Sharing my simple joy - pictures of my pocket pens

[PithyProlix]

And here's a Morison set that just arrived, missing the ballpoint. Gold-plated steel nib with a little bit of springiness but no tine spread.

 

 

 

[awa54]

an oddball Plat pocket pen came to join me today:

 

 

odd traits:

1) matte black anodized aluminum barrel with black clip

2)seemingly vintage open nib in a fairly modern pocket pen

3)plastic feed to fit vintage(?) nib  upon closer inspection the feed appears to be either vintage plastic, or urushi coated BHR... (still odd on a 1970s or '80s?? pen)

 

it was NOS and still had a ¥1000 sticker on the cap!

the nib is firm, but will flex if pushed and has a similar look and feel to several I've experienced from the late '50s and early '60s (those were in conventional ED, lever, or squeeze fillers).

[PithyProlix]

That certainly is an interesting one. Surprised it was only 1000 Yen - perhaps not only the nib was a throwback but the price as well (?). 

[mallymal1]

The matte black is a very modern look. 

 

Good find. 👍

[Number99]

A very cool Platinum Pocket!

 

 The Platinum Pocket was launched in 1964 (I thought it would be earlier). It seems that it was 1000 JPY for 14k nibs.

 Open nibs Platinum Pockets have been identified on various product pages on the internet as the newest of different versions, from the 1970s (seller description).

 The old logo that designed Shunichi Nakata's initials began to be used in 1928, and the new "P" logo was announced in 1969（he died in 1968）.

 

Since horizontal writing of Japanese business documents became common in the 1960s, Nib's lateral slip prevention mechanism was adopted. (The difference in writing sensation may be due to this)

 

 So it's probably a date from 1964 to 1969. (Changes may have been made in stages)

 

 Most of the information is from the article below.

 

https://www.platinum-pen.co.jp/100th_3/history.html

 

 

 

 

 

[PithyProlix]

I have a very basic Platinum pocket pen with a steel nib, circa 1968 I believe, with a 2000 yen sticker. @awa54's pen at 1000 yen seems much nicer than the 2000 yen pen, in my opinion. 

[awa54]

  On 7/27/2022 at 2:38 PM, Number99 said:

A very cool Platinum Pocket!

 

 The Platinum Pocket was launched in 1964 (I thought it would be earlier). It seems that it was 1000 JPY for 14k nibs.

 Open nibs Platinum Pockets have been identified on various product pages on the internet as the newest of different versions, from the 1970s (seller description).

 The old logo that designed Shunichi Nakata's initials began to be used in 1928, and the new "P" logo was announced in 1969（he died in 1968）.

 

Since horizontal writing of Japanese business documents became common in the 1960s, Nib's lateral slip prevention mechanism was adopted. (The difference in writing sensation may be due to this)

 

 So it's probably a date from 1964 to 1969. (Changes may have been made in stages)

 

 Most of the information is from the article below.

 

https://www.platinum-pen.co.jp/100th_3/history.html

 

 

 

 

 

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Thanks for the date markers!

 

I was (and still may be) assuming a later production date, due to both the all black finish and the fact that the price sticker was a silver film (mylar?) with black overprint.

with the (definitely) older nib, that date code would only reflect the production date of the nib, so absent a catalog or ad with dating it's either mid to late 1960s, or unknowable...

 

either way I'm glad to have it and it's certainly an unusual find: all of the later production open nib Platinum pocket pens use the same feed and nib design as the Vicoh/BelAge/Riviere full length pens, with the nib slotting onto a plastic feed.

[PithyProlix]

Some of the more interesting new arrivals.

