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Phileas Phever


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Pajaro, you can easily have your gold nib. The L'Etalon nib/feed is identical except for material. I use a couple in Kulturs (rhodium plated), and used to have one in a Phileas (gold color).

 

Dutchpen has some great prices on them. I am thinking about getting more. You don't need the feed or section, just the nib. The L'Et nibs I've used work best on the original Kult or Phil feed. (No affiliation or sponsorship, just a very pleased customer.)

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Thanks for that information! I don't know much about the rest of the Waterman pen line for the past few decades (or any other era), but I was wondering if one of the "nice" Waterman pens had basically the same guts.

 

I now know what pen I'll be stalking the next time I have some money to spend on a "nice" pen.

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Thanks, TD, for that info. I have a Kultur that I dropped and I've been working the nib to get it back working. Frankenpens are fun to work with, and it the nib is a perfect fit, whoa, Nellie!

"Don't hurry, don't worry. It's better to be late at the Golden Gate than to arrive in Hell on time."
--Sign in a bar and grill, Ormond Beach, Florida, 1960.

 

 

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Yes, TD, they made a far better pen than even they thought. If the Phileas had a gold nib, it would be priced with the Montblancs and Pelikans of similar size. It would certainly be worth it. The nibs in the Phileas are superb. Every once in a while a manufacturer produces a pen that is a home run. The Parker 51 is one. I think the Carene and the Phileas are others. The filling system in the Phileas is perfection, where so many other products are not so good. It could give you a phever to get every color and nib size. I find the fine and extra fine very sweet indeed. Too bad the price is skyrocketing. It'll settle out somewhere.

To be fair, Phileas is made of a plastic that tends to scratch easily or at least quickly lose its glossiness with normal use. In this subtle way, they tend to show signs of wear rather early in their useful life. It does not affect the function of the pen in the slightest. For this reason, the Phileas is a pen to love, honor, and cherish. But I have never seen one maintain that showroom gloss for long.

 

BTW, I have heard reports that the printed marble pattern on the Phileas makes it somehow vulnerable to cosmetic damage. I own (and abuse) many Phileas pens and have never seen the slightest sign of wear on the printed faux marble. Anyone else?

Edited by TwelveDrawings

 

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BTW, I have heard reports that the printed marble pattern on the Phileas makes it somehow vulnerable to cosmetic damage. I own (and abuse) many Phileas pens and have never seen the slightest sign of wear on the printed faux marble. Anyone else?

 

Yes. I didn't think so until I got one last year, used. The pattern is significantly worn, and odd in that nothing goes through to the base plastic, but it certainly doesn't look as good as the others I have. Which is one of the reasons that I don't put these pens on quite the pedestal that others do. Contrast this with even relatively inexpensive celluloid pens from the 30's and 40's, which still look stunning when taken care of or restored. I recently finished a quick display box and threw in some colorful pens, as I'm trying to get better at pics (while still using a phone camera!). The youngest pen in the lot is probably the Conway-Stewart in the middle, and that is only from the 50's. The rest predate that pen, and they cleaned up remarkably well. Pens like the two Moores, while considered 2nd tier, have celluloid patterns second to none.

 

post-65351-0-99728200-1396817023_thumb.jpg

"When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick; and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

~ Benjamin Franklin

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Seller ships worldwide too. On my watch list. Not that I need more.

"Don't hurry, don't worry. It's better to be late at the Golden Gate than to arrive in Hell on time."
--Sign in a bar and grill, Ormond Beach, Florida, 1960.

 

 

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Stand back, boys. This one is MINE! This is a genuine LAQUER(sic) Phileas fountain pen for an asking price of $299. Shipping is free.

 

As I understand it, lacquer is a coating or finish applied to wood, inlay, metal, or other non-plastics. My Phileas appears to be plastic all the way through.

 

Product description reveals that only the METAL is lacquered. Okay, so only the headline is misleading. Always read the fine print!

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Waterman-Phileas-Black-Laquer-Fountain-Pen-Medium-Point-w-Accessories-Boxes/171285523273?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.RVI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20644%26meid%3D6083708913637968314%26pid%3D100033%26prg%3D9209%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D121315667059

 

(If the above link as expired, picture a standard black Phileas in an ordinary Waterman case.)

Edited by TwelveDrawings

 

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Stand back, boys. This one is MINE! This is a genuine LAQUER(sic) Phileas fountain pen for an asking price of $299. Shipping is free.

