jon126
June 11th, 2018, 06:38 PM
Waterman’s Ideal No.52 in Black Celluloid:
One of the oldest pens in my collection, both in terms of actual age of the pen itself (1934 to 1940s?) and it being my first ever vintage fountain pen, scrounged up from the depths of a grotty antique store as a 14 year old and then sent to the now-retired Rodger Bamford of PenclassicsNZ for repair and nib tuning in 2014.
This is the iconic Waterman 52 in the rather uncommon black celluloid: this Waterman 52 will NEVER go brown on you unlike all the other BHR Waterman 52s you see around (I hate the colour of BHR oxidation). Note however that the section seems to be made of BHR and has some light browning on it which is only really visible under direct sunlight.
It is in very good condition for its age with all imprints except its cap imprint very clear and some miscellaneous abrasion normal for a pen its age. It’s also interesting to note that the clip has been removed to leave behind 4 clip sockets in the cap (I think it adds to the clean lines of the pen but it’s up to you to decide) and that there is some staining on the barrel near the threads which should come off with some ultrasonic cleaning. Also, the cap band is brassed but the leverbox is still clean. No lip cracks either.
Equipped with its No.2 nib, it writes superbly – very, very smoothly as long as you hit the nib’s sweet spot. It writes a wet European medium line with enough flex and more importantly, enough ‘snapback’ for me to call it a semiflex nib.
Dimensions:
• Capped: 12.8cm
• Uncapped: 12.2cm
Selling because I no longer use nibs above a Japanese Medium and because I’ve acquired a nicer utility vintage EF flex nib though I still love its clean lines and vintage flat top design.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/U3kISVZabGrXubrm2
120 USD
Parker Striped Duofold ‘Frankenpen’ (1942):
Again, one of my earliest vintage fountain pens and it was sent to the now-retired Rodger Bamford for repair and nib restoration in 2014. I remember being so excited to find one in the wild having just read Don Fluckinger’s guest post on Richard Binder’s website detailing how the Striped Duofold was his No.1 Vintage Fountain pen.
This is the Parker Striped Duofold in the Dusty Red celluloid material, dated for the 2nd Quarter of 1942. It is the button filler variant with a very cool (but unfortunately, now somewhat opaquely red-tinted) Visometer section to see when you’re running out of ink.
It is in pretty good condition for its age with very clean barrel and nib imprints and some minor abrasion/’pick-pocketing’ at the end of the barrel. There’s the customary thread abrasion on the barrel common with nearly all vintage pens. What makes this a ‘Frankenpen’ is that first, its cap, while it threads on fine, is from a Burnham pen with a non-functional clip. Second, it has a 9k gold band around the barrel inscribed in italicised font with “R H R 22-9-28” which always reminds me just how old the pen actually is and makes me wonder who R H R was and what he used the pen for.
The nib is a 14k Parker nib which writes a Japanese Medium-Fine line (between a European EF and F size) and has an interesting ‘A’ inscribed on its feed, possibly to mean ‘Accounting’ which would explain why the nib is by no means a flexible nib but has the ‘softness’/’bounce’ common with firmer 14k nibs. It writes smooth and with bang-on moderate flow.
Dimensions:
• Capped: 13.0cm
• Uncapped: 12.2cm
Selling because I’ve moved onto a slightly nicer vintage pen which writes at a European EF.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/r1oheSh2ohJ7Pdrt2
50 USD
Sheaffer Balance Junior in Black Celluloid:
A solid little pen sporting a No.3 F nib which writes nicely. Minor cap abrasion, posting marks on the barrel and brassing are the main cosmetic flaws on the pen. It's also missing a pressure bar which can probably be easily sourced given the popularity of the Sheaffer Balance. An unrestored pen which would make a good little workhorse after you've finished with it as a lever restoration project.
Dimensions:
• Capped: 13.8cm
• Uncapped: 11.6cm
Selling because I don’t have the time to repair it.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/jYBsgOxO2uaY2zrG2
20 USD
Pilot Elite Pocket Fountain Pen (1976):
The vintage inspiration for the modern rehash that is the Pilot Elite 95s. In remarkably good condition with its only flaws being slight abrasion on the clip and cap jewel.
The nib is a characteristically good 14k Pilot EF which writes an extremely fine line with the decent amount of feedback that you get with a nib this fine. Tines are perfectly aligned and the pen is ready to write.
