)
Michael
Full Version: Omas Extra
...don't know its size but I guess it is a vintage 1960's 555/F, 556/F or 557/F (of course I hope for the largest )
Michael
)Michael
Great pens.No matter what year.
Jim
Jim
QUOTE (handlebar @ Jul 11 2008, 08:43 AM) 
Great pens.No matter what year.
Jim
Jim
It's not the year I'm curious about to find out (it looks like one of the models pictured in the 1965 cataloge posted here on FPN) - it's the size and condition. ...and of course I'm hoping for a flexible nib :-)
The pen looks interesting with only one cap band if you are used to the three piece cap bands.
Michael
Oh yeah, that super flexy Omas 14k nib. I once tried one of those nibs from an Omas nib sampler box and it was stellar, very close actually to a vintage nib, soft and tactile, subtle and tenacious. What did you pay for this one? I might want to get one llike this in the future.
Schoene Gruesse nach Deutschland, Wolfgang
Schoene Gruesse nach Deutschland, Wolfgang
The pen will be about 136-7 mm if it's an oversize 557.
When Omas first came out with piston fillers, just after the war, they had ink-view windows. The celluloid of the window was different from the barrel and over time tended to shrink. This meant that the piston seal had to negotiate different diameters along its travel, not good for maintaining a tight seal.
(Discussed in a previous post)
Soon afterwards, around 1948, Omas redesigned its piston fillers along the lines of what you now see in your pen. Gone was the ink-window, the roller clip and the triple capbands.
The first models had a barrel imprint of Omas Extra in a cursive-like typeface.
Click to view attachment
They eventually changed to stylized block characters as seen in yours.
Click to view attachment
There is a variation between these imprints but I'm not sure whether it was only for the round 557 S model or also for the faceted 557 F as well.
Click to view attachment
As you can see from the above pics, these pens initially came in more colors. The tortoise version above was one that I bought but which the seller broke while he was preparing it for mailing. By the 1960s or so, the color variations were reduced to Grey Pearl and Black.
When Omas first came out with piston fillers, just after the war, they had ink-view windows. The celluloid of the window was different from the barrel and over time tended to shrink. This meant that the piston seal had to negotiate different diameters along its travel, not good for maintaining a tight seal.
(Discussed in a previous post)
Soon afterwards, around 1948, Omas redesigned its piston fillers along the lines of what you now see in your pen. Gone was the ink-window, the roller clip and the triple capbands.
The first models had a barrel imprint of Omas Extra in a cursive-like typeface.
Click to view attachment
They eventually changed to stylized block characters as seen in yours.
Click to view attachment
There is a variation between these imprints but I'm not sure whether it was only for the round 557 S model or also for the faceted 557 F as well.
Click to view attachment
As you can see from the above pics, these pens initially came in more colors. The tortoise version above was one that I bought but which the seller broke while he was preparing it for mailing. By the 1960s or so, the color variations were reduced to Grey Pearl and Black.
one sweet pen, congrats on the catch.
Just a small update on the Omas which I picked up today:
All in all its a great pen! I will post some pictures and writing samples soon.
Michael
- great working condition; just a few marks in the plastic from normal use
- size is 13,6 cm which is about the same size as the 1990's Milord; so it must be the 556/F
- nib is an extra fine/fine with great flex and is imprinted "Extra Lucens" - according to the Omas book this seems to be correct.
All in all its a great pen! I will post some pictures and writing samples soon.
Michael
Congratulation! This is a nice pen, very happy that you got a flexible nib. Writing sample will be grand 
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