Kanreki

The Japanese word “kanreki” refers to the celebration of the 60th birthday. For the occasion, the birthday guy wears a red outfit composed by a cap and a vest –the “chanchanko”— typically used by babies to represent the rebirth and the beginning of a new life.

In the world of fountain pens, though, “kanreki” primarily refers to the Sailor Kanreki, In the Winter of 2007-08, Sailor marketed a Professional Gear pen in several hues of red to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Kawaguchi Akihiro, the Pen Doctor. Mr. Kawaguchi, in fact, participated in the design of this pen.

And years later, in 2023, the rival company Pilot celebrated another kanreki—that of the Capless model, originally released in 1963.

Again, a red pen –only one tone of red— with black trim and black nib. This time, though, it was a limited edition of 2023 numbered units.

It is quite obvious the cultural appeal of the term kanreki, and despite its very local nature —or maybe because of it!— both Sailor and Pilot have used it for their products. Should we wait for a Platinum Kanreki as well?

Kanreki.

Anyway, now in 2024 we have two pens from two different brands with the same model name. Confusing? Maybe, but you should never underestimate the inabilities of Japanese companies to name their products.

Pilot pocket Sterling Silver – Pilot Black

Bruno Taut
February 2024
Etiquetas: Pilot, Sailor, Capless, mercado

Signature (I)

Last year, 2022, Pilot released a new nib point for the model Custom 742—the Signature. And by doing this, the number of points available in Pilot's size 10 nibs (::1::, ::2::) is 16.

The Signature point—a sort of smooth stubbish broad nib— is not particularly new. In Japan they existed in the 1960s and 1970s by the hand of Pilot and Platinum. On the picture we can see two of those together with the new Custom 742.

Now, do they draw a similar line? Or, in other words, are all Signature nibs alike? Not really, and the larger differences are between those made by Pilot—a smooth broad nib with a stubbish character on the 742, and a very round symmetric point on the Pilot E from 1968. On its side, the Platinum pocket pen, also from 1968, is more of a stub nib, with an overall width finer than that of the Custom 742. So it might be worth to reflect on those names and their definitions at some point.

Anyway, the Custom 742 with Signature nib adds even more value and appeal to the Pilot lineup of nibs, particularly to the size 10. 16 different points in a single pen model is not something any other company currently could brag about.

Pilot Custom 742 - Diamine Imperial Purple.

Bruno Taut
July 14th, 2023
etiquetas: Pilot, plumín, Platinum

Celebrations

What kind of pens become anniversary pens? Among those made by the big three Japanese pen companies we can see three basic strategies.


– The most daring and expensive strategy is the creation of a new pen model for the occasion—a new pen with a new nib.

Such was the case of a number of commemorative pens by Pilot—the 65 in 1983, the Shijin pair in 1988... Platinum did the same with the piston filler of 1989 for its 70th anniversary. Sailor got close to it at the time of its 95th anniversary (2006) with the release of the first Realo pen.

Pilot 75th anniversary. After some minor variations it became the Custom 845.

Pilot, however, stands apart on this strategy as this company often transformed those limited editions in regular models, albeit with (minimal) variations. Thus, the 65 became the Custom 67; the Shijin became the Namikis Yukari Royale and Urushi 20, the 75th anniversary pen became the Custom 845...


– A second strategy is to revive some old successful or iconic model.

The original (bottom) and the reissue (top). The Myu-71 (1971) and the M90 (2008).

This was the case of two commemorative pens by Pilot—The M90 (2008) and the Elite 95s (2013). Both followed the patterns of the pocket pens popular in Japan in the 1960s and 1970s. The M90, modeled after the all steel Myu-701 (1971) was a limited edition of 9000 units. The Elite 95s, a renewed version of the second generation of the Pilot pocket pen, later became a regular model in the Pilot catalog, and the commemorative pen ended up diluted in the sea of regular pens.

Pilot's Elite 95s --the three pens on the left hand side-- together with their originals.

– Finally, companies use a third option—get a well known pen in the regular catalog and decorate it for the occasion. This decoration can be almost anything—from a very elaborate urushi-based pattern to a simple inscription on the body or nib.

Sailor's centennary pen. Variations on the well-known theme of the large Profit nib.

Examples of this are very numerous—Sailor's centenary pen, Platinum 25G in carbon fiber for the 90th anniversary (2009), Pilot's centenary flat top pen (2018), etc.


Many ways to celebrate an event or anniversary, some more expensive than others. But the bottom line is that these commemorative pens hold their value and are appreciated and sought after by the aficionado. At least, that is, if they were distinctive –even if marginally-- and were limited runs.

