Hello. I have found another vintage OMAS catalogue: the 1965 one. You can see a lot of models of the mythical 361, the 555 - 556 - 557 pens and the production of Minerva, a sub-brand of OMAS.


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[topic="50607"]This is the link[/topic] to OMAS catalogues I previously posted.

If interested to a better resolution file, send me an email. Saluti a tutti, Giuseppe

Wow, many thanks for sharing.

Catalogs just belong to this hobby as much as pens and inks!


Cheers

Michael

Fantastico catalogo, Giuseppe. Grazie per condividerlo con noi!
Wonderful catalog, thank you for sharing!

Giampaolo

Great stuff! Thanks for sharing.
As a lover of Omas I am just a bit astonished, though, at their unimaginativeness in those days. All those black boring pens. I think Omas was strongest and most innovative and artistically accomplished during their olden times (30s, 40s) and during their revival of said olden times (resurrection of the celluloids during the 90s).

These looked indeed like the (begining of the) Middle-Ages for Omas.

Thanks for sharing this beautiful catalog. Learning about fountain pen history is the greatest pleasure in the hobby, right after writing.

I love those older Omas catalogs. I only have a few but what great fun to peruse.
Many thanks.

Jim

Yes, I agree with you it was not the best period of OMAS production: anyhow I prefer those plain black pens to some contemporary over-elaborate odd LE models. Ciao, G.

Thankyou for posting, I prefer the look of the 1960s vintage OMAS over what is being made now by a long shot.

Having looked at the catalog, I would compare the OMAS production of that era to the Sheaffer and Parker pens of the same period. Not very flashy or decorative, but eminently usable. Some of the pens like the CS, VS, and 361 owe a lot to the design of pens like the PFM and the Parker "61." Personally, I find this design aesthetic produces much more durable and usable pens. Not to say I don't love my Royale Blue Paragon, but most of my daily users are 1950's Sheaffers. It is interesting to see the dot marker and the arrow marker on the different sections of some of the new-style pens; definitely reminders of the White Dot and the Parker "61" section marker!

Having said that, I think this catalog offers many more size and style choices than contemporary American companies, even though the colors seem somewhat limited. Heck, there are even celluloids - which of course Sheaffer wasn't using in 1965!

Best,
Summer Greer

Interesting post. In my opinion symbols in 361 and CS were introduced to point out the double use of the nib: flex and rigid if rounded (the V on one side and the I on the other). It was not a decorative matter from other pens: 361 was first produced 1948, while 61 is by 1956 and PFM by 1959.
Ciao, Giuseppe