A stunning line up of Pelikans – many with flexible nibs. If you’re searching for a nib that will offer some line variation, look no further. Catalog #75 has a few Pelikans you may want to look at. #172 is sold: a 1948 100N in the rare Grey Pearl. This pen had a broad, italic, extra-flexible nib. A marvelous nib! #173: a 1950 100N in Green Pearl. This is a NOS, mint condition Pelikan with …
Why do nibs have tipping? Vintage pen nibs were tipped with iridium, a hard, expensive metal alloy, because the gold nibs on the pens were far too soft to withstand being in continuous contact with the paper. The wear and tear on the tip of a gold nib would wear it down too fast. The iridium tipping prolongs the life of a nib considerably, depending on how it is treated. You will find tipping on most …
Calling all Pelikan collectors! This 1935 Pelikan 100N Magnum Emege piston-filler is an absolutely beautiful pen: combining a deep red hard rubber cap, inner cap, and turning knob, with a stunning tortoiseshell barrel. It’s also an oversize vintage pen, unlike most 100 series Pelikan models available now (and then). It’s the largest pen Pelikan made in the 1930s, being longer and thicker than other 100s. What is Emege? The inner cap is imprinted with ”Emege”, to …
I bought a vintage pen on eBay with a name engraved on it. Is my pen more or less valuable than one without a name engraved on it? The addition of a name doesn’t necessarily add monetary value, unless it’s Frank Sinatra! What it does add is sentimental value because you know the pen was used and loved by someone enough to have their name put on there. It also adds some historical value to …
I must admit, I’ve caved to a pen or two. Have a look at the Catalogs. Some items are even reduced in older catalogs, which might make them a little more tempting (10% off). If you’re looking for flexible nibs, there’s flexy nibs aplenty!
Tibaldi was founded in 1916 and closed doors in 1960. Somewhere in its middle years, this 1935 Model 0111 Doctor fountain pen was produced. This vintage pen is one of the rarest Tibaldi pens, with only two known to exist. This model is an eyedropper-filler with a wave-chased rolled-gold (gold-filled) overlay on a black hard rubber body. The nib is a fine, flexible Tibaldi 14CT 7. In addition, the barrel contained a thermometer! This specimen …
What kind of paper should I use with my vintage fountain pen? You can use any paper with your fountain pen, but with copy-type papers, your ink will likely feather, and bleed through the paper. Some papers will perform better than others. If you want a pleasant, smooth writing experience, it’s best to start with papers that are known to couple well with fountain pens, such as Rhodia, Clairefontaine, Oxford, Tomoe River, or copy paper …
Help me out here, folks. When does a pen qualify as vintage? Ten years? Fifty? The oldest pen in my collection is something like 101 years old, and I’d say that qualifies. Or is it not the age, but rather the material, filling system, and/or nib type that defines whether it is vintage or not? What do you think?
The Parker 51 is very popular and features some quality design, but one thing I really love about them is the colors. This gorgeous 1945 Parker 51 is a vacuumatic-filler in Buckskin Beige. The 14kt pink and yellow gold ‘Empire’ cap is considered by many one of Parker’s most beautiful pens. This specimen had a fine nib and was mint condition NOS. Not the easiest color to find! Was available in Catalog #73. Don’t miss out …
