Size Matters

Pens, fountain pens were not only a tool but a symbol of status. Beyond the need to write there is also the effect of displaying the tool. Therefore, not all pens were created equal, and among those less equal, pens with large nibs truly attract the attention of other users if only because of the amount of gold needed to craft them.

The appeal continues—those large nibs were not that common and rarity is always a powerful argument for collectors. On these chronicles we have seen some outstanding examples of large nibs. A couple of impressive size 10 by Waterman, property of nibmeister Yamada, set indeed a very high standard.

The beautiful and simple looking size 8 nib by Pilot.

How did Japanese companies deal with this need to show affluence? Maki-e decoration was one of the arguments, and it worked well even outside Japan, as the success of the Dunhill-Namiki joint venture shows. Some of those nibs sported some really big nibs —size 50— that are now revived on modern Namiki pens.

On this picture, the star on the inner (and lower) cylinder is clearly visible.

But those were not the only examples of big nibs. Earlier in time, in the 1920s, Pilot created nibs as big as size 8 and implemented them in combination of the very unique hoshiawase system to prevent ink leaks from their eyedropper pens. This particular combination is very rare to find, and is priced accordingly.

A well preserved BCHR pen, albeit there is some oxidation on the cap.

This is a large pen made of hard rubber, and is decorated with a subtle and attractive pattern (BCHR):

Length closed: 148 mm.
Length open: 141 mm.
Length posted: 190 mm.
Diameter: 13.5 mm.

My thanks to Ms. Jade and Mr. Nikos Syrigonakis.

Push in celluloid, lever filler – Pelikan Royal blue

Bruno Taut
September 2nd, 2012
labels: Pilot, plumín, estilofilia

Cut-away

I have mentioned several times that apparently only one of the Capless models saw a transparent version, although it was never for sale. But a pen as original as the Capless, although it was not the first retractile nib in history, deserves some additional descriptions. Pilot’s museum Pen Station, located at the company’s headquarters in Chuo ward in Tokyo, does provide them by displaying some cut-away units:

C-600MW, November 1963.
And a variation on this model: no clip, urushi finish (C-1000W, from 1964):

C-200SW, August 1964.

C-250SS, May 1968.

C-400BS, June 1971.

FC-15SR, December 1998.

FCF-2MR, September 2006.

My thanks to my friend Haywoody, who gave me the idea for this post.

Senator President – Montblanc “I love you” scented red.

Bruno Taut
September 2nd, 2012
etiquetas: Pilot, Capless

Family Portrait (IV)

If, as I claimed, the Pilot Capless family of pens is one of the very few icons in the Japanese pen scene, it truly deserves a family portrait. On the following picture we can see all the models of this pen. Color variations are not included here.


However, two rarities do figure on it—the transparent version, never for sale, of the Spring 1965 model; and the Platinum’s short lived Knock model.

My thanks to Mr. Niikura.

Pilot G-300V – Wagner 2008 ink

Bruno Taut
September 7th, 2012
etiquetas: Pilot, Platinum, Capless

Push

Push was the pen brand of the company Tanaka-Daigen-Do founded by Tomisaburô Tanaka in Osaka in 1918. The main technological argument in its early pens was a spiral-shaped ink channel that favored the ink flow and avoided the need to shake the pen —eyedroppers with shut-off valve— before using it. After the war. the company produced a number of very attractive pens with silver overlaid decorations.

A Push pen, made of celluloid, probably in the 1940s.

The clip is engraved with the name of the company and its logo.

The founder died in 1967, and its company survived him up to today. However, it stopped the pen production in the late 1960s.

The Push pen I am presenting now is made of celluloid; implements a lever filler, a stainless steel nib, and an ebonite feed. It is engraved with the brand name on the nib, on the clip, and on the barrel. These are its dimensions:

Length closed: 122 mm.
Length open: 108 mm
Length posted: 141 mm
Diameter: 11.5 mm (cap)
Weight: 12.0 g (dry)

The steel nib is engraved as follows: "ACID PROOF / PUSH / IRIDIUM / POINTED".

The beautiful feed made of hard rubber.

My best guess is that this pen dates back from the 1940s.

Pilot G-300V – Wagner 2008 ink

Bruno Taut
September 3rd, 2012
etiquetas: Japón, Push

On Sailor Nibs

Today’s chronicle is, basically, a description of the golden nibs Sailor offers on its catalog nowadays. The reason is twofold: first, there seems to be some confusion about what the company offers and on what sizes those nibs and nib points are presented. Second, this text might serve me well for future references. Actually, it shall serve me well…

Nowadays, Sailor golden nibs come in two purities –58.5% and 87.5% of gold, or 14 K and 21 K—and in three sizes named as medium (中型), big (大型) and super big (超大型) by Sailor; or junior, senior and king of pen in the translation for some markets. These nibs are implemented in the Profit (1911 in some markets) and Professional Gear series of pens. The Chalana line of thin pens is the only exception to this rule—these nibs are made of 18 K gold (75.0 %) and come only in extra-fine. The selection of nib points available in each size is summarized on the following table:

Big (top) and medium (bottom) nibs by Sailor. Both of them made of 21 K gold.