• Platinum with tulips. I've never seen this model or anything like it before except in images of a Platinum catalog from the 1970s. Two very unusual things: 1. A torpedo shape. 2. It's technically not a 'long/short' since the section is shorter than the barrel (also note that the cap and barrel are roughly the same length). Another unusual thing, if not very unusual: the ring is faceted, which you probably can't see in the photo - I have other pens with faceted rings, but nothing like the faceting of this ring. 
• Sailor with lime green section and barrel. I've never seen a lime green Japanese pocket pen and I can't recall seeing any Japanese pen in lime green, regardless of type. Another unusual thing about this one is that it has a fixed squeeze filler.
• Sailor Mini, the first modern pocket pen model, with a battered cap. This one has a 1967 date code, which I previously thought too late for this model - doubly so because it has the original hooded nib design (this one with a steel nib), which I previously thought Sailor abandoned fairly quickly. It came with a teeny squeeze converter which is shown next to a much more recent Sailor piston converter. It just occurred to me that I should compare to a Sailor cartridge - the cartridge is actually a few millimeters longer, which is kind of funny, yes? The converter looks and works like new.
• 'Colorful' Pilot Elite. Thought it was unlikely I would ever see one of these here.
• A telescoping Pilot, my first, from 1967. This one has a cap and whatever-you-call-the-steel-part-of-the-barrel-that-the telescoping-section-retracts-into with a ringed design that I've never seen before and its a solid, heavy steel. A very short section + more of a section in a different piece + a typically short barrel. Technically, I'm not sure this would qualify as a long/short either.
• Lady Elite in a color I didn't previously have.

 

 

 

 

 

[Number99]

  On 8/24/2022 at 10:30 AM, PithyProlix said:

Some of the more interesting new arrivals.

• Platinum with tulips. I've never seen this model or anything like it before except in images of a Platinum catalog from the 1970s. Two very unusual things: 1. A torpedo shape. 2. It's technically not a 'long/short' since the section is shorter than the barrel (also note that the cap and barrel are roughly the same length). Another unusual thing, if not very unusual: the ring is faceted, which you probably can't see in the photo - I have other pens with faceted rings, but nothing like the faceting of this ring. 
• Sailor with lime green section and barrel. I've never seen a lime green Japanese pocket pen and I can't recall seeing any Japanese pen in lime green, regardless of type. Another unusual thing about this one is that it has a fixed squeeze filler.
• Sailor Mini, the first modern pocket pen model, with a battered cap. This one has a 1967 date code, which I previously thought too late for this model - doubly so because it has the original hooded nib design (this one with a steel nib), which I previously thought Sailor abandoned fairly quickly. It came with a teeny squeeze converter which is shown next to a much more recent Sailor piston converter. It just occurred to me that I should compare to a Sailor cartridge - the cartridge is actually a few millimeters longer, which is kind of funny, yes? The converter looks and works like new.
• 'Colorful' Pilot Elite. Thought it was unlikely I would ever see one of these here.
• A telescoping Pilot, my first, from 1967. This one has a cap and whatever-you-call-the-steel-part-of-the-barrel-that-the telescoping-section-retracts-into with a ringed design that I've never seen before and its a solid, heavy steel. A very short section + more of a section in a different piece + a typically short barrel. Technically, I'm not sure this would qualify as a long/short either.
• Lady Elite in a color I didn't previously have.

 

 

 

 

 

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This is the first time I've seen a Sailor Hoop Filler Mini Fountain Pen.

 I've seen some smaller manufacturers that were lost, but I interpreted it as because they didn't have a C/C filler system.

 I am wondering if it was a pen before the Sailor Mini Fountain Pen with the C/C filler system or a pen after that.

 

 Blue (anodized?) That EliteS is cool.

 I've seen a similar red one, it had a demonstrator section.

 

 

[PithyProlix]

  On 8/27/2022 at 10:36 PM, Number99 said:

This is the first time I've seen a Sailor Hoop Filler Mini Fountain Pen.

 I've seen some smaller manufacturers that were lost, but I interpreted it as because they didn't have a C/C filler system.

 I am wondering if it was a pen before the Sailor Mini Fountain Pen with the C/C filler system or a pen after that.

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Yes, Japanese pen makers started introducing cartridges sometime in the early 1960s but the Sailor Mini that has a folded metal clip, partially hooded nib, and c/c filling system is pretty well established as the first model. The earliest I've seen is on Bruno Taut's site (https://estilofilos.blogspot.com/) and has an April 1963 date code (I have one with a May 1963 code). This particular one with the hoop squeeze filler does not have a date code on the body. I also just received another that has an identical nib, section, and barrel (also lime green!) that is a c/c filler - and also no date code on the body. There may date codes on the nibs under the section but I'm reluctant to disassemble.