And all that because we, stylophiles, are very easy.

Sailor Candy Smurf – Unknown ink

Bruno Taut
September 27th, 2022
etiquetas: mercado, Japón, estilofilia

Short

I wrote about the Pilot Short many years ago, at the beginning of these Chronicles, and it might be worth to back to this pen with more information.

Sailor released the Mini model –Sailor's idea of a pocket pen— in 1963, and Platinum followed, or copied, the idea soon afterwards. Pilot, on its side, waited til the end of 1968 to join the ranks, but in the meantime an original approach to a compact and expandable pen was attempted—the Pilot Short.

That was in 1966, and the idea was a telescopic pen—a pen whose body could become longer for the comfort of the user. To accomplish that idea, the lower end of the barrel, made of plastic, slides inside the metallic overlay of the pen. And to complete the trick, the barrel tail has the right diameter for a secure posting of the cap, thus making the pen even longer and easing a comfortable grip.

The telescopic mechanism makes the pen 15 mm longer.

As for the rest, these pens sport semi-hooded nibs made of 14 K gold, although some on variations the gold grade is hidden inside the section. The nib point is not stated on the nib engraving. The filing system is by cartridges (standard “simple spare”) and converters (CON-20, CON-40, CON-50).

Nib and feed. On this example, the gold grade is not shown when the nib is in place in the pen.

The variations of these pens were mostly related to the external appearance: plain or checkered steel, checkered gold plated, and an aluminum alloy named Alumite by Pilot. Most of them are flat-tops –”vest” style in Pilot vocabulary--, but there is a couple of rounded-end models—balance. Prices ranged between JPY 1500 and JPY 4000.

Chronologically, the last model of the Short model was, paradoxically, non extendable. It shared the external dimensions of the balance model (SB-200SS) when closed, but when open nothing would slide in or out of the barrel. This model –SB-100MS— was cheaper: JPY 1000.

SB-200SS (top), and SB-100MS (bottom). The later does not become longer.

The Pilot Short was discontinued in 1968, and soon afterwards the first Pilot pocket hit the market.

It is hard to asses whether the Pilot Short was a success or not. The short time in the market says it was not. However, this pen is easy to find in flea markets and in pen events, which points at it being a popular pen with many units produced and sold.

Anonymous 6-bu jumbo pen – Kobe Ginza Sepia Gold

Bruno Taut
October 13th, 2021
etiquetas: Pilot

Platinum Pocket Nibs

After Sailor had released the first Japanese pocket pen in 1963 –the Sailor Mini— Platinum soon followed suit with its own line of compact pen.

Pocket pens were very successful and became a workhorse in the lineup of the companies. Platinum, on its side, showed this by implementing a wide variety of nib points in them.

Eight different nibs for a single model. And there might have been some more nib points. Clockwise from top, music, soft fine, fine, sign, manifold, script, medium, and extra fine.

Such is the case on display today—eight different nib points in one single model. And there might have been some more.

The Platinum pocket model. Albeit with minor variations, this model was in the Platinum catalog for about 10 years around 1970.

Out of those, four are labeled in English—music, sign, manifold, script. But how do they write? Are they significantly different to those we usually encounter?

All these five nibs were made between 1967 and 1969. Their points are music, sign, medium, manifuld, and script.

The following writing sample might answer those questions. The medium nib (中字) is shown as reference. All of them, might be worth notice, are quite rigid, and there are no major differences among them in this detail.

Sailor Fude pen – Diamine Teal

Bruno Taut
August 19th, 2021
etiquetas: Platinum, plumín, plumín musical

Pocket Yotsubishi

Yet another pocket pen?

Pocket pens were not necessarily inexpensive pens despite its reduce size. In fact, as we have seen, these pens sported some unusual and exotic nibs, like those made of high purity gold in the early 1970s.

Ishi Shoten (or Ishi & Company, or Ishii Seisakusho, or Ishi Shoten Yotsubishi) was founded in 1925 by Yoshinosuke Ishii. From very early on, this company aimed at the market of maki-e and urushi-e decorated pens. After the War, this company made some of the most delicate decorated pens made in Japan. Ishi Shoten pens are usually labeled with the brand Yotsubishi (Yotubishi in an alternative transliteration).

The Ishi Shoten pen I am showing today is a pocket pen decorated with the urushi-e technique of “kanshitsu-ishime”. This is no ordinary pocket pen. As is often the case on maki-e and urushi-e pens, the decoration becomes its primary argument.

As a pen, this is a typical pocket pen. However, the decoration –the think layer of urushi— keeps it from posting fully; that is, with the cap reaching the central ring (this problem is not shown on the pictures).

