"What's the deal" ST DuPont fountain pens

[SeminarianMike]

Has anyone had experience with ST DuPont pens? These pens have always fascinated me even before I enter the madness of fountain pens. Back before I entered seminary and I had money I had a small collection of ST DuPont cigar cutters and even one of their maxijet lighters... Def worth the money, top notch instruments, but their pens...I don't see what is so special now that I am learning about what makes a good pen. They seem overly decorated to be "limited edition" idk... if anyone has experience with them please weight in. I can't exactly afford one, but I hope someone here can satisfy my curiosity!

[Sailor Kenshin]

I was permitted to hold a Montparnasse once. It would have been too heavy for me, but it sure looked impressive. I don't know the name of the finish, but it was an amber lacquer.

[jar]

I love ST Dupont pens and will try to explain what I find to be "The Deal" with them.

Just as with their lighters, luggage and other products, when it comes to the ST Dupont pens you find they paid attention to even the most mundane details. The insides of one of their pens are finished to the same standards as the outside. Their nibs are super smooth, like any ink you can throw at them, are super reliable and responsive. Fit an finish including the care that went into the basic designs are better than on any other pen I have owned.

I have examples of almost every model they made from the early 70s introduction of their fountain pens through the introduction of the Neo-Classique.

Here are some examples of the different models they have made.


From left:a Classique, a slim Gatsby (there is also a larger Gatsby), a standard and XL Montparnasse, an Ellipsis (this is the first model that used the International Standard cartridge/converter, the earlier ones used the Parker/Aurora standard), a Fidelio, standard Olympio/Orpheo, XL Olympio/Orphio.
http://www.fototime.com/FB19E08F336F692/large.jpg

the Larger Gatsby below a standard Gatsby
http://www.fototime.com/51BEF61F7943D3A/large.jpg

a Neo-Classique
http://www.fototime.com/0BEE23C66840591/large.jpg


Many of their pens feature Laque de Chine, Chinese Lacquer (called Urushi in Japan). The quality and detail of ST Duponts laque is every bit as fine as found on my best Japanese Urushi and Maki-e pens. Here are a couple examples.

In this review (http://fpgeeks.com/forum/showthread.php/13723-East-West-2-Platinum-Modern-Cranes-over-Mt-Fuji-ST-Dupont-Columbus-Commemorative) I cover the ST Dupont Classique (pen on the far left in first picture). The Maki-e on the ST Dupont is certainly the equal of any Japanese Maki-e. Another example is the ST Dupont Vertigo (and Vertigo 2).



http://www.fototime.com/833F8EB2BD606FB/large.jpg

detail of the Laque
http://www.fototime.com/C5EC72F5FCB3D5F/standard.jpg


All that is hand done, each color added individually by hand, each pattern built up over time to add depth to the image, each layer sanded and polished until the final coats are added.

Another example is Olympio/Orpheo "Medici" patterned after the Florence Cathedral (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/Fa%C3%A7ade_cath%C3%A9drale_Florence.jpg), the Duomo.

Lets take a closer look at that example.



http://www.fototime.com/79F2FA362AB379C/large.jpg

Note how the chasings from the doors and scroll work are picked up in the furniture of the pen:
http://www.fototime.com/A15629B987138B0/large.jpg

look at the colors
http://www.fototime.com/598B523FED7BE60/large.jpg

and the detailing in the "marble panels"
http://www.fototime.com/CA333F255D18408/large.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/6FD65EA5465EEB5/standard.jpg


"The Deal" is that ST Dupont offers a broad range of superbly crafted pens that are also extremely functional, reliable and responsive.

If you want I can provide links to some of the ST Dupont reviews I've done in the past.

[jar]

I was permitted to hold a Montparnasse once. It would have been too heavy for me, but it sure looked impressive. I don't know the name of the finish, but it was an amber lacquer.

Maybe like this?


http://www.fototime.com/81A68DAB692A135/large.jpg

[SeminarianMike]

Now aren't all their pens cartridge convertor? This is were I am confused by them. Why would you make these large and beautiful pens but limit them to a convertor? Again I'm a newbie when it comes to pens and when it came to cigar accessories I loved ST Dupont so I'm just trying to figure out their thought process on pens. Cause on the surface it seems with limited nib sizes and the heavy limited edition lines would they just be shelf queens. They are def beautiful pens as are most of their products. Am I wrong and they do make some different fill systems?

[jar]

Now aren't all their pens cartridge convertor? This is were I am confused by them. Why would you make these large and beautiful pens but limit them to a convertor? Again I'm a newbie when it comes to pens and when it came to cigar accessories I loved ST Dupont so I'm just trying to figure out their thought process on pens. Cause on the surface it seems with limited nib sizes and the heavy limited edition lines would they just be shelf queens. They are def beautiful pens as are most of their products. Am I wrong and they do make some different fill systems?

Nope, only cartridge/converters. The converters though seem to be like the rest of their products. They fit right, feel like there are ball bearings on the piston shaft and simply work flawlessly.

It's classic ST Dupont thinking. Cartridges hold more ink than most other filling systems; more than most piston or button or lever filled pens. They are reliable and above all, functional.

Now they do get really inventive on some of the ways they designed those cartridge/converter systems.

The Gatsby pens for example have an internal section; you hold the body itself. So the cap has gearing and can be used to turn the section out for filling.


http://www.fototime.com/888287CED657D46/large.jpg

The Montparnasse used the same mechanism used on their lighters.


http://www.fototime.com/5621E1F4E9FDCE0/large.jpg

And when you cap or uncap an Olympio/Orpheo the cap self centers almost as though a tractor beam was guiding it on.

