble it to find the specific date). Except for the nib, which I write about below, the pen in that topic is a 1960s transitional pen to the first Elites. (And, by the way, we previously privately discussed my Super 200 of the 1960s with an "E" cap, as the Super 250 has in the linked thread: I'm starting to see more and more of those 1960's Super 200 pens with flat topped "E" caps, so I don't think it's a matter of caps being exchanged from the later Elite series by the owners.)

 

As far as I can tell they look to be the same design. (Note that @stan speculates that the December 1968 nib in that pen might be a replacement. I think he is correct because 1960s Super series ended before 1968. I believe this nib is almost definitely from an Elite.)

 

I am hotlinking to the image in that post because it is not appearing there:

[Number99]

On 1/23/2023 at 10:24 PM, PithyProlix said:

 

Hmm, I am not quite sure I understand the question completely but the nib has a consistent curve from side to side. Please let me know if that answers your question.

 

 

Yes, different period. Mine is from the Super series of the 1950s (it predates when Pilot starting stamping date codes on the barrel and I don't want to disassemble it to find the specific date). Except for the nib, which I write about below, the pen in that topic is a 1960s transitional pen to the first Elites. (And, by the way, we previously privately discussed my Super 200 of the 1960s with an "E" cap, as the Super 250 has in the linked thread: I'm starting to see more and more of those 1960's Super 200 pens with flat topped "E" caps, so I don't think it's a matter of caps being exchanged from the later Elite series by the owners.)

 

As far as I can tell they look to be the same design. (Note that @stan speculates that the December 1968 nib in that pen might be a replacement. I think he is correct because 1960s Super series ended before 1968. I believe this nib is almost definitely from an Elite.)

 

I am hotlinking to the image in that post because it is not appearing there:

Thank you, I have solved the mystery of the shape of the nibs.

Simple lighting trick.

My eye saw a G300 nib-like midline ridge or vice versa shape on the nib of the linked Elite. (Actually it doesn't).

I was only looking at the nib of that pen.

I believe the pen in the thread I pasted the link to is an early Pilot Elite as shown in the '63 ad.

 

On another note, I found an ad for a "Pilot Super E". (61) However, the word "Super" is represented very small and there is no "E" logo on the cap and the clip is similar to the old Pilot Super design. (Not all of the pen is pictured.)

I have never seen one so I don't think it is a common pen (probably a poorly selling model).

https://aucview.com/yahoo/c812066862/#&gid=1&pid=4

 

The transitional type is shown in another ad as "Pilot Elite" and "Pilot·E" (in '62). In another ad, the same transitional pen is shown only as "Pilot·E" with the "E" logo on the cap.

This shows that the "E" logo indicates the Elite, not the Super.

https://www.pilot.co.jp/100th/gallery/

These may explain the "Super XXX" imprint on the barrel of the Elite.

So far, all advertisements for pens with the "E" logo on the cap do not appear to show "Super".

 

Edited January 24, 2023 by Number99
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[christam]

Yard O Led Viceroy Grand Victorian, B nib.

 

 

Ordered from Appelboom Sunday night, with the expectation it would take 10-14 working days to reach me.  Ordered by Appelboom from Yard O Led on Monday.  Despatched to me in the UK from Appelboom in the Netherlands yesterday (Wednesday).  Delivered to me at midday today, Thursday.

 

The X hallmark indicates it was one Yard O Led "prepared earlier" in 2022 but I'm OK with that.  I'm not sure customer service could get much better/speedier than this!

[inkstainedruth]

Some day, if/when I win the lottery, I'm gonna buy myself a Viceroy Victorian although probably just a Standard (I suspect the Grande will be too large and heavy for me, because I have girly hands...).  

Nice acquisition! 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

edited for typos

[Paul-in-SF]

4 hours ago, christam said:

The X hallmark indicates it was one Yard O Led "prepared earlier" in 2022

 

I'm curious about this part. Do you mean that if the pen was unsold at the end of the calendar year, they put an X hallmark on it? Why would they do that (if that's the reason, I don't understand it)? Who would care if the pen was made last year or yesterday? 

[Misfit]

@christam wow, that pen is so attractive. Is it a heavy pen?

[Misfit]

On 1/21/2023 at 1:16 PM, vin2187 said:

 

I got this fountain pen recently and have no idea what type or brand it is, but would love to find out

 

You might need to start a new topic asking if anyone knows what brand your pen is. I’ve found people are very helpful with answers to topics asking help identifying a pen. 

[mizgeorge]

10 hours ago, Paul-in-SF said:

 

I'm curious about this part. Do you mean that if the pen was unsold at the end of the calendar year, they put an X hallmark on it? Why would they do that (if that's the reason, I don't understand it)? Who would care if the pen was made last year or yesterday? 

