The Little Black Pen

[mathogre]

The Little Black Pen. So understated. So hot. So sensual.

Today I mailed a thank you card to my sister-in-law and her family. It was a Japanese print card from The Met, written using my relatively new Lamy Safari Charcoal fountain pen with a black fine nib and a black Lamy ink cartridge. Think what you will. When I saw the envelope and the writing in the sunlight this morning, I was mesmerized. This is akin to the Little Black Dress. Women understand that. The price of an LBD doesn't really matter, as long as it is designed well and looks good on the woman wearing it. An LBD from the Michael Kors Michael line isn't the same as from the Michael Kors Collection, but you'll still be gorgeous in the former if you can't afford to be Drop Dead Gorgeous in the latter. The ink on the envelope this morning in the bright mid-morning sunshine was simple and elegant. It was beautiful.

Pre-pandemic, one of my hobbies was as a fashion photographer. I'm a guy and designed my avatar. I've worked with some very beautiful women. The best are elegant. I was privileged to work with very talented, intelligent, and beautiful women. I earned my work with them, they earned their work with me. It was all business, always business, but we created art, and that's what mattered.

The charcoal Safari with the black nib and black ink cartridge is on some level simple and, probably in some places, common. There are far more expensive and elegant instruments with the capability to seduce the writer and, ideally, to produce work that seduces the reader on appearance alone. Regardless, what I was able to do with my lovely little Safari made me hope that they'll actually notice the script, even if they don't know why.

Yes. It matters.

[Jon Szanto]

Nice sentiments.

Indeed, the quiet sophistication of a well-designed and executed black pen is hard to knock. I suppose the male counterpart to the LBD is the standard black tuxedo. Many variations have been tried, but for cool elegance that original look is hard to beat, and when you wear one, it can be just the ticket.

I'm not sure if you are aware, but among the older collectors in this hobby, which really only sprang up in the 60s-70s or so, there is a group called The Black Pen Society. Started by a couple of them (I think as an inside joke) at a pen show, it has gradually grown. The main guy involved is one of the grand gentlemen of the pen world, Paul Erano. If you walk up to him at a pen show and show him a black pen or two, he'll likely let you in on the thing, and if he hasn't run out he usually has a yearly lapel pin for a couple bucks. It's all in fun until some of those guys pull out their incredible pens and then you realize how wide and deep this one niche can be.

You weren't planning a thread designed to feature photos of our favorite black pens, were you? ;)

[christof]

...a well-designed and executed black pen is hard to knock.

Music in my ears!


... then you realize how wide and deep this one niche can be.

more than true!

https://live.staticflickr.com/4390/23594173648_734be8f8a0_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/BWWiPo)Favourite Black Pens (https://flic.kr/p/BWWiPo) by C.M.Z (https://www.flickr.com/photos/30169694@N08/), auf Flickr

PS: ...an yes, charcoal (umbra) is my favourite color too from all the Safari. I have mine since more than 20 years in use and it was never filled with someting else than black ink.

[mizgeorge]

Music in my ears!


... then you realize how wide and deep this one niche can be.

more than true!

https://live.staticflickr.com/4390/23594173648_734be8f8a0_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/BWWiPo)Favourite Black Pens (https://flic.kr/p/BWWiPo) by C.M.Z (https://www.flickr.com/photos/30169694@N08/), auf Flickr

PS: ...an yes, charcoal (umbra) is my favourite color too from all the Safari. I have mine since more than 20 years in use and it was never filled with someting else than black ink.

I LOVE this picture - every one of them is utterly timeless :)

[Wahl]

Black pens...

https://i.imgur.com/dsWkehp.jpg

[Jon Szanto]

https://i.imgur.com/JjtXtrT.jpg

[mathogre]

Indeed, the black tuxedo and a gentleman is the complement to the LBD and a lady. ;) Btw, I had no idea how this thread would go, but seeing these pens and learning the story of the Black Pen Society and Paul Erano is wonderful!