 

  On 8/27/2022 at 10:36 PM, Number99 said:

 Blue (anodized?) That EliteS is cool.

 I've seen a similar red one, it had a demonstrator section.

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Yes, anodized. It's from the からから (KaraKara meaning 'ColorColor') series. There's a great writeup here on the KaraKara Elite S: https://pocketpens.wordpress.com/2017/09/23/pilot-elite-s-karakara-pocket-pen-series/ . BTW, on that page you will see that Pilot also sold a set with two extra barrels and caps in different colors so that one could create various combinations of colors. I know you, @Number99, will appreciate that those sets were named ハッパからから (Happa KaraKara) after Pilot's famous Happa Fumi Fumi TV commercial for the first Elite S.

Edited August 28, 2022 by PithyProlix
Took out "If I remember correctly, @Chi showed another KaraKara Elite S or two earlier in this thread." because, I looked, and there weren't any shown earlier.

[Number99]

  On 8/28/2022 at 6:11 AM, PithyProlix said:

 

Yes, Japanese pen makers started introducing cartridges sometime in the early 1960s but the Sailor Mini that has a folded metal clip, partially hooded nib, and c/c filling system is pretty well established as the first model. The earliest I've seen is on Bruno Taut's site (https://estilofilos.blogspot.com/) and has an April 1963 date code (I have one with a May 1963 code). This particular one with the hoop squeeze filler does not have a date code on the body. I also just received another that has an identical nib, section, and barrel (also lime green!) that is a c/c filler - and also no date code on the body. There may date codes on the nibs under the section but I'm reluctant to disassemble.

 

 

Yes, anodized. It's from the からから (KaraKara meaning 'ColorColor') series. There's a great writeup here on the KaraKara Elite S: https://pocketpens.wordpress.com/2017/09/23/pilot-elite-s-karakara-pocket-pen-series/ . BTW, on that page you will see that Pilot also sold a set with two extra barrels and caps in different colors so that one could create various combinations of colors. I know you, @Number99, will appreciate that those sets were named ハッパからから (Happa KaraKara) after Pilot's famous Happa Fumi Fumi TV commercial for the first Elite S.

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I know the first model of the Sailor Mini.

 I lost it at an auction...

 

 Sailor Fountain Pen Co., Ltd. introduced cartridge-type fountain pens in 1958.

 It takes five years to introduce a pocket pen.

 If hoop-filler pocket pens predated C/C filler pocket-pens, the reason why it took so long to develop is less likely. So I got "interested" in that pen date.

 

 The lime green sailor mini is different in design from the earliest sailor mini and looks like a later design.

 

 You can see the black and white poster of the first Sailor Mini "Sailor Deluxe" by scrolling down the Japanese article at this link. (Long-tap the image to activate Google Lens, and the Japanese image can be translated into English.)

https://sailor.co.jp/topics/step/

 

 It says it was released in January 1963. https://sailor.co.jp/company/history/?refer=right-menu

 

 There is a description that a domestic patent was obtained for a cartridge fountain pen in 1954. https://sailor.co.jp/topics/history/

 

 This is an improvised guess, so take it as a joke. This pen may have been a pocket pen sold briefly for customers who were unable to accept the C/C filler system.

(or before C/C Sailor Mini)

 

 

 I saw an article on "Kara-kara", these color versions are really good.

 It would have been better if the place that sells it now was written.

 😄

 Kyosen Ohashi said in a TV commercial, "Fumi Fumi is the only phrase that follows Happa."

 It seems that he was right. It took for a long time the phrase "Happa Kara Kara" to reach me on the Internet, not on TV.

 😅

 

 

 

[PithyProlix]

  On 8/28/2022 at 11:58 AM, Number99 said:

Sailor Fountain Pen Co., Ltd. introduced cartridge-type fountain pens in 1958.

