Sharing my simple joy - pictures of my pocket pens

[awa54]

  On 6/26/2022 at 3:31 PM, awa54 said:

@AmandaW's pen is the common 1970-80s slim pocket pen nib, some have a shorter section top, which allows you to see the nib markings (Pilot 585 14K) while on others the resin extends farther and covers the nib imprint, often leading to misidentification as plated steel nibs.

@PithyProlix's pen is an earlier model and IIRC, has a nib which is shared with a concurrent (late 60s?) full sized pen. I'll have to check my collection to see if the pen I own indeed has the exact same nib and wether it's double spare or single.

I think I own it's twin with black resin and a checkered flag on the cap and have seen a very similar model with an Olympics logo imprinted.

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I found that full length pen with the same nib as the blue-green one @PithyProlix showed: it's a 1968 dated demi-sized pen with an aluminum cap that features a bird's foot-like motif around the base of the cap. it takes a single spare cartridge.

this slim pen nib is rigid, where the one featured in later slim pocket pens (and the concurrent collapsible/telescoping "short/long" pocket pens) is almost always a bit soft on the page and often quite expressive for such a tiny nib.

 

 

 

 

[PithyProlix]

  On 6/27/2022 at 1:32 AM, awa54 said:

 

 

I found that full length pen with the same nib as the blue-green one @PithyProlix showed: it's a 1968 dated demi-sized pen with an aluminum cap that features a bird's foot-like motif around the base of the cap. it takes a single spare cartridge.

this slim pen nib is rigid, where the one featured in later slim pocket pens (and the concurrent collapsible/telescoping "short/long" pocket pens) is almost always a bit soft on the page and often quite expressive for such a tiny nib.

 

 

 

 

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Very interesting pen! I am amazed how large a variety of pen designs Pilot was making, particularly in that time frame. That clip is a new one for me, as is the bird's footprint motif. 

[awa54]

  On 6/27/2022 at 2:14 AM, PithyProlix said:

 

Very interesting pen! I am amazed how large a variety of pen designs Pilot was making, particularly in that time frame. That clip is a new one for me, as is the bird's footprint motif. 

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that clip profile wasn't uncommon (at least in my experience) in mid-sized Pilots from the mid to late '60s, and seems to have morphed into the rounded clip (without the "V" cut) found on more than a few of the 1970s slim pocket pens.

on all of my pens featuring this clip, the thin width and softness of the metal makes them very easy to bend compared to other 1960s Pilot aluminum clips.

 

 

further notes:

I must have lost the auction for the checkered flag pen, either that or it's in the wrong box ...yes, I have *boxes* of parts pens, restoration prospects and awful pens I'll never write with (usually that came along in a lot with a pen I *did* want).

on another subject: the curved top slim pen nib as seen in @PithyProlix's blue-green pocket pen and my two, has (at least on both of mine) a 14K 585 mark, it's just partially hidden under the top edge of the section.

[Chi]

got 3 new pens today : )

Platinum 22K Fine nib with custom art work, i suspect the art work was an attempt to cover up cosmetic imperfection / repairing.

 

Pilot Elite Starling Silver series with 18K WG FM nib. Nib date code : H572, barrel has code "ME 29"

 

Platinum first generation 18K nib pocket pen with stainless steel cap and barrel. On the cap, it is marked "300" right under "Platinum" 

 

[PithyProlix]

  On 6/29/2022 at 12:20 AM, Chi said:

got 3 new pens today : )

Platinum 22K Fine nib with custom art work, i suspect the art work was an attempt to cover up cosmetic imperfection / repairing.

 

Pilot Elite Starling Silver series with 18K WG FM nib. Nib date code : H572, barrel has code "ME 29"

 

Platinum first generation 18K nib pocket pen with stainless steel cap and barrel. On the cap, it is marked "300" right under "Platinum" 

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All great pens. How do they write? 

[mallymal1]

Liking that Platinum with the custom art work, but all three look good.

[Chi]

  On 6/29/2022 at 6:15 AM, PithyProlix said:

 

All great pens. How do they write? 

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I will spend more time with them this weekend and find out.

 

Probably not 3 all at once but I am really curious about Platinum 22K nib and would love to compare it to Pilot 22K nib and Sailor 23K.

Maybe try to work on the Sterling silver Elite a bit, see if I can polish/clean the silver a bit.

 

Will definitely share the comparison report! 

 

  On 6/29/2022 at 9:19 AM, mallymal1 said:

Liking that Platinum with the custom art work, but all three look good.

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Yeah, me too. The barrel was painted in different color than the cap, that is also what inspired my hypothesis about cosmetics.