Will also throw in a Pilot cartridge to get you started.
Dimensions:
• Capped: 11.7cm
• Uncapped: 10.4cm
• Posted: 14.6cm
Selling because the pen’s too long for me to use with my small hands .
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kqzRtI6e5jqDN23c2
70 USD.
Platinum Pocket Pen:
Platinum no longer manufactures pocket pens today which is a shame because this pen was testament that they could do it just as well as Pilot. In good condition with the only flaw being minor chipping on the back of the cap.
The nib is a smooth 18k Platinum F which writes with a small amount of feedback. Tines are perfectly aligned and the pen is ready to write.
Will also throw in a Platinum cartridge to get you started.
Dimensions:
• Capped: 12.2cm
• Uncapped: 10.3cm
• Posted: 14.6cm
Selling because the pen’s too long for me to use with my small hands .
https://photos.app.goo.gl/o97c4uMBXLBIjRIV2
65 USD
Montblanc 146:
The classic, quintessential Montblanc fountain pen. This ‘smaller brother’ of the 149 is still plenty large with a surprisingly comfortable ‘fat’ girth and nice heft thanks to its brass piston filling mechanism.
This is the Montblanc 146 – the ‘modern’ edition. The warranty papers included with it date it to 28 Feb 2000 which isn’t too surprising given it seems like a modern variant with the striped ink window, plastic feed and its two-tone ‘14K’ nib. It’s in near mint condition with no major abrasion or scratches of any sort. The piston mechanism works well and the nib plating is in mint condition. Note this ‘modern’ edition is the longer variant at 146mm rather than the 140mm of the vintage models of the pen.
The nib is a 14k Montblanc behemoth which writes a European medium line with the slight bounce of a gold nib – certainly not a flex nib by any means however. The strange thing is that it writes very wet – about an 8/10 in my books. Definitely a solid workhorse nib as long as your paper can handle the flow.
Dimensions:
• Capped: 14.6cm
• Uncapped: 12.6cm
Selling because my handwriting can’t handle nibs above a Japanese Medium.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/zM1sggicUTVzgeAd6
280 USD
International Shipping is 14 USD worldwide without tracking and 35 USD with tracking.
Buyer pays 3.9% Paypal fees.
One of the oldest pens in my collection, both in terms of actual age of the pen itself (1934 to 1940s?) and it being my first ever vintage fountain pen, scrounged up from the depths of a grotty antique store as a 14 year old and then sent to the now-retired Rodger Bamford of PenclassicsNZ for repair and nib tuning in 2014.
This is the iconic Waterman 52 in the rather uncommon black celluloid: this Waterman 52 will NEVER go brown on you unlike all the other BHR Waterman 52s you see around (I hate the colour of BHR oxidation). Note however that the section seems to be made of BHR and has some light browning on it which is only really visible under direct sunlight.
It is in very good condition for its age with all imprints except its cap imprint very clear and some miscellaneous abrasion normal for a pen its age. It’s also interesting to note that the clip has been removed to leave behind 4 clip sockets in the cap (I think it adds to the clean lines of the pen but it’s up to you to decide) and that there is some staining on the barrel near the threads which should come off with some ultrasonic cleaning. Also, the cap band is brassed but the leverbox is still clean. No lip cracks either.
Equipped with its No.2 nib, it writes superbly – very, very smoothly as long as you hit the nib’s sweet spot. It writes a wet European medium line with enough flex and more importantly, enough ‘snapback’ for me to call it a semiflex nib.
Dimensions:
• Capped: 12.8cm
• Uncapped: 12.2cm
Selling because I no longer use nibs above a Japanese Medium and because I’ve acquired a nicer utility vintage EF flex nib though I still love its clean lines and vintage flat top design.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/U3kISVZabGrXubrm2
120 USD
Parker Striped Duofold ‘Frankenpen’ (1942):
Again, one of my earliest vintage fountain pens and it was sent to the now-retired Rodger Bamford for repair and nib restoration in 2014. I remember being so excited to find one in the wild having just read Don Fluckinger’s guest post on Richard Binder’s website detailing how the Striped Duofold was his No.1 Vintage Fountain pen.
This is the Parker Striped Duofold in the Dusty Red celluloid material, dated for the 2nd Quarter of 1942. It is the button filler variant with a very cool (but unfortunately, now somewhat opaquely red-tinted) Visometer section to see when you’re running out of ink.