 

As I understand it, lacquer is a coating or finish applied to wood, inlay, metal, or other non-plastics. My Phileas appears to be plastic all the way through.

 

Product description reveals that only the METAL is lacquered. Okay, so only the headline is misleading. Always read the fine print!

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Waterman-Phileas-Black-Laquer-Fountain-Pen-Medium-Point-w-Accessories-Boxes/171285523273?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.RVI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20644%26meid%3D6083708913637968314%26pid%3D100033%26prg%3D9209%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D121315667059

 

(If the above link as expired, picture a standard black Phileas in an ordinary Waterman case.)

The description for the harware is also misleading by stating gold and not gold plated.

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The description for the harware is also misleading by stating gold and not gold plated.

As Jon has pointed out, sellers are free to ASK for any price. But calling it a lacquered pen with gold appointments is misleading. Now if it were a vintage, lacquered, never-used Kultur, it would be worth every bit of $299. (I am astounded that shipping is included.)

 

NOTE TO NEW VISITORS: The above is satire bordering on cynicism. This practice is frowned on by FPN because it could be quoted out of context and lead to bad buying decisions. In all seriousness, shop around before buying any Phileas or Kultur. And any pen described as a "Phileas Kultur" is absolutely not a Phileas, which sells for considerably more money.

 

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You can find bargains on ebay. You can also find ripoffs. Ripoffs are becoming more and more the norm.

"Don't hurry, don't worry. It's better to be late at the Golden Gate than to arrive in Hell on time."
--Sign in a bar and grill, Ormond Beach, Florida, 1960.

 

 

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And any pen described as a "Phileas Kultur" is absolutely not a Phileas, which sells for considerably more money.

unless of course it is a MINT Phileas at $10 then go ahead and....LEAVE it for me.

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You guys may have seen this box sale with all those nice Phileas pens. Well some of the pens/pencils are now appearing for auction. View their other items.

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Some lovely items there, Force. It boggles my mind that there are a number of quite lovely vintage pens that (so far in the auction) aren't bidded up as high at the Phileas. This, to me, is where the lunacy of collectability shows. It isn't what it is, it is how many people (think that they) want it.

"When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick; and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

~ Benjamin Franklin

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Yup, and the fact that there are currently about four topics singing Phileas' praise is helping a lot. Every potential seller checking here on FPN will think: WOW, that pen is HOT :yikes: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ :yikes:

 

 

D.ick

~

KEEP SAFE, WEAR A MASK, KEEP A DISTANCE.

Freedom exists by virtue of self limitation.

~

 

 

 

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Now I need to start talking up the Carene and sell all this madness. Carene Catatonia.

"Don't hurry, don't worry. It's better to be late at the Golden Gate than to arrive in Hell on time."
--Sign in a bar and grill, Ormond Beach, Florida, 1960.

 

 

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Yup, and the fact that there are currently about four topics singing Phileas' praise is helping a lot. Every potential seller checking here on FPN will think: WOW, that pen is HOT :yikes: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ :yikes:

 

 

D.ick

True enough. But an astute observer will notice that 90% of the posts are left by about 10 Phileas fans.

 

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True enough. But an astute observer will notice that 90% of the posts are left by about 10 Phileas fans.

 

Indeed. 2-3 years ago, you'd find me talking them up and recommending people search for them for first pens. Not anymore - I'm just another fly on the wall.

"When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick; and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

~ Benjamin Franklin

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Some lovely items there, Force. It boggles my mind that there are a number of quite lovely vintage pens that (so far in the auction) aren't bidded up as high at the Phileas. This, to me, is where the lunacy of collectability shows. It isn't what it is, it is how many people (think that they) want it.

I haven't been involved specifically in any true collectibles market. But in most retail businesses, the owners seem resigned to accepting public whims rather than understanding them. If pink fuzzy sunglasses are a fad, merchants tend to order as many as the market will bear. Meanwhile, much better designed and tasteful sunglasses may gather dust. Sure, sellers can choose what to put in their shop window (or on their Ebay page), but the ultimate decision is made by a public whose whims and whimsey remains beyond easy understanding. Now, where did I leave those fuzzy shades?

 

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Well, don't pop the Phileas bubble until tomorrow afternoon. I'm in the 'gray hair means no job offers' category nowadays, so let the cheerleading for the Phileas continue for just a bit longer, please. :)

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