[Jon Szanto]

Also, emphasis little. This image is from a report I did on the 2019 SF Pen Show (https://fpgeeks.com/forum/showthread.php/29000-2019-San-Francisco-International-Pen-Show-Recap!), and shows an itty-bitty Waterman a friend of mine had just purchased:


https://i.imgur.com/wLfpmhdh.jpg

[Freddie]

Black pens are beautiful.................{Old Scan}
60077

Fred

[FredRydr]

Black pens are beautiful....And they're less likely to decompose.

[Jon Szanto]

https://i.imgur.com/G4JjD8il.jpg

[christof]

Okay, this is going to be a contest, right? So take that:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50617244546_0d971d9243_k.jpg

and this:

https://live.staticflickr.com/1879/29754336697_3506db1a3d_k.jpg

...oh! and I forgot these:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50016453473_eb9cfd989e_k.jpg

as black as possible:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50017299812_f3bbd1e5ef_k.jpg

OK, I'm done.

[penwash]

No, not a contest. More like a friendly show and tell :)

As I went through my pen photos, I just realized how many black pens have passed through my workbench and gone to a new home.

Here's a very cute pair that fits the theme of "Little Black Pen":

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48776703642_4f11bfee2a_z.jpg

[Jon Szanto]

Okay, this is going to be a contest, right?

With YOU around? Do I look that stupid? I concede in advance!

BTW, the gold cap pens in this shot are to die for:


https://live.staticflickr.com/1879/29754336697_3506db1a3d_k.jpg

[Jon Szanto]

Maximum stealth:

https://i.imgur.com/5s2U7q6h.jpg

[Empty_of_Clouds]

Jon, as owned by Hotblack Desiato! :)



Old picture (pen released to wild)

https://i.imgur.com/isc7wXRl.jpg

Industrial springs to mind.

[BayesianPrior]

60080

Slightly less stealthy stealth frankenpen.

[mizgeorge]

I wouldn't dare to even start to take pictures of my black pens. Not least because so many of them look almost exactly the same. Black, brass, piston filling, at least 50 years old. Or black, totally unadorned (maybe a gold band or two), hard rubber. at least 80 years old. Oh, and a few black, metal caps (oh, how reckless), hooded nibs, at least 50 years old...

No wonder I've been on a colourful pen buying spree!

[mizgeorge]

Maximum stealth:

https://i.imgur.com/5s2U7q6h.jpg

I have to admit, I quite fancy one of these... I love the lack of, erm, everything.

[penwash]

Believe or not, I'm still browsing through my photos of black pens ...

Here's one that is not that often found (or showcase) without the color stripes.

https://live.staticflickr.com/4376/36689700464_916886201b_c.jpg

[mizgeorge]

Well the grand old birds of the various flocks are resting happily. The dignified gentlemen in their sober black coats are content. But the youngsters want in. This pair of relative teenagers were on my desk already and niggled at me until I took their picture (apologies for quick snap).

The battling cousins. Always squabbling and wanting to know who's the most loved.

60082

[Chuck Naill]

I really like those black stainless Lamy nibs.

[RWS]

Am I too late for the party?

60086

60087

[christof]

Not at all. This is an interesting collection btw!

[FredRydr]

Time for a shift from crisp Bauhaus minimalism to a little soft-focus chaos of something along the lines of Steampunk:


60088

Titanium? Bah! Humbug!!

[christof]

Your Conklins are fantastic Fred!


...how about some black Soennecken?

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51062690901_0400610465_k.jpg

[mizgeorge]

Your Conklins are fantastic Fred!


...how about some black Soennecken?

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51062690901_0400610465_k.jpg

Those make me drool!

[Yazeh]

Conway Stewart 330

60091

[Brilliant Bill]

I'm down with black pens, however even more so with the subtleties of good black inks.

[catbert]

:ph34r:

60109

[BayesianPrior]

Everyone else has more pens than I do! Must...buy...more...