It is in pretty good condition for its age with very clean barrel and nib imprints and some minor abrasion/’pick-pocketing’ at the end of the barrel. There’s the customary thread abrasion on the barrel common with nearly all vintage pens. What makes this a ‘Frankenpen’ is that first, its cap, while it threads on fine, is from a Burnham pen with a non-functional clip. Second, it has a 9k gold band around the barrel inscribed in italicised font with “R H R 22-9-28” which always reminds me just how old the pen actually is and makes me wonder who R H R was and what he used the pen for.
The nib is a 14k Parker nib which writes a Japanese Medium-Fine line (between a European EF and F size) and has an interesting ‘A’ inscribed on its feed, possibly to mean ‘Accounting’ which would explain why the nib is by no means a flexible nib but has the ‘softness’/’bounce’ common with firmer 14k nibs. It writes smooth and with bang-on moderate flow.
Dimensions:
• Capped: 13.0cm
• Uncapped: 12.2cm
Selling because I’ve moved onto a slightly nicer vintage pen which writes at a European EF.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/r1oheSh2ohJ7Pdrt2
50 USD
Sheaffer Balance Junior in Black Celluloid:
A solid little pen sporting a No.3 F nib which writes nicely. Minor cap abrasion, posting marks on the barrel and brassing are the main cosmetic flaws on the pen. It's also missing a pressure bar which can probably be easily sourced given the popularity of the Sheaffer Balance. An unrestored pen which would make a good little workhorse after you've finished with it as a lever restoration project.
Dimensions:
• Capped: 13.8cm
• Uncapped: 11.6cm
Selling because I don’t have the time to repair it.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/jYBsgOxO2uaY2zrG2
20 USD
Pilot Elite Pocket Fountain Pen (1976):
The vintage inspiration for the modern rehash that is the Pilot Elite 95s. In remarkably good condition with its only flaws being slight abrasion on the clip and cap jewel.
The nib is a characteristically good 14k Pilot EF which writes an extremely fine line with the decent amount of feedback that you get with a nib this fine. Tines are perfectly aligned and the pen is ready to write.
Will also throw in a Pilot cartridge to get you started.
Dimensions:
• Capped: 11.7cm
• Uncapped: 10.4cm
• Posted: 14.6cm
Selling because the pen’s too long for me to use with my small hands .
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kqzRtI6e5jqDN23c2
70 USD.
Platinum Pocket Pen:
Platinum no longer manufactures pocket pens today which is a shame because this pen was testament that they could do it just as well as Pilot. In good condition with the only flaw being minor chipping on the back of the cap.
The nib is a smooth 18k Platinum F which writes with a small amount of feedback. Tines are perfectly aligned and the pen is ready to write.
Will also throw in a Platinum cartridge to get you started.
Dimensions:
• Capped: 12.2cm
• Uncapped: 10.3cm
• Posted: 14.6cm
Selling because the pen’s too long for me to use with my small hands .
https://photos.app.goo.gl/o97c4uMBXLBIjRIV2
65 USD
Montblanc 146:
The classic, quintessential Montblanc fountain pen. This ‘smaller brother’ of the 149 is still plenty large with a surprisingly comfortable ‘fat’ girth and nice heft thanks to its brass piston filling mechanism.
This is the Montblanc 146 – the ‘modern’ edition. The warranty papers included with it date it to 28 Feb 2000 which isn’t too surprising given it seems like a modern variant with the striped ink window, plastic feed and its two-tone ‘14K’ nib. It’s in near mint condition with no major abrasion or scratches of any sort. The piston mechanism works well and the nib plating is in mint condition. Note this ‘modern’ edition is the longer variant at 146mm rather than the 140mm of the vintage models of the pen.
The nib is a 14k Montblanc behemoth which writes a European medium line with the slight bounce of a gold nib – certainly not a flex nib by any means however. The strange thing is that it writes very wet – about an 8/10 in my books. Definitely a solid workhorse nib as long as your paper can handle the flow.
Dimensions:
• Capped: 14.6cm
• Uncapped: 12.6cm
Selling because my handwriting can’t handle nibs above a Japanese Medium.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/zM1sggicUTVzgeAd6
280 USD
International Shipping is 14 USD worldwide without tracking and 35 USD with tracking.
Buyer pays 3.9% Paypal fees.