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Yes - my error. BTW, Platinum claims to have been first in the world to put a cartridge pen "into practical use" - 1956. https://www.platinum-pen.co.jp/100th_3/e-history.html

 

  On 8/28/2022 at 11:58 AM, Number99 said:

The lime green sailor mini is different in design from the earliest sailor mini and looks like a later design.

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I'd say yes, it's definitely a later design.

 

  On 8/28/2022 at 11:58 AM, Number99 said:

There is a description that a domestic patent was obtained for a cartridge fountain pen in 1954. https://sailor.co.jp/topics/history/

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I'm curious if Sailor considered other's use of the ink cartridge patent infringement? 

 

  On 8/28/2022 at 11:58 AM, Number99 said:

This is an improvised guess, so take it as a joke. This pen may have been a pocket pen sold briefly for customers who were unable to accept the C/C filler system.

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Sounds like a good theory to me!

 

  On 8/28/2022 at 11:58 AM, Number99 said:

 I saw an article on "Kara-kara", these color versions are really good.

 It would have been better if the place that sells it now was written.

 😄

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I'm afraid that, if they did, there would be none left for us! 

 

  On 8/28/2022 at 11:58 AM, Number99 said:

 Kyosen Ohashi said in a TV commercial, "Fumi Fumi is the only phrase that follows Happa."

 It seems that he was right. It took for a long time the phrase "Happa Kara Kara" to reach me on the Internet, not on TV.

 😅

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Don't feel bad - I've only recently caught up with Happa Fumi Fumi, even!

 

[Switala]

  On 8/24/2022 at 10:30 AM, PithyProlix said:

Algumas das novidades mais interessantes.

• Platina com tulipas. Nunca vi esse modelo ou algo semelhante antes muito, exceto em um catálogo Platinum da década de 1970. Duas coisas incomuns: uma forma de torpedo. 2. Tecnicamente não é um 'longo/curto', pois a seção é mais curta que o cano (observe também que a tampa eo cano têm aproximadamente o mesmo comprimento). Outra coisa inusitada, senão muito inusitada: o anel provavelmente não dá para ver na foto - outras canetas com anéis facetados, mas nada parecida com a lapidação desse anel. 
• Marinheiro com seção verde limão e barril. Nunca vi uma caneta japonesa de bolso verde-limão e não me lembrei de ter visto nenhuma caneta japonesa em verde-limão, independentemente do tipo. Outra coisa incomum sobre este é que ele tem um aperto de aperto.
• Sailor Mini, o primeiro modelo moderno de caneta de bolso, com tampa surrada. Este tem um de dados de 67, que eu 19 mais tarde para este design original tem a ponta de aço, modelo - duplamente com uma referência da ponta de aço, modelo que é uma referência de origem anteriormente que a Sailoru rapidamente. Ele veio com um pequeno conversor que é ao lado de um conversor de conversão Sailor mais recente. Acabou de me ocorrer que eu deveria comparar com um cartucho Sailor - o cartucho é alguns milímetros mais longo, o que é verdade meio diferente, sim? O conversor parece e funciona como novo.
• Piloto Elite 'colorido'. Achei que eu visse um desses aqui.
• Um piloto telescópico, meu primeiro, de 1967. Este tem uma tampa e o que você chama de parte de aço do cano para o qual a seção telescópica se retrai com um design de anel que eu nunca vi antes e é um aço sólido e pesado. Uma seção muito mais curta de uma seção em uma peça + um pode encurtar + uma peça curta mais curta. Tecnicamente, também não tenho certeza se isso se qualifica como longo/curto.
• Lady Elite em uma cor que eu não tinha anteriormente.

 

 

 

 

 

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Olá pessoal.
Segue-se uma contribuição em canetas de bolso.
É o Pilot Mini 1, fabricado no Brasil entre as décadas de 60 e 70. Também foram Este período o 77, 88 e Capless.
Apesar do design semelhante às irmãs japonesas, os materiais utilizados estavam sujeitos a falhas.
Cumprimentos

[Number99]

  On 9/6/2022 at 12:38 AM, Switala said:

 

 

 

Olá pessoal.
Segue-se uma contribuição em canetas de bolso.
É o Pilot Mini 1, fabricado no Brasil entre as décadas de 60 e 70. Também foram Este período o 77, 88 e Capless.
Apesar do design semelhante às irmãs japonesas, os materiais utilizados estavam sujeitos a falhas.
Cumprimentos

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Olá.