They make light pens, heavy pens, all metal pens, slim pens, fat pens, big pens, smaller pens but all have that attention to detail that is the hallmark of ST Dupont.

Here is a super light resin bodied Ellipsis:


http://www.fototime.com/DF24B651F076B5A/large.jpg

[mhosea]

I have a Montparnasse that looks very much like the third one in Jar's first photo. Actually, I'll be putting it up for sale pretty soon along with about 14 other pens as I continue culling a wide variety of good pens in favor of a handful of focused collections. Be that as it may, I was impressed with the attention to detail in the pen. The converter alone is impressive. Something about it says "I'm a removable piston filler, not something you use instead of a cartridge." The nib is stiff but quite smooth. Mine was NOS and might have existed as such because of some cap issues that I had to sort out, but I sorted them out well enough, and it's quite an elegant pen. I don't think this can really be captured in photos. Lots of the cheap Chinese pens photograph well. When you hold the ST Dupont, you know it wasn't cheap.

[Sailor Kenshin]

I was permitted to hold a Montparnasse once. It would have been too heavy for me, but it sure looked impressive. I don't know the name of the finish, but it was an amber lacquer.

Maybe like this?


http://www.fototime.com/81A68DAB692A135/large.jpg

That looks quite a bit darker than I remember, but I was really mesmerized by the beauty of the finish.

[jar]

That looks quite a bit darker than I remember, but I was really mesmerized by the beauty of the finish.

Here it is outside in natural light.


http://www.fototime.com/8485CC03DC12255/xlarge.jpg

[Sailor Kenshin]

That's a little more like it, thanks!

What an impression it made on me.

[penwash]

I only like their Yoda light saber fountain pen.

[Sandy Fry]

@JAR....that " medici " looks fabulous!

Don't own an ST Dupont as yet. One is on my wish list though if I can just resist those damn impulse buys!

David

[SeminarianMike]

@Jar can u take a pic of the ST DuPont convertor

[jar]

@Jar can u take a pic of the ST DuPont convertor

Sure, I could, but other than the turn knob being red on some it looks like most any other converter. Visually there is nothing special to see.

The converters for the older Classique, Gatsby, Lady, and Montparnasse are Parker Standard while the pens from Ellipsis on use the International Standard. Any difference is simply ST Dupont picking ones that work.


Here is one on one of my standard size Orpheo/Olympios.
http://www.fototime.com/7BB6CED239357D9/medium800.jpg

one of the Parker style on one of my Gatsbys.
http://www.fototime.com/D5F7A1AA3F75655/standard.jpg


AbE: while those are my pens I must admit I did not take those pictures; prior owners took those.

[Popcorn]

Just to chime in -- I LOVE ST Dupont pens. At first, I thought the pens were sort of bland -- they aren't particularly interesting looking compared to say, Italian celluloids. But, my first Dupont was a whim purchase off eBay, and after I experienced the addictive "clicking" of the cap and the amazing smoothness of the nib, I was hooked. The fact that they are C/C is perfect, as I prefer that over piston fillers. (C/Cs are "neater" to me and easier to clean. I hate it when the nib collar section of the pen gets stained over time from having to dip into the ink bottle.)

Duponts are, in my experience, the only pens that I have had an "out of the box" perfect writing experience with for every pen that I own. And I own quite a few (but probably not as many as @jar).

Here are two of my favorites:
http://i.imgur.com/hDU66BT.jpg

[SeminarianMike]

Well I'll be .... I guess I need to start saving

[Popcorn]

I only like their Yoda light saber fountain pen.

The X-wing one is better:

https://www.wheelersluxurygifts.com/media/cache/sylius_lightbox/s.t.dupont-star-wars-x-wing-fountain-pen-stand-and-pen-star-background-3597390222695-80bf7243a429d9569e1f564cde54ea75.jpeg

[biscuit]

I have one ST Dupont pen -- an Olympio/Orpheo in black Chinese lacquer. It is simple and beautiful with wonderful fit and finish. The pen is also special to me because my mom gave it to me when I (finally) finished my Ph.D. At the time I received it, I wasn't really into fountain pens, so I wrote with it a few times and then it ended up in a drawer for a number of years. When I started getting interested in fountain pens, I inked it up but it never wrote well for me. The nib is exceptionally smooth, but it often skips at the beginnings of words, to the point of being nearly unusable to me. I suspect the nib may be over-polished (baby's bottom) although it is only a "medium". Although I don't mind fiddling with nibs on my less expensive pens, I didn't want to muck this one up, so I sent it away to have it worked on by a professional.

I was glad to read this thread. I haven't seen much discussion about ST Dupont in general, and my own experience is limited to this one pen, which although an exquisite and treasured object, has not been the best writer for me. So I'm looking forward to when it comes back from its tune up.

[Sailor Kenshin]

I saw what I THINK is a good deal for an Ellipsis, on Peyton Street Pens....

[jar]

I saw what I THINK is a good deal for an Ellipsis, on Peyton Street Pens....

I looked there but didn't see it. Do you have a link?

[Sailor Kenshin]

I saw what I THINK is a good deal for an Ellipsis, on Peyton Street Pens....

I looked there but didn't see it. Do you have a link?


You're right. Either I found an old link (and it was at the top of the search engine) or the pen was sold between the time I spotted it and posted it here.

Alas.... (http://www.peytonstreetpens.com/s-t-dupont-ellipsis-fountain-pen-black-w-gold-trim-18k-extra-fine-nib-mint-in-box.html)