[BayesianPrior]

:ph34r:

60109

May I ask, what is that gorgeous pen with the rollerball clip, fourth from the top?

[catbert]

:ph34r:

60109

May I ask, what is that gorgeous pen with the rollerball clip, fourth from the top?

Leonardo Momento Zero

[christof]

Great photo catbert!

I found three more:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48754659216_68f62a5e79_k.jpg

c.

[Schaumburg_Swan]

Hi,

what about a thin eyedropper?
It is a Mabie Todd Swan 3202 MED with 0.36mm cursive italic nib made ca. 1915 to 1920 and original leather pouch.

60118

Best
Jens

[BayesianPrior]

My photography skills are sorely lacking

60119

[catbert]

Emphasis on 'little'. (Safari for scale.)

60127

[Yazeh]

Love the angle catbert :)

[mathogre]

Oh my goodness this is all wonderful! I've got some shots of my pens in the thread, "A thread written entirely in fountain pen", but will do a nice one this next week when my new bottle of black ink arrives. Hmmm... 2 pens now, 3 nibs, black and blue ink cartridges, one bottle of crimson ink on the shelf, one bottle of black ink en route to me... less than a month ago I was a fountain pen virgin. ;)

[Mags]

Someone has a Crescent filler collection, very nice Fred.

[Scrawler]

My Little Black Pen is shy and does not get out much.

60193

[Freddie]

My couple more black beauties ... Beats Pasqualino and his seven beauties easily..........60206

Fred

[christof]

Not all of the are "little"...

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51118554332_67c3a8aba7_k.jpg

[mizgeorge]

I lust after that Greif...

[christof]

I lust after that Greif...

Thanks, mizgeorge. It's definitely a cool pen. I especially like the jade accent in the rather humble appearance.

https://live.staticflickr.com/7830/47498026632_678eff8880_k.jpg

C.

[Yazeh]

mizgeorge you might get the pen with this ink (https://vanness1938.com/products/ancient-charm-grief-on-the-jade-steps). ;)

[mizgeorge]

I lust after that Greif...

Thanks, mizgeorge. It's definitely a cool pen. I especially like the jade accent in the rather humble appearance.

https://live.staticflickr.com/7830/47498026632_678eff8880_k.jpg

It's exactly that - though the shape is very pleasing in every way. They're one of my favourite brands, though I'm currently wrestling with taking one apart as I don't have the right tool and nothing I've tried wants to work.

C.


mizgeorge you might get the pen with this ink (https://vanness1938.com/products/ancient-charm-grief-on-the-jade-steps). ;)

LOL You couldn't pay me enough. I spent most of my daughter's early years covered in glitter and I have no desire to go back there!

[calamus]

https://i.imgur.com/PYxnHIl.jpg

Here's my contribution. I melded two photographs in Photoshop, which is why the shadows are goofy. Left to right are two English Parker Duofolds, a Sailor 1911, a Waterman Charleston, a Lamy Joy and a Soviet-era desk set commemorating their putting an unmanned rocketship on the Moon.

[christof]

another group of black pens, from small to large:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51123555214_50a793024f_c.jpg

Pelikan 100
Turbo Matador
Pelikan 400N
Conklin Endura OS
Ancora Extra large

[mizgeorge]

Drooling over that Matador!!
(the others aren't bad either ;)

[Yazeh]

Those are lovely christof. That Pelikan M100 looks truly nice :)

[Schaumburg_Swan]

Oh, a dial set Compur C0 (Voigtländer OEM version, early 1920s I guess)...
Love those old leaf shutters.

Very nice pen indeed.

Best
Jens



Believe or not, I'm still browsing through my photos of black pens ...

Here's one that is not that often found (or showcase) without the color stripes.

https://live.staticflickr.com/4376/36689700464_916886201b_c.jpg

[pyiyha]

https://live.staticflickr.com/1879/29754336697_3506db1a3d_k.jpg



Love that gold cap and gold knob version.

My modest black "little" pens.