 

I didn't know that Pilot had a factory in Brazil.

 If the pens made in Japan are exported as they are, I think They will not have to worry about choosing materials.

 

 Parker was also produced locally, but why?

 

 It was all over the world at the time, were there any trade barriers?

 

 I like the color and design of this pen.

 

[Switala]

The first factory of Pilot pens in Brsail was installed in 1954, today we have two factories, the second was opened in 2013.
Currently, Pilot's fountain pens line offered in the national market is 100% imported. (MR, Kakuno, Capless, Penmanship, Prera and Lucina, as you can see on the brand's official website in Brazil. "https://www.pilotpen. com.br/produtoscategorias/canetas-tinteiro/"
The 60's and 70's pens we were talking about were entirely produced in Brazil, even Nibs are Brazilian, and like other pen brands they had difficulties with the quality of the raw material available.
Pilot, Sheaffer, Parker, Esterbrook, Compactor are examples of fountain pen factories that have been or are in Brazil with factories installed.
The main reason for the installation of these factories in national territory were public policies for imports that were making several imported products commercialized here unfeasible (mainly taxes, later ban on imports).
This was a way to keep established brands on the market that would disappear instantly with the import ban.
I also really liked the color of this pen as well as the writing quality, smooth and generous nib.
I forgot to post a picture of the supply system, follow now.

Best Regads

[Number99]

  On 9/9/2022 at 7:31 PM, Switala said:

The first factory of Pilot pens in Brsail was installed in 1954, today we have two factories, the second was opened in 2013.
Currently, Pilot's fountain pens line offered in the national market is 100% imported. (MR, Kakuno, Capless, Penmanship, Prera and Lucina, as you can see on the brand's official website in Brazil. "https://www.pilotpen. com.br/produtoscategorias/canetas-tinteiro/"
The 60's and 70's pens we were talking about were entirely produced in Brazil, even Nibs are Brazilian, and like other pen brands they had difficulties with the quality of the raw material available.
Pilot, Sheaffer, Parker, Esterbrook, Compactor are examples of fountain pen factories that have been or are in Brazil with factories installed.
The main reason for the installation of these factories in national territory were public policies for imports that were making several imported products commercialized here unfeasible (mainly taxes, later ban on imports).
This was a way to keep established brands on the market that would disappear instantly with the import ban.
I also really liked the color of this pen as well as the writing quality, smooth and generous nib.
I forgot to post a picture of the supply system, follow now.

Best Regads

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Thank you for letting me know.

 

 In Japan, foreign fountain pens used to be subject to high tariffs. In the meantime, the three major manufacturers were able to survive by successfully building a mass production system for pens.

 Other major writing instrument makers were able to survive as well.

 

 A filler that seems to hold a lot of ink.

 

 I also like the Brazilian Parker 45 you mentioned on the Parker forums.

 

敬々

 

[PithyProlix]

  On 7/14/2022 at 1:10 PM, PithyProlix said:

This one just came in the door - a Morison. Morison was once a big player in the Japanese pen market.

 

The pen looks a lot like a standard Pilot Elite pocket pen and its ilk. It seems well built with plastic of seemingly similar quality as the Elite.

 

 

But wait! What's this? It's a rollerball pocket pen that uses fountain pen ink cartridges!

 

 

The cartridges (there's one in the pen and an extra in the box) look as if they are Platinum compatible - similar shape, hole size, and has a stainless ball bearing inside - but I haven't tested that yet. As you can see, the cartridge is labelled "FUTURE PEN". I'm wondering if this hybrid pen is the Future Pen and, if so, is there is special ink in the cartridge and regular fountain pen ink cannot be used with this pen? Does anyone know?

 

The ink in both cartridges has dried out and, though I reconstituted the ink in one of the cartridges with some water, the pen is not working yet. Could be clogged. Will clean soon. 

