Size Matters (II)

I have already spoken about jumbo pens on these Chronicles. Big as they are, their purpose was different from those luxurious pens like the Pilot hoshiawase with a size-8 nib recently described. Their main argument, we are told, was to ease the grip of those with arthritis or similar affections in their hands. And, in fact, few of these oversized pens implemented gold nibs.

The pen, uncapped. The shut-off valve is half open, as can be seen on the tail of the pen.

I wonder, though, if at that time –1930s and 1940s— there were real demographic arguments in Japan to justify this type of pen. That would be true in nowadays Japan, a country where more than 20% of the population is over the age of 65 years, and increasing--, but these are not the days of fountain pens but of cell-phones and touch-screens, although these senior citizens might not feel at ease dealing with digital technology.

The clip is the only place where there is a brand engraving. However, it only means that the clip had been produced by the company Fukunaka Seisakusho.

Anyway, jumbo pens are out there and deserve some attention from all of us fond of Japanese pens. If only, because of its historical relevance.

The exposed part of the nib is 25 mm long. The feed is made of ebonite.

Fukunaka Seisakusho produced pens between 1913 and the 1940s under a number of names —Horse Face, Ford, Arabian— as well as parts for other manufacturers who labeled their pens with their own brands. The Fukunaka’s clips were branded, as well, with a number of names: Everclip, New Clip, Perfect. And New Clip is the only band stamped on this pen, on its clip. The nib is engraved with a generic description: “Special / Iridium / Pen”. None of that provides real information on the actual manufacturer of this pen. As about the production date, the more elaborated feed might indicate a later product from the 1940s or even later, using remaining parts from Fukunaka Seisakusho.

The pen section, from the back. The conic shape is the seat for the shut-off valve.

The pen, in summary, is a eyedropper with shut-off valve. The ink deposit is in accordance with the size of the pen—over 8 ml. The nib is a generic steel unit, gold plated, cut as a medium stub in what most likely was an after market modification. It is nicely wet and pleasant to use. But it is also a slow starter due, probably, to the absence of inner cap and to the interruption of the connection with the ink deposit –by closing the shut-off valve— when the pen is not in use.

A thick pen is, undoubtedly, easier to grip than a thin one. Now, is this a friendly and comfortable pen to use? It is heavy, over 50 g, and its center of mass is a bit high up at around 80 mm from the nib tip, unposted. This later fact is not very different from many other pens (especially if posted), but few are as heavy as this one.

This is not a pen to carry around. It does not fit in any pocket and few pen cases could accommodate it. So, better reserve it for domestic use.

These are its dimensions:

Length closed: 160 mm.
Length open: 140 mm.
Length posted: 201 mm (but who might want to post this pen?).
Diameter: 26 mm.
Weight (dry): 55.9 g.
Ink deposit: about 8.5 ml.
Center of mass, unposted:     at 78 mm. to the nib end, dry;
                                                       at 80 mm. to the nib end, full.

Platinum pocket pen, stainless steel with black stripes – Platinum black

Bruno Taut
September 19th, 2012
labels: Japón, marca desconocida, New Clip, Fukunaka Seisakusho.

At the Museum (IV)

(As seen at the Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Modern Literature).

On this chronicle I am presenting the pens that belonged to another female writer –NAKAZATO Tsuneko (中里 恒子, 1909-1987). She was the first woman to be awarded with the Akutagawa price in 1938. However, the price had just been established in 1935.

Nakazato´s pens. At least, those shown at this exhibit.

The golden nib of the New Clip jumbo pen.

Her pens, as shown at the Museum of Modern Literature in Yokohama, were mostly Western, with the sole exception of a New Clip jumbo (manufactured by Fukunaka Seisakusho), with an ink deposit suitable for a very long novel. The rest were a Sheaffer snorkel, a Pelikan 120, and a couple of identical French-made Watermans.

The Pelikan 120. Nominally, a student pen.

The snorkel in the feed of the Sheaffer pen.

The two identical French Watermans.

A user or a collector? It does not really matter… User she was, and successful at that! Collector, maybe.

(Aurora 88 – Pelikan 4001 Blue black)

Bruno Taut
March 11th, 2012
[labels: New Clip, Waterman, Pelikan, Japón, evento, estilofilia, Sheaffer]

Ink Tankers

(This chronicle has been modified and corrected on March 13, 2012).

My first real encounter with jumbo pens was reported on these chronicles. That was a Platinum-Nakaya –the nib said so— eyedropper whose dimensions were about 35 mm in diameter, and 135 mm in length when capped.

Big enough I thought. Thick to ease the stress on the fingers and not overly big. Its ink deposit could store up to 15 ml—enough to write a very long novel. Let’s not forget that 15 ml of ink add 15 g to the weight of the pen—a significant value indeed.

Two jumbo pens together with a Pilot Super 100. The lengths of these three pens, from top to bottom, are 166 mm, 186 mm, and 132 mm.

The nib of the first of the pens on the previous picture compared to the Pilot music nib of the Super 100. The inscription on the Jumbo nibs reads HIGH CLASS / HARDEST IRIDIUM / USA STAYEL / SPECIAL / PEN. I wonder if "stayel" was a misspelling for steel.

Later, though, I have encountered other jumbo pens that dwarfed that Platinum-Nakaya.

One of the pens showing the safety valve.

All three of them are eyedroppers with safety valves to seal the gigantic ink deposits. Their dimensions range between 150 mm for the New Clip (vid infra) and the 180 mm for the bigger in the group. The girth is also generous: between 25 and 32 mm.

This third jumbo pen is branded as "New Clip". Its length, 152 mm.

I did not have the chance to weight them but light they were not. The ink they could store, of course, is an important factor in the weight and in the balance of the pen. The second of the pens could hold up to 35 ml of ink; the New Clip, 20 ml.

The New Clip's nib compared to the Pilot music nib. The engraving on the former says "Special / Iridium /Pen".

New Clip was one of the brands stamped on the clips manufactured by the company Fukunaka Seisakusho in the 1920s and 1930s. This company also produced some maki-e pens in the 1930s. These jumbo pens might date from some time in the 1930s.

With thanks to Mr. Ishikawa.

(Pilot Super 100 with music nib – Parker Blue)

Bruno Taut
(Madrid, November 3rd, 2010)
[labels: marca desconocida, New Clip, Fukunaka Seisakusho, Japón]