'x' (lower case) was the UK assay offices hallmark date letter for 2022. The new mark for 2023 is 'y'. Not many of those will be available yet. 

[christam]

 

11 hours ago, Paul-in-SF said:

 

I'm curious about this part. Do you mean that if the pen was unsold at the end of the calendar year, they put an X hallmark on it? Why would they do that (if that's the reason, I don't understand it)? Who would care if the pen was made last year or yesterday? 

 

1 hour ago, mizgeorge said:

'x' (lower case) was the UK assay offices hallmark date letter for 2022. The new mark for 2023 is 'y'. Not many of those will be available yet. 

 

@mizgeorge beat me to the answer 😊.  After a Yard O Led pen has been made it's sent to the Birmingham assay office for all the relevant hallmarks to be issued.  That includes the letter indicating the year of manufacture.  Ordinarily I'd agree completely that it doesn't matter when a new pen was made but a small, OCD part of me thinks it would have been nice if this one had the 2023 hallmark to indicate when I bought it.

 

Of course, if I'd waited a while before buying I'd have got this year's hallmark.  But wait??  For a new shiny???  It's something I've never done well.

[christam]

15 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

Some day, if/when I win the lottery, I'm gonna buy myself a Viceroy Victorian although probably just a Standard (I suspect the Grande will be too large and heavy for me, because I have girly hands...).  

Nice acquisition! 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

edited for typos

 

3 hours ago, Misfit said:

@christam wow, that pen is so attractive. Is it a heavy pen?

 

Thank you both.  I don't post my pens but yes, this one is quite heavy.  65g complete and 46g without the cap.  The standard version is less than half the weight - 31g complete - and a lot more slim.

[Paul-in-SF]

7 hours ago, christam said:

a small, OCD part of me thinks it would have been nice if this one had the 2023 hallmark to indicate when I bought it.

 

Thanks for the explanation, and I understand this part very well. I wish all of my pens had such a clear year-of-manufacture mark on them, like my modern Parker Duofolds do, and that they were as immune to wearing off as this one is. 

[Misfit]

The pen I chose to celebrate the Chiefs going to the Super Bowl arrived today. I tend to buy the pens once I learn my teams are going to the championship. Maybe not the best timing, but it’s what I’ve been doing since 2014. 
 

[Arkanabar]

So a few days ago a couple of c/c Parkers arrived.  One was a Mk II or Mk III Parker 25 blue/flighter F, and the other a modern 2006 1Q Duofold Centennial Pearl & Black F.  The 25 is, let's face it, not pretty, and it barely even looks like a Parker, but it writes a neat and fine line with Noodler's Brown, and it's not uncomfortable.  I prefer it to the Sheaffer School pen I have, as it's just a little bit bigger, and not quite so dry as the Sheaffer.  There's a crease at the bottom of the 25's nib collar that I suspect will end up transferring ink to my fingers at some point.

 

My wife likes this pen, but I am disinclined to give it to her.  It's a competent, sturdy, tough, lightweight pen that uses Parker cartridges and converters.  I don't have another pen like that, and I don't think I'd enjoy a 45 as well.

 

I have wanted a pearl and black Duofold since I first saw one in the Levenger catalog, thirty or so years ago.  I could not afford one then, and have generally been too penurious to even consider one in the intervening years.  It's just sooo pretty.  It is also, needless to say, rather large, comparable to my FPR Darjeeling.  I originally tried the Noodler's Brown in it too, but it was just too dry.  I then filled it with Noodler's Purple, which it likes quite a bit better, comfortably laying down crisp fine lines.  And while my wife agrees that it's pretty and writes well, she finds it just a bit too big for her hands.  And that gave me a thought.

 

I have three Pelikans that I rarely use -- a blue stripe M400 with an italic grind, an uninked black M205, and an uninked blue swirl M200, which has a much lighter-colored binde than the much older M200 blue swirl that is my first Pen of a Lifetime, all with F nibs.  The M400 is not super well behaved, and so I didn't want to offer it to her.  Right now, the PoaL isn't inked, but my aqua M205 always is.  I had her try it and asked how she liked the size and shape of the pen.  A lot, she said.  So I got out the uninked M200 and M205 and asked which she liked better.  The M200, she said.  And then I asked what ink would she like to have in that pen, since I'm giving it to her?  Dark blue, she said -- which is to say, Pilot Blue-Black.  And so now it's a new pen day for her, as well.

[Penguincollector]

On 2/2/2023 at 4:50 PM, Misfit said:

The pen I chose to celebrate the Chiefs going to the Super Bowl arrived today. I tend to buy the pens once I learn my teams are going to the championship. Maybe not the best timing, but it’s what I’ve been doing since 2014. 
 

That’s a lovely pen!  It matches my Portland Thorns really well (they won their league last year, against KC Current).