[awa54]

I own a Vicoh style President and a silver capped pocket pen, both with Platinum's 22k nib, while it is a bit softer (more maleable, not soft page feel) than their 18k yellow gold nibs, the difference isn't huge and you can still safely get a little line variation. both excellent nibs IMO.

 

for the sterling cap on the Elite, a simple silver polishing cloth will do a great job brightening the cap, while leaving darkened metal in the grooves, which makes the grid pattern "pop".

I like my sterling Elite pocket pen, despite the heavy cap, which definitely changes the balance compared to other pocket pens.

most jewellers should have the cloths, if you can't find one let me know, the shop I work at has them.

 

[AmandaW]

The Pilot pocket pen I mentioned a few days ago has arrived. It was listed as red, but in reality it's a lovely slightly-coral pink, and in really nice condition.

 

 

 

[PithyProlix]

  On 6/30/2022 at 9:00 AM, AmandaW said:

The Pilot pocket pen I mentioned a few days ago has arrived. It was listed as red, but in reality it's a lovely slightly-coral pink, and in really nice condition.

 

 

 

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Nice! If it's the same coral pink as the Pilots I have, I think it's a really attractive color. Please let us know how it writes.

[PithyProlix]

Some of these, not all, arrived in the last few days but I don't think I've shown them here (or have I?).  (Sorry - focus kinda sucks in these images.)

 

Two Pilots and a Sailor, all Fines. Both Pilots 14k; Sailor 21k.

 

Three Platinums, all Fines. 18k - 14k - 14k.

 

 

Pilot Elite, 18k Manifold nib and an "Always" made for the 3rd volume of the Japanese magazine, Lapita. I call it a pocket pen - it's shorter than any of my others - but I wouldn't call it a short/long pen because it doesn't have the short barrel/long cap proportions. Steel nib, brass cap & barrel - I suspect made in China. Also, this is my second Pilot Manifold nib and both, while not what I would consider 'soft' nibs, are definitely not nails - makes me wonder about the explanation that their intended use is for carbon copies.

 

[PithyProlix]

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.

 

 

[awa54]

that's a very cool find!

 

I don't know anything about *the* Future Pen, but I have owned "ink ball" type roller ball pens from several different manufacturers.

all of the rollerball systems with refillable ink that I've owned and used are compatible with the majority of fountain pen inks.

...that said, I don't think these are the pens to try out your permanent/document/pigment/carbon/IG/ultra-saturated inks in, since these designs all seem to use a fiber packed tube, or fiber rod to conduct ink to the ball, similar to the capillary ink reservoirs that several makers experimented with in the 1960s for fountain pen use. I would also expect that allowing ink to dry in the feed could cause a permanent blockage with the wrong ink.

if you decide to (re)ink it, I'd suggest a long soak with the addition of some pen cleaner and/or a few trips through the ultrasonic cleaner first.

[Number99]

  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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The year in the lower right corner of the attached card indicates the date, which means "57.（1982）.6（June）.10"（昭和57年6月10日）.

 And Morrison Fountain Pen Co., Ltd. stopped producing fountain pens in 1970.

 

Only because there is a gap between the two periods, I think the Franken pen is less likely and more likely to be a legitimate pen.

 

For "fountain pen" ink cartridges, Morrison still recommends Platinum cartridges.

 

Morrison is currently operating a cafe restaurant ( Sales of other companies' writing tools).

 That looks like a monumental business.

I also want a Morrison fountain pen, but I can't find a good one.  

 

Paste the link for the related site.

Since these are Japanese sites, you need to set your browser's translation settings to view them.

 

https://www.makuake.com/project/morison-cafe/

 

http://www.morisonfactory.co.jp/sp/

 

http://blog.livedoor.jp/pen_parade1000/archives/1304502.html

 

 

 

[PithyProlix]

  On 7/15/2022 at 10:05 AM, Number99 said:

The year in the lower right corner of the attached card indicates the date, which means "57.（1982）.6（June）.10"（昭和57年6月10日）.

 And Morrison Fountain Pen Co., Ltd. stopped producing fountain pens in 1970.

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Actually, I have no idea if the card is associated with the pen or the Morison Fountain Pen Company - it was just in the box with the pen so I assumed it was - I don't read Japanese, of course. What is the card about, please?

 

  On 7/15/2022 at 10:05 AM, Number99 said:

For "fountain pen" ink cartridges, Morrison still recommends Platinum cartridges.

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Per Bruno Taut on Crónicas Estilográficas, Morison used proprietary cartridges for some of their models and some others will accept a Platinum cartridge nipple but the Platinum cartridge is too wide and long to fit in the pen. I've now tested to see if a Platinum cartridge will fit in this particular pen and, fortunately, it does.

 

  On 7/15/2022 at 10:05 AM, Number99 said:

I also want a Morrison fountain pen, but I can't find a good one.  