 

Nothing but curiosity made me buy this pen! 

 

EDIT: I forgot to mention the silver trim around the ballpoint - all the other trim on the pen is gold color - which is kind of strange. Because of this, my first thought was that this must be a frankenpen with a normal fountain pen section replaced by a rollerball section. The gold section ring is attached to the section, however, and, while this doesn't disprove the frankenpen theory, I'm inclined to believe this is how the pen is intended to be.

 

 

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Replying to my post, now well over a year later!

 

Well, soon after I received this pen I tried and tried to clean this pen out - it was clogged with a purple ink - and gave up. I was going through some pens a few weeks ago and found it again: curiosity won and I decided to try again. After soaking the section in water and dish soap, alternating back-and-forth with Zest-it fountain pen cleaner, for many, many hours, plus countless zaps with the ultrasonic cleaner, it is finally writing. 

 

So, after all that, how is it? I'm underwhelmed. 🙁 Flow is rather dry, despite using tsuki-yo, a well-flowing ink (the ink is writing with no purple tinge so I think the residual ink is gone), writing feel seems closer to a ballpoint than a rollerball, and the line is sorta Japanese MF/M in width and I definitely prefer an F. So, I think this will go to the 'sell' pile. Never would have known if I didn't give it a try and I'm glad for the learning experience!

 

In case you are not discouraged and still curious I noticed there a few available on ebay for not too much $.

 

For reference, if you follow the link back to my original post there were some informative replies, for which I thank @awa54 and @Number99

[Number99]

I have a correction.

I have used the term C/C filler fountain pen for the Sailor mini fountain pen in this thread.

I assumed that since the other two companies' short/pocket fountain pens did so, of course Sailor would support it.

A few months ago or earlier, I asked Sailor if the current mini converter could be used with the old mini fountain pens, and the answer was that it could not. At that time, the person in charge politely apologized and explained that the older mini fountain pens were cartridge ink only from the time they were first released.

I did not mention that the current mini converter can be used with the older mini fountain pens, but I realized that my use of the term "C/C filler" could be misleading, and I would like to correct it here.

The older mini fountain pens are not C/C filler, but cartridge ink only.

In addition, I would like to inform you that the current Sailor Converter Mini is a converter for the Professional Gear Slim Mini, Professional Gear Mini, and so on.

[Dillo]

  On 1/15/2022 at 1:56 PM, PithyProlix said:

 

* Actually, I have some vintage Platinum blue-black cartridges that are longer than standard Platinum cartridges. But those haven't fit in any Platinum I have, including a couple early model 3776s (flat cap and gathered). If anyone knows what those cartridges fit it would be interesting to know. 

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Really way late response, but in case anyone was wondering, those were for the original Platinum Honest pens. I have one, and it came with those. The connector is the same as the regular Platinum cartridges. I strongly recommend not using the ink in those cartridges. Platinum Blue Black does tend to sediment out over time. It is an iron gall ink. Anything from that time period generally has a ton of chunks in it. I've never found any Platinum Blue Black cartridges from that time period that were actually usable because the chunks will cause very inconsistent ink flow. I've used Platinum Blue Black for most of my life, and it does already start sedimenting out slowly 10-15 years in like many other iron gall inks do. It's best used and enjoyed when fresh and generally is a very good ink to use, but I recommend only using it with gold nibs. It will cause some rainbow tarnish on some older 14K nibs that can be polished if you find it objectionable. I find it much less of a problem than most other iron gall inks I have used or tried (including Montblanc's older iron gall blue black) and much easier to clean out. I usually use it in Lamy Safaris and ABCs with the Lamy 14K nib. It doesn't seem to cause the Lamy 14K nibs to rainbow or change color much.

[PithyProlix]

  On 11/5/2024 at 2:21 PM, Dillo said:

Really way late response, but in case anyone was wondering, those were for the original Platinum Honest pens.

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Yes, I later figured out that they are for the Honest 66 pen. There was an earlier series - the Honest 60 - that were not designed for these long cartridges.