Your top 3 fountain pen brands and why

[txomsy]

Very little to add by way of justifications.

 

For me, they currently are (I reserve the right to change my mind in the future):

 

-Montblanc

- Pelikan

- Kaweco

 

[Black Spot]

Graf faber-castell  They have wonderful nibs and a classic understatement. 

 

Caran d'Ache, The pen body is with out rival, Solid. 

 

Lamy safari it lasts is easy to repair and is not expensive.  

 

 

[Bo Bo Olson]

Osmia, in one can get semi-flex and maxi-semi-flex nibs. Have 9-10.

My latest Osmia a pre-war 222 push button.

The pen that started me in this addiction, an inherited Osmia-Faber-Castel 540....1950-51.

I do count Boehler as Osmia, in the brothers split the firm in 1938. Boehler Gold mdl 54 full tortoise. When I buy the pen I get the picture.

 

BCHR mdl 74 a medium-large pen....

I had thought I'd never own a BCHR pen, and then for some 6 months it seemed to rain them.Two Boehler/Osmia BCHR. The large one decided to crack and fall apart...the small one is still ok.

xxxxxxxxxx

I never ever chased MB's, so I have no idea how come I have so many of them...7-9. My best balanced pen, a semi-flex 234 1/2 Deluxe KOB (52-54 only). Before I got Lambrou's book, I thought it an ugly pen.....not knowing it was a refined version of the 139...which I was ignorant of. It has brass guts so is a bit back heavy. It is a bit thicker than normal standard sized pens.

I had a MB '50's semi-flex, the ro9lled gold 742 is a very heavy standard sized pen, but has a nib (my only one like that) between semi&maxi.  So I needed a maxi.....and ran into a real beater....I'm sorry I didn't take a before and after picture. Francis worked a wonderl on this. The medium long, '48-60 146 has a much better balance than the '70-now Large 146.

 

The 234 1/2 eventually needed a new cork gasket, the 742's unused gasket was stuck down, and the 146 also needed a new gasket. In they were telescopic piston systems, there was no way in the world I'd fiddle with them.

Then my wife told some guy on a street before his house flea market what he should ask for his goods. He didn't have any inkwells in the house and only one old pen he couldn't get to work. My wife said it would be good for spare parts.

It turned out to be a pre'24 MB Safety Pen, with a # 6 Simplo Weak Kneed Wet Noodle.

Francis did a wonder on this pen too.

Before

 

After

In spite of having chased Pelikan...35+....it comes in 4th.

Price, tad better nib, Geha....(Non Cartridge in no cartridge will fit them.)  Torpedo shape was very popluar in the '50's. the MB147/9, Swan, 400NN/120/120, Geha 790, 780/760. (have 4 in spite they only come in black and gold) is a standard sized pen with the same balance as a 400. Was for the last 15 years the best price in semi-flex pens, still is. If you hunt in the auction section of Ebay. (I must admit the Pelikan 140 with it's longer cap, beats the 760 Geha's one time flagship if it has a gold ring at the piston cap....guess which one mine is....no gold ring...sigh) .)

Rare 780....so rare I'd never known of it's existence for 12 years. Some guy shows up with 4-5 different colors.

 

My second best balanced pen, is the sleek, classy Geha 725, semi-flex and I missed getting an M front section, and haven't seen one in the last 10 years. So will only come in F. It is often affordable in auction only section of Ebay. It has one of the prettiest nibs. Nib picture with permission of Penboard.de. Rolled gold trim.....was developed to beat MB and did. Cost DM-360/$90.00 when a P-75 went for $22.

If it wasn't only black and gold, I'd have more of it. Got to get a 735...rolled gold cap one.

comes with a tad more fancy clip also. IMO takes it a class higher.

 

The Geha's I ended up second with on Ebay. A 780.  Mine is green....Picture, Borrowed from someone who mastered the camera.

 

Pelikan comes in 4th....all 35 of them.

 

[TheRedBeard]

 1. Parker (vintage ones, of course): unbeatable build quality and reliability, innovative design  and technology during their "golden era", excellent writers with brilliant nibs and more and more and more... 

2. Yard-o-Led: what can be better in terms of look and design?? I don't know... Just eternal classics... 

3. ... the place is still vacant..........  

 

[RockyMtnMan]

1. Montegrappa

2. Graf Faber-Castell

3. Pelikan (Was my first introduction to FP's as an exchange student in 1984.)  I consider them a workhorse.  I just grow tired of their designs in the M-Series.