A Yotsubishi pocket pen.

The dimensions are as follows:
Length closed: 119 mm
Length open: 101 mm
Length posted: 148 mm
Diameter: 13 mm
Weight: 12.3 g

The pen, in the basic disassembled state. An unusual feature of this pen is that the bottom end of the section, together with the nib and the feed, can be unscrewed from the rest. This can be useful for a thorough cleaning of the pen.

This pen uses Platinum cartridges.

The nib is made of 18 K gold and it is engraved with the four-diamond logo of Yotsubishi. This style of nib was present in other pens of the brand in the early 1960s. However, the first pocket pens, made by Sailor, were marketed in 1963.

The engraving on the nib simply says "18 K" together with the company logo on both sides.

Yotsubishi pens are hard to find and and very valued by the connoisseur. And expensive.


My thanks to Mr. Furuya.

Pilot Grandee, Sterling silver – Pilot Light Green cartridge

Bruno Taut
Nakano, November 12th 2020
etiquetas: Yotsubishi, urushi-e

Kubo's Pens

Kubo Kohei stands nowadays as the sole maker of nibs in Japan not associated with a pen maker. And this in itself is an interesting fact that deserves a separate reflection. But today I want to speak about some of the operations in which nibmeister Kubo has participated.

As of today, other that the nibs one could order directly from him, it is possible to find Kubo nibs on pens Tohma, made by Toma Kiyotaka of Pen Cluster, and on some models by Iwase Seisakusho, albeit its activity seems currently suspended.

A Model N by Iwase Seisakusho with a nib by nibmeister Kubo.

But nibmeister Kubo has a long history in the pen industry in Japan. Two brands associated with Kubo were Nobel –or Nobel's, as he likes to call it-- and Elliott.

The Elliott company was founded by former worker of SSS Uesugi Yoshizaku around 1936 or 1937 in the Kita Ward in Tokyo. Around 1960, Kubo's uncle bought the company and Kubo Kohei started working on it. The engagement with this brand lasted until around 1980.

An Elliott ad in the 1950s.

On top, a pre-Kubo Elliott pen from 1950s. Bottom, an Elliott pen that looks like a Nobel pen.

In parallel, at least during the late 1960s and 1970s, Kubo Kohei also worked on his own brand Nobel. For those pens, he used injected plastic for the bodies and adopted Platinum cartridges and converters as filling mechanisms, as was the common practice among small companies of the moment.

Two Nobel pens: the "Super Gold" model on top; and a pocket pen. Both were made by Kubo Kohei. They use Platinum cartridges.

Kubo's music nibs for his Nobel pens (::1::, ::2::). NK stands for "Nobel Kubo".

So these are some of the nibs and pens made by nibmeister Kubo. However, they are not easy to find in the market.


My thanks to Mr. Kanesaki, Mr. Sugimonto and Mr. Sunami.

Note (Sept 1st, 2019): I have changed some of the original pics form some others with better quality.

Pilot Custom 74 – Wagner 2008 (Sailor)

Bruno Taut
Nakano, August 30th 2019
etiquetas: Nobel, Elliott, Nobel, Tohma Pens, Iwase Seisakusho, nibmeister Kubo Kohei

Pilot's Small Inset Nibs

The Pilot Elite 95s was marketed on the year 95 of the Pilot era—that is, in 2013.

This pen, apparently quite successful, recuperated the design of the pocket pens on the 1960s and 1970s in Japan. But it went further on reviving the very interesting inset nibs of the 1970s, which at the time of release in 2013 was limited to a steel variation on a desk pen. So, with the Elite 95s, the inset nib recovered some of its past glory through the 14K gold of its composition.

Pilot's desk pen DPN-200.

However, in the 1970s, these inset nibs were made of 18 K gold in two different compositions—yellow gold and white gold, and the yellow variation was also rhodiated.

From left to right, three Elite 95s in all three colors, the cross-hatch Elite (1978), black Elite (1977), non-Elite Sterling silver pocket pen (1975).

Six nibs and four possibilities. The three nibs on the right belong to the Elite 95s--14 k gold. The nibs of the left, from top to bottom: 18 K gold, 18 K gold rhodiated, 18 K white gold.

These older pens were always on demand among pen aficionados, and the existence of the modern Elite 95s made that appeal even bigger.

(As a final note, I should add that the larger inset nib of the Silvern series has been continuously on production since the late 1960s. Just to prevent misreadings of my words.)

