The other German Pens: Graf von Faber Castell

[jar]

Most folk here are probably familiar with several modern German fountain pen manufacturers; Lamy, Pelikan, Montblanc, but the pens from Faber Castell and Graf von Faber Castell are not as well known yet it is one of the largest manufacturers of writing instruments. Founded back in 1761 it is best known for their wood pencils and slide rules (those who don't know slide rules can ask a grandfather what it is) but it also makes some really fantastic fountain pens that range from the high introductory price range to truly astronomical.

I was first introduced to Faber Castell products through their wood pencils and stylograph technical drawing pens. One thing that set their wood pencils apart was their durability. As a kid in school dropping pencils was common (okay, I was a klutz) but when dropped the lead in my Faber Castell pencils didn't break into a brazziion pieces.


My first Graf von Faber Castell fountain pen was one of their Classic series in Grenadilla with a medium nib. Later I added one of their Guilloché pens in Coral with a somewhat stub like medium nib. Then just recently a GvFC Intuition in Terracotta/Black with a fine nib joined the family.

The Classic came in a lovely genuine real grew on trees wood case and maybe the fact there were two unfilled slots in the pen tray drove my need to fill it up.



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The Classic is on the bottom, the Guilloché on the top and the Intuition in the middle.

All three are my favored filling system, international standard cartridge/converter. The nibs are 18K, smooth, responsive and with just the right amount of feedback.

I've always liked "Nail shaped" pens, ones with the flat top that is flared out from the body like the Ferrari da Varese Savant, the Waterman Preface or the Yard-O-Led Corinthian and these three pens also fit that mold.



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The body on the GvFC Classic is wood as mentioned above, it is waxed and feels great in hand. The cap is screw type and takes just under one full rotation to cap or uncap. When posted it fits securely on the plated end piece. The nib is masked 18K gold and the section is subtle curved and relatively long.



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The body on the Guilloché is a hair slimmer than on the Classic but the sections and nibs are interchangeable and it is a snap cap instead of screw cap. The material is a plastic but feels more like Hard Rubber than Precious Resin. It's warm, soft without feeling like a sponge and I gotta admit, I love the color. The nib on this one is monotone 18K gold in medium with a semi-stub tip.



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The Intuition is the outlier of the trio, the widest and shortest of the three. It is also an internal section pen like some of the Franklin Christoph pens, the Yard-O-Led Pocket pens and the ST Dupont Gatsby and Montparnasse pens and uses an internal carriage to release the section operated by turning the end cap similarly to the mechanism on the ST Dupont Montparnasse.

This example has a masked 18K nib in fine.



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Everything about this pen is subtle from the curvature of the body that would be the section to the flair of the cap.

All of the pens are moderately wet and seem to love just about any ink I've tried in them including Private Reserve, J. Herbin, Diamine, decades old Skrip.

They all use the GvFC spring loaded clip and hold securely in dress shirt or Henley pocket.

[fountainpenkid]

great pics and great article! The intuition is my favorite.

[Bogon07]

That is a very elegant set of pen. I think the Classic series in Grenadilla with a medium nib is marginally my favourite a head of the Guilloché pens in Coral.

Nice box too, lucky it didn't come with five slots.

[peterpen53]

I posted my Classic set in pernambuco in a different thread some time ago, but this would be a nice place for it.

1218

They were not purchased as a set, but each separately, which is why the BP (bought last) is platinum (probably coated) and not silver, so it does not tarnish. :) So I have three of those pretty pen boxes. Started when my father asked me whether FC mechanical pencils were still available in the market and I bought this one for his 75th birthday. He was only able to enjoy it for hardly 5 years, but it was always within his reach. It is indeed a very lovely pencil to write with.

And I still have a slide rule. It beats every electronic calculator for speed if you want to make a quick calculation. My father, who used to prepare tender offers in the dredging business, used several different types of slide rules in his job at the time, before calculators and computers became common tools of the trade.

Cheers,
Peter

[jar]

Yup. The K&E and Castell slide rules were the top of the line and a treasure.

[dannzeman]

I'm with you, jar, I like that "nail-shaped" look as well. I've been looking at getting an Intuition for the past couple of months. I also really enjoy the long sections as I tend to hold the pen a little further from the nib than most people.

[jar]

I'm with you, jar, I like that "nail-shaped" look as well. I've been looking at getting an Intuition for the past couple of months. I also really enjoy the long sections as I tend to hold the pen a little further from the nib than most people.

A couple other pens you should fondle are the large and small ST Dupont Gastby and Montparnasse.

And I always thought Parker went in the wrong direction when they streamlined the Duofold cap. Imagine a Big Red with a Nail-like cap...

[jar]

I need to add the boring details so ...



Boring Details

http://www.fototime.com/28F2B45F987846F/standard.jpg

[KrazyIvan]

You know, I have always said I don't like the cap shape on those pens but your review is making me rethink things. I hate it when that happens.

[Bogon07]

You know, I have always said I don't like the cap shape on those pens but your review is making me rethink things. I hate it when that happens.
oh oh there goes your pen allowance again :)

[John the Monkey]

Lovely pens - lower in the range, but I'm tempted by the Basic, and Ondoro - the former has been well reviewed by Stephen Brown, I think.

(And their woodcase pencils are lovely - I like the 9000s (the Green ones) and the "Grip" (the triangular silver coloured pencil) very much).

[jar]

In many ways the Faber Castell company reminds me of the pre-Textron Sheaffer; a family run company that makes high quality pens from the entry and school level right through to their most expensive limited editions.

[KrazyIvan]

oh oh there goes your pen allowance again :)

It's gone already. grandmia has it for the next month.