Some of those nibs can be rhodiated (rhodium-plated), bicolor, or black in appearance.

The Nagahara specialty nibs are based on the Naginata Togi nib in big size, but they can also be produced in the super-big size. The first Realo pen, on the occasion of the 95th anniversary of the company, was equipped with a super-big Naginata Togi nib in M.

Sailor Realos in two different sizes: on top, the regular Realo, whose nib is of size big (大型). On bottom, the limited edition Realo, marketed in 2006. This is based on the King of Pen model and its nib size is super-big (超大型). It is a Naginata Togi nib in M.

From left to right: Naginata Togi big size, FM point; big size F point; medium size FM nib in 21 K; medium size with M point made of 14 K gold, old imprint.

A selection of Sailor nibs in sizes medium (中型) and big (大型).

According to the Japanese catalog, not all the points (in medium, big and super-big sizes) are available in both Profit and Professional Gear models. In general, there are more points available for the former than for the later. Again, according to the Japanese catalog of Sailor.

My thanks to Mr. Noguchi.

Platinum pocket pen in steel with black stripes – Platinum black

Bruno Taut
August 29-30, 2012
etiquetas: Sailor, plumín

Old Trick

Some brands, Pilot among them, might be approaching the ink business as if ink were perfume. And in fact, ink and perfume are not that different—both are easy-to-make consumables, yet so flexible in the final outcome, in color or fragrance, as to allow wildly creative names and displays. The basic difference, though, is that cosmetics sell seduction and sexual appeal, and inks have not yet reached that far.

There is another difference: inks need of a tool to be used—the pen. Then, pen brands came with this fundamental lie: only our inks are good for our pens. With other inks our pens might not work; with other inks the guarantee will be void; with other inks the pen will break; with other inks…

"Joker ink for fountain pens Joker".

Even the mostly unknown brand Joker tried this trick, which is frankly strange. Not many Joker pens can we see in the hands of users and collectors. Therefore, the market for its inks –"Joker ink for fountain pens Joker"– might have been quite limited.

Anyway, we know now this is an old lie in the hands of pen companies. But pen novices still ask about it on pen fora.

My thanks to my friend Kostas.

Pilot G-300V – Wagner 2008 ink

Bruno Taut
August 24th, 2012
etiquetas: tinta, Joker, mercado

Demonstrators in Japan

Apparently, along the nearly 50 years of history of the Capless family of pens, only the short model marketed in 1965 had a demonstrator version and, as was the case with most transparent pens, was not intended for sale but to show the internal mechanism. These were, in fact, tools in the hands of Pilot’s salespeople to convince retailers of the virtues of the pen. What most demonstrators intended to show was the filling mechanism, which was a primary battlefront in the market of pens. Then, cartridges became the filling system of choice and transparencies lost its ground, although with some exceptions. In Japan, this happened in the early 1960s, after Platinum had launched the Honest Cartridge in 1956.

The rare Capless demonstrator from 1965.

The Pilot Capless belongs to a different breed of pens. Instead of showing the filling system –a regular and uneventful cartridge-converter—it shows the retracting mechanism and the movable nib unit. And that puts on quite a show! Or, at least, an original one that many a user would be willing to buy.

The latest demonstrator by Platinum. It is named after one of the five lakes around Mt. Fuji: Shoji (精進湖). However, there is not much of a mystery inside the barrel.

And no show is provided by most Japanese modern demonstrators. Save a couple of exceptions –Pilot’s Custom Heritage 92 and Custom 823--, all of them are cartridge converter pens with nothing special to reveal. And, after all, cartridge and converters were removable and of easy access to the user.

Three demonstrators. From top to bottom, the cartridge-converter Pilot Custom 74, the piston filler Twsbi Diamond 530, and the piston filler Pilot Custom Heritage 92.

In the meantime, the Taiwanese brand Twsbi shows that it is possible to make affordable demonstrators with self-filling mechanisms. Now, a transparent modern Capless, that would really shake the scene!

My thanks to Mr. Hiroshi Shimizu.

Pilot L pocket pen – Sailor Sei-boku

Bruno Taut
August 20-22th, 2012
etiquetas: Pilot, Capless, Japón, Taiwan, mercado, Twsbi, Platinum