[jogot]

Was a bit surprised how many many have Montblanc on their list. I thought people tend to view them as overpriced and technically nothing special (considered their price point). I very much like my MB's (149+144), even more though after I smoothed their nibs so they have less feedback. However I bought them at a time when I thought MB to be the ultimate and did not know many brands (Pelikan was the alternative I looked at).

 

As for the list of preferred brands, I do not feel that I have much of value to contribute with as I have hands-on experience with very few pens/brands.

 

[A Smug Dill]

25 minutes ago, jogot said:

I thought people tend to view them as overpriced and technically nothing special (considered their price point).

 

I personally see the brand as overpriced. Montblanc fountain pens are probably technically quite (or even very) good, but I only have one and cannot vouch for any other model. However, given the pricing^† (and, to my personal disdain, the brand image Montblanc cultivates) I don't think they're competitive in the hobbyist market as a brand, including among cashed-up segments in the Far East; so, like you, I'm a bit surprised how many have Montblanc on their list of top brands today fighting for the limelight, market share, and ongoing relevance.

 

I don't see Montblanc actively and successfully sticking the knife into its competitors in the top-dollar market segment, either; or otherwise “eating their lunches”. That's part and parcel of how I personally evaluate which brands are at, or vying to be at, the top.

 

 

^† The Montblanc Meisterstück LeGrand Calligraphy pen with flexible nib is good, but not A$750 good, let alone (local RRP) A$1,100 good, compared to what excellent Japanese fountain pens that sort of money can buy.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Both MB and Pelikan went bankrupt. Pelikan twice.

 

After the bankruptcy MB went away from making a pen for every price.....I think they had over 20 sub brands over the years,Wiki""""Montblanc was acquired by Alfred Dunhill Ltd. in 1977, following which lower price pens were dropped, and the brand was used on a wide range of luxury goods other than pens""""

Montblanc

 

* Aladin

* Clou

* Cyclop

* Diplomat,,,,not the Diplomat company of now.

* Gidania

* Golding

* Helm

* Hergo

* Jemen

* Kimmelstiel

* Liberty

* Monte Rosa

* Omnibus

* Pilot

* Quail

* Reflex

* Royal (KADEWE)

* Schwarzer Bär

* Simplo Gold

* Tatra

* THU-WU

* Ursus

* Westminster

to having over priced basic pens.........same with the Pelikan 400.

The 200 is not over priced....IMO.

 

 

Back in the early -mid '60s when I came to Germany as an Army brat, those fat ugly MB's had the nerve to charge more for them, than the sleek King of Pens with rolled gold trim...A Shaffer Snorkel.

That butt ugly Pelikan a pen I'd never heard of was about the price of a regular Snorkel....

In the small American jr-hs, a Col's son had a 146 and a girl in 8th grade had one of them Pelikans....a few of the officer's kids had a Snorkel, or a P-51. The rest of us made do with the ugly metal topped Esterbrook, Wearevers or if one's parents were broke at school start a Venus fountain pen..................you wouldn't believe how long it took for a pen collector to lower himself enough to finally steal that Venus..........................then came the Bic.

 

In they were dirt cheap no one cared about the small, under powered Benz or BMW. Wise Enlisted Sgts, bought a well used diesel Mercedes in hopes of getting the second 100,000 miles off of it.

vvvvvvvvvvvvv

 

How ever when ever I go to my B&M, I head right over to the MB corner to look at a number of astounding pens with astounding prices.

Some 15 years ago, at my B&M I saw a MB Brandenburg going forE18,000 (back when the dollar was worth much less than the Euro...so more like $25,000)

 

Therefore, I double my speculative investments......

.

.

.

I play the lottery twice.

[MuddyWaters]

I have no resistance to considering pilot, sailor and Mont Blanc as top 3 pen brands. The main reason is all three make pens of regular, comfortable shape and sizes and have good construction to come with it.

 

I wish I could say that of platinum, but its pens are too small; of Faber and graf von Faber Castell, but its pens don't seal properly and just don't do it for me at the price; of lamy, but they just do not make nibs that appeal to me and often have design prioritized over function. 

[Black Spot]

Pilot is a good pen, I just don't like fine points, even there m is a fine M point. But I would not turn down a pilot if I was offer one.

I would have to try sailor.

I used to like Mont blank, But they have gotten to expensive for what it is.. In my opinion you are paying for the name.

[Karmachanic]

MB Vintage, 14c/k nib era

Soennecken

Conid, Ti nibs

 

"Got the shape I love to squeeze, looks nibs that bring me to my knees"

Paul Barrere

[cellopen]

Vintage for me.

