I have been targeting P51 DJs, although I also am a huge Vacumatic fan. I know once I get a few more P51s DJs that I have in mind, the next focus will be on the Vacumatics.
Here is my "collection" so far. Please remember that I've been at this less than a year (about 10 mos. now), and my photography skills aren't good. I'm not sure how the photos will display, as I used no special lighting, so I'll try to describe what should be in the pictures.
In desktop displays: (Yes, they are on my desk. Also, yes you do see a Shaeffer OS Balance in there with all those Parkers - it's a great writing pen that I keep in my rotation - forgot to take it out before I snapped the photo.)
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Here are the Majors. (I'll likely be trading/selling these as I refine my collection. It's not that I don't like them, but I've just discovered others I like a bit more...)
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Top two are Silver Pearls. Both have "Jeweler's" bands (lines go around the cap band instead of the ///\\\ pattern). The set with the warranty paperwork and filling instructions is minty. The other set is very good, but not as "perfect.
Bottom set is a horrible picture of what is actually a pretty good Azure "Junior" model set. This is not a demi., but as I understand it, the two ring set, though the same size as a Major, did not carry a lifetime warrany (no blue diamond). The neat thing about this set is that it has a semi-flex nib. Some of you may recognize the set as I tried to sell it back in December here in the Marketplace and even on eBay. No takers here, and my high bidder on eBay never paid (actually a good thing, as I didn't really want to sell it at that price anyway). It will stay in the "collection" a bit longer.
The lone bottom pen is a Golden Pearl. Nothing special, except is absolutely one of my BEST writers. I doubt I'd ever sell or trade it, as I know it isn't worth much, but I use it very often (usually filled with Waterman Havana Brown) and it's just so smoooottthh in my southpaw clutch!
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Here are the Maximas and OS. These are probably my new "favorite" pens and will likely be my next targeted "collection." (DavidI is either an inspiration or a very, very bad influence!!)
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Top three (Left to Right):
Azure: Horrible picture of one of my other favorite pens. It has a quite rare "full flex" USA two-tone nib. I don't get everything out of it as a lefty, but it's fine line is perfect and I like the little bit of variation I do get out of it. I let someone use it at the D.C. show last year and was so impressed with their writing sample. I wish that I could figure out how to get that kind of variation (sigh...)
Emerald: This is one of my pride and joy pens. Don't know if you can see it, but it has that extremely rare "Vacumatic" band.
Golden: Got this pen from an FPN member. It's a decent pen, but it will likely be traded or sold soon. I've about decided that I like the OS pens a bit more so I'll target my collection that way next. I will, however, be keeping the other two Maximas above.
Bottom two (Top to Bottom):
Silver: A nice pen with an incorrect section (hopefully to be corrected soon... I think I have the part finally coming my way!
)Red: Beautiful pen. One of the best I've seen (and I paid dearly for that!!)
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Here are my P51 Single and Double Jewels. Almost done, but a few left (missing is a soon to be delivered Plum). Still need the Gray and another example of one of the colors. Have a few duplicates here that will be sold/traded to help with this...
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Top Left (Top to Bottom): ("Special" Caps)
- Heirloom (Fishscale/Barley): This was the closest I came to a sumgai deal. Unfortunately, the pen will likely be sold or traded as once I got the pen I discovered the initials K.E.S. engraved in the cap band (albeit a very nice engraving, I'm just one of those that likes no engravings unless the initials are my own). I got it on a "blurry picture" deal on eBay. Thought it could be a fishscale. Knew it was at minimum a DJ. Threw my bid out there and took the chance. This is my personal favorite pattern of a cap. If only those initials weren't there...
- Heirloom (Smooth 14K): Nothing to say. Great pen with a great cap.
- Heritage (Windowpane) #1: Very nice pen. Will probably trade or sell soon, as I have another (set). Got this pen from Ernesto a few months ago when I first started "collecting." It was my second major (over $50) pen purchase, and I still love the pen. It's just that it's a duplicate now...
Top Right (Top to Bottom): (First Years)
- Cordovan w/Wedding Band cap.
- Black w/Smooth Sterling cap. (Cap has some "depressions." Not perfect, but nice.)
Bottom Row (Left to Right):
- Mustard w/converging line cap
- Buckskin w/converging line cap
- Cedar w/sterling silver cap [Pen has been slightly modified. It has a Prather metal filler and aluminum jewels I got from Ariel Kullock. I got the pen, along with a different first year cap, from a fellow FPNer (great deal, IMO, btw), and have considered changing it back to "original," but I love the pen as it is. Will far more likely try to get a different Cedar for the "original" collection and keep this one how I have it.)
- Two Cordovans... each is virtually the same, except one has a converging line cap and the other has a lined (no cartouche) cap. I was planning on selling or trading one of them soon, but a lady in my office has a son who is graduating H.S. this year and she asked if I'd sell her one of these for him as a graduation present. Let's just say she got a heck-of-a good deal. He's a nice, nice kid. And scary smart! He's getting the one with the non-converging lines.
- Black w/sterling cap. About as clean of a sterling cap as can be found.
- Nassau set w/signet caps - and darn near perfect! Minty, and about the pride and joy of my "collection" so far. Now, if I can only find a minty set of sterling caps that someone wants to trade...
- Heritage (Windowpane) #2 (this time, a set): Another pride and joy of the collection. Minty, and one of my farorites. It's like the set I remember my grandfather carrying.
- Flighter.
- Ariel Kullock demonstrator. I special ordered a DJ one, and then put an extra blue diamond cap I had on it.
- Ariel Kullock "Watch Gears" cap. One of my other hobbies is mechanical watches, so that's what drew me to this cap.