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Previous to this pen, which is my first Morison, the few I've seen for sale here have been in poor condition. While this pen is cool and I'm glad to have it, I'd prefer that it was a normal fountain pen.

 

Thank you for the links. Richard Binder also has a section on Morison on his pocket pen page and a paragraph in his 'Glossopedia of Pen Terms'. The Morison entry in the Glossopedia indicates their first pocket pens were called the Future series so I don't think that appellation is specific to this hybrid pen, as I was wondering in my previously posted comment.

[Number99]

  On 7/15/2022 at 11:43 AM, PithyProlix said:

 

Actually, I have no idea if the card is associated with the pen or the Morison Fountain Pen Company - it was just in the box with the pen so I assumed it was - I don't read Japanese, of course. What is the card about, please?

 

 

Per Bruno Taut on Crónicas Estilográficas, Morison used proprietary cartridges for some of their models and some others will accept a Platinum cartridge nipple but the Platinum cartridge is too wide and long to fit in the pen. I've now tested to see if a Platinum cartridge will fit in this particular pen and, fortunately, it does.

 

 

Previous to this pen, which is my first Morison, the few I've seen for sale here have been in poor condition. While this pen is cool and I'm glad to have it, I'd prefer that it was a normal fountain pen.

 

Thank you for the links. Richard Binder also has a section on Morison on his pocket pen page and a paragraph in his 'Glossopedia of Pen Terms'. The Morison entry in the Glossopedia indicates their first pocket pens were called the Future series so I don't think that appellation is specific to this hybrid pen, as I was wondering in my previously posted comment.

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I forgot about other Japanese.

 Morrison's company name is on the first line of the card.

 The address and phone number of the Osaka head office are shown below.

 The same applies to the Tokyo Sales Office, Fukuoka Sales Office, and Kagoshima Sales Office.

 The place where the mark is put by hand is the Tokyo sales office, and I think that it is probably the pen that got on the sales route from there. 

 

 There are traces of handwriting and cutting the card with scissors, and I feel the sadness of the shrinking manufacturer.

 

 In the first linked article, you can find images of some of the last fountain pens and ballpoint pens sold.

 

 There are user reports that platinum ink cartridges may leak ink in rare cases.

 Also, the author of the third linked article states that he/she is using a sailor cartridge.

 

You may need to find out if there were different versions of the genuine ink cartridges or just the future pen cartridges to reach a conclusion.

 

The article of the link you introduced is confusing because there are many parts where the age and product name are different from Morrison's mention, and the citation about the sailor may also be different from the sailor's mention.

 

 I did some research before when I participated in the identification of the Morrison fountain pen in another sub-forum.

 This time, I relearned and posted.

 

 

[PithyProlix]

This Pilot 'lady' with F nib is on its way to me now. Probably my most unusually (?) and distinctively (?) decorated pocket pen yet. These have been invariably excellent writers for me - both a pleasure to use and joyful to look at.

 

I believe the flowers are bluebells, are they not?

 

 

[mallymal1]

  On 7/16/2022 at 8:09 AM, PithyProlix said:

This Pilot 'lady' with F nib is on its way to me now. Probably my most unusually (?) and distinctively (?) decorated pocket pen yet. These have been invariably excellent writers for me - both a pleasure to use and joyful to look at.

 

I believe the flowers are bluebells, are they not?

 

 

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Quite lovely, and yes, a little stylised maybe, but I'd go with bluebells.

 

[Number99]

It is a wild flower "鈴蘭" "Su-zhu-ran" that grows naturally in Hokkaido, Japan, and its English name seems to be Lily of the Valley Valve.

"鈴" is a "kanji" meaning a bell, and "蘭" is a "kanji" meaning an orchid.

It is a perennial herb that grows in the shade of forests in cold regions.

Cultivation is also possible, in warm places we grow German relatives.

 

https://amzn.asia/d/bPOhCJx

 

Commentary on American species.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lily_of_the_valley?wprov=sfla1

 

I didn't know "blue bells" and thought it was the English name for "鈴蘭".

 

[mallymal1]

  On 7/17/2022 at 7:34 AM, Number99 said:

It is a wild flower "鈴蘭" "Su-zhu-ran" that grows naturally in Hokkaido, Japan, and its English name seems to be Lily of the Valley Valve.

"鈴" is a "kanji" meaning a bell, and "蘭" is a "kanji" meaning an orchid.

It is a perennial herb that grows in the shade of forests in cold regions.

Cultivation is also possible, in warm places we grow German relatives.

 

https://amzn.asia/d/bPOhCJx

 

Commentary on American species.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lily_of_the_valley?wprov=sfla1

 

I didn't know "blue bells" and thought it was the English name for "鈴蘭".

 

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Excellent. Thanks for that.