BHR Waterman and Mabie Todd for the incredible writing experience. A bit of flex is lovely sometimes (even better if stub-ish). Each nib seems to have a personality. 

Sheaffer from the early Balance to the 50s; reliable, smooth, non-flex, prose workhorses. Some are beautiful, but all work very, very well when given proper restoration. I reach for a Sheaffer most often these days. I find the variety of filling systems amusing too.

Next week or next purchase this list may change of course. 

 

[inkandseeds]

It took me years to realize and accept that I am not a fountain pen collector. I am a pen user, a dedicated pen user.   I like to write with fountain pens which I do every day as the feel and writing experience is sensual in a way roller balls, felt tips and ballpoints can not approach.  I appreciate having a variety of inks to write with,though my selection is getting smaller as I concentrate on a handful of inks that are reliable and that I like.  While I can appreciate the styling and engineering of many pens, I am drawn to inexpensive (cheap to some), reliable pens that I can take anywhere and whose loss or damage will sadden me to a degree but not cause despair.  Therefore, my three brands would be:

 

   1. Sheaffers (old Preludes, old No Nonsenses and Imperials)

 

   2. Esterbrooks (J’s and Dollars as the others are too small for my hands)

 

   3. Noodlers (Arabs, not great pens but their large ink capacities make them almost ideal for forays into the back country.)

 

I have started dispersing the other pens I have accumulated over the years.  

[vicpen123]

Parker - Duofold, "51", 45, 75, UK Duofold, Sonnet, Premier, modern Pearl and Black Duofold. Says it all.

 

Sheaffer - inlaid nib, TRIUMPH nib, touchdown filler, snorkel filler. Innovative.

 

Pilot - Vanishing Point is still unique and has not been matched for decades.

[Recursion]

1. Montblanc - because of the great nibs, so smooth it is a real pleasure.
2. Pelikan - specifically the M1000 series, I love the springy big nibs.
3. Pilot - the fine nibs are pure precision and still very smooth

[max dog]

Thanks everyone, really enjoyed reading all the input. 

 

A SMUG DILL, thanks for your extensive write up on Sailor and Pilot.  While I have a few Pilots, I don't have any Sailors, and your write up on Sailor makes me think I need to experience a Sailor nib for my fountain pen experience to be complete.  I still think Montblanc is the best!  HAHAHA.   I don't think anything will uncrown the 149 Calligraphy Flex nib for me, and there is my very first Montblanc 145 EF I gave away that haunted me for years, and I acquired it back in a trade!  It's juicy extra fine nib with architect character and wonderful tactile feel is magical.   

 

Thanks Bo Bo on your write up on the old Germans brands, and loved the photos.

 

[kmcmichael]

Fountain pen Revolution Jaipur 2. I like flex nibs. It takes a lots of ink flow to support a flex nib. 
This is the only pen I’ve found that can do so consistently. It is also small and uncomfortable. Honestly I use a dip pen with a blue pumpkin nib mostly and am trying to emulate that.

[Nellie]

I actually find it hard to come up with three, so Sheaffer and then nothing for a long time, then maybe Waterman and possibly, Idk, ... maybe Stypen or Parker or ... I really don't know. Sheaffers just write best for me out of the box (the pre-Bic ones, no idea about the pens they make now). And that's saying something, because I'm German, so I've grown up with countless disappointing Lamys, Pelikans and the like.

Edited to add that I can't even write with Montblancs, or they can't do my handwriting. I was willing to shell out for one the last time I lost my pencil case (yes, at the time I only owned two fps, or only two Sheaffers - I didn't cry too many tears about the Lamy Vista that was with them 😂) but the Meisterstück I tried out was even worse than all the German pens I'd owned before.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Max Dog, thank you.

If one is in/on the right spot for over 15 years even with out money one can buy lots of nice pens.

Sign cubed, more than one can use.

Sooner than later, at my age, I'm going to have to thin my collection. There are times when that thought is distasteful. But necessary.

[dipper]

So far we have over thirty brands that have received one or more mentions in the "personal top 3 brands" lists.

 

That is really interesting, and I have no idea what it means 😃😃.

 

Meanwhile, at the head of the pack, I count the clear leaders as:

 

Montblanc - on 12 lists

Pilot - on 8 lists

Pelikan - on 8 lists

Sheaffer - on 7 lists

Parker - on 7 lists

Sailor - on 6 lists

 

What does that tell us? I have no idea, but it sure is exciting to watch the votes comming in.