Platinum 3776 Century Chartres Blue – Rohrer & Klingner Blu Mare

Bruno Taut
Nakano, April 28th 2019
etiquetas: plumín, Pilot, mercado

At a Pen Show

Pen shows are always exciting events for the aficionado. They are also overwhelming and intimidating, but that is part of the appeal, for in a pen show, more is always more--and better.

Then, immersed in that abundance of pens –and with limited resources in the pocket—the aficionado faces a fundamental question:

‘How do I proceed?’

How do I proceed? (Madrid Pen Show 2012).

Some years ago I wrote a short list of tips on how to face a pen show. Then, members of the Spanish pen community through the forum “Foro de Estilográficas” (excuse the overwhelming adds, but it is hosted on a free server) added their insights and comments. This is what came out:


I. BEFORE THE PEN SHOW.

1. Keep focus on what you want. This might be a model, a brand, a category of some sort, etc. Your eyes and your brain will quickly filter the signal from the noise.
However, do not close your eyes totally to those pens not fitting your primary interest. A pen show is an exceptional opportunity to see and to touch extraordinary pens.

2. Do your homework—learn as much as possible about the pens you are specifically interested, check prices,… All that will help you to analyze the pens and to negotiate their prices.

Madrid Pen Show 2015.

II. TIMING.

3. Try to get a general view of the event before pulling the trigger. A pen show takes time and you cannot rush it. Gauge the right time to buy. On one hand, there are pens that will disappear quickly from the tables (and this is an additional reason why point 1 is important). On the other, at the last minute, vendors are keener on offering discounts.
You must understand and accept that you will not see all the pens on display. That is why point 1 is so important—at least you will see most of the pens you were interested on.

Tokyo Pen Trade 2017.

III. BUYING.

4. Ask, touch, try… and ask again. Ask for help if you needed it. Don’t be shy and learn from vendors and fellow visitors.

5. Inspect the pen carefully. Cracked nibs and barrels, fading colors, erosions… All that will serve you to negotiate the price and to avoid later disappointments. A magnifier comes in handy.

6. Negotiate and bargain... politely. Think of buying more than one pen for a lower price. Some vendors might accept a pen you want to sell as part of the payment.
If buying, get the data of the vendor for possible follow ups on the purchase. Not all vendors have the same policy.

Madrid Pen Show 2017.

May no one be afraid of a pen show. Everybody, even the more seasoned collector, is overwhelmed.

Enjoy!

Montblanc 149 – Platinum Black

Bruno Taut
Nakano, August 2nd 2018
etiquetas: evento

Kubo Meets Sakai

The figure of Kubo Kohei (久保幸平) is already known to the readers. He is a very prestigious nibmeister with a long history of nibs made for his own brands –Elliott, Nobel–, and for others –Push, Danitrio, even Zôhiko. The purpose of this Chronicle is to show some more remarkable creations of this master.

An unusual music nib by Kubo Kohei.

Kubo Kohei has made music nibs in the past, as I have reported here. However, that example was a very traditional music nib: two slits, three tines. The following examples go one step forward: three slits, four tines. The result is a very broad and wet line showing a good –but not extreme— variation on the writing.

Writing sample of a 4-tine music nib by nibmeister Kubo.

These three music nibs are associated to three outstanding pens—three old pens made by Sakai Eisuke (酒井栄助). They had not reached the market and had been retrofitted with Henckel nibs, which is not rare in what looks like production leftovers by the Ban-ei group.

All three nibs carry the same inscription: "ELEGANT / KB / 18 K - 750 / MADE IN / JAPAN".

However, the ways their tips are cut are different--the one on top is very sharp, and that on bottom is the roundest of them.

These pens are all Japanese eyedroppers of very generous dimensions. So big, in fact, that the Kubo’s nibs seem a tad too small. These are the dimensions of the pens:

	-.Wooden.-	-.Plain, - black ebonite.-	-.Bamboo-like, - black ebonite.-
Length closed (mm)	145	173	152
Length open (mm)	130	150	132
Length posted (mm)	180	208	186
Diameter (mm)	20	18	20
Weight, dry (g)	36.3	44.0	44.9

The three pens where Kubo met Sakai--years after the disappearance of the later.
Only the pen in the middle (black ebonite in the shape of bamboo) has an additional engraving--on the clip it says "NEW CLIP", showing some parts coming from Fukunaka Seisakusho. The plain black pen (on top) has no clip.

Remarkable pens with remarkable nibs, although they might not be the best match. But sure they are attractive and desirable.

My thanks to Ms. Lai.

Platinum pocket, steel and stripes – De Atramentis Jeans Blue

Bruno Taut
Nakano, May 6th 2018
etiquetas: nibmeister Kubo Kohei, Ban-ei, plumín, plumín musical