Omas Gentlemen (Not Gentleman) Age

[Keyless Works]

I am interested in buying an OMAS Gentlemen which I am told was produced in the late 50s and since I am unfamiliar with the Gentlemen model I would like to know if there is any way to tell the age.

 

What the primary differences compared to the Paragon from the same era?

 

Per my understanding from the seller the differences are as follows:

 

Resin body vs celluloid

hard rubber mechanism vs plastic

cork seal vs plastic

no gold band on the body

 

I have owned an early 50s Paragon 557/F which I loved but unlike my 557/F the Gentlemen has the newer style greek key band instead of the plain gold band my Paragon had. Also the engraving just says "OMAS - Gentlemen" where my old Paragon had "OMAS EXTRA BREV." followed by a bunch of numbers.

 

Please let me know what you think.

[jar]

TTBOMK the body materials were the same, OMAS' vegital resin. All other things were the same with the exception of the missing band on the body.

 

http://www.fototime.com/C5CAC0259B890D6/xlarge.jpg

[Keyless Works]

Does late 1950s seem like an appropriate date? I have looked through the catalogs I could find online but unfortunately I couldn't find one from the 50s.

[raging.dragon]

I'm not certain, but I think these pens were from the 80's.

[Keyless Works]

The pens in the 1980s catalogue that Jar posted reads "Gentleman" and not "Gentlemen" from what I can tell. I think there is a difference but I am not certain. Anyways the Italian seller is well respected and specializes in Italian pens...I am not saying he knows his stuff for certain but I am wishing for something definitive which is seeming unlikely if no one is aware of a difference between an OMAS "Gentleman" and "Gentlemen".

[Keyless Works]

Just an update, I bought the "Gentlemen" and it's a fantastic pen with a "semi-flexible" 14kt gold "Extra Lucens" nib that more or less writes like the late 1940s - early 1950s OMAS pens I have had.

[fabri00]

Yes, that pen was the last using extra lucens nib, which was quite srpingy and flexible.

For peoples loving that (ii like more stiff nibs), this nib is great.

[georges zaslavsky]

Yes, that pen was the last using extra lucens nib, which was quite srpingy and flexible.

For peoples loving that (ii like more stiff nibs), this nib is great.

Indeed

[eric47]

Just an update, I bought the "Gentlemen" and it's a fantastic pen with a "semi-flexible" 14kt gold "Extra Lucens" nib that more or less writes like the late 1940s - early 1950s OMAS pens I have had.

 

A little late, your pen looks to be a vintage celluloid pen, late 50s-early 60s pen. The last of the celluloid pens from that era have the Greek keys (earlier 50s pens had no Greek bands, just a single wide cap band), and also the Extra Lucens nib on the faceted pens.

 

While Omas continued to produce celluloid pens much later than other companies that moved to other plastics, they eventually switched to a different plastic, the "vegetal resin". The catalog jar posted is from these "modern" vegetal resin pens. The early forms the vegetal resin are know to shrink, rather quickly. Cracked cap lips are not uncommon on the early vegetal resin pens.

 

Of course there is the "modern/contemporary" celluloid rebirth in the 1990s, which is pretty much dead now...cost, regulations, etc.

[Keyless Works]

Thank you for confirming my suspicions eric47. There is no mention of the "Gentlemen" in any of the fountain pen books I have read, including the OMAS Dolcini book which only briefly mentions the "Gentleman".

[MRubee]

I have a Gentlemen too, mine tends to run dry after half a page or so... does anyone have an idea why?