I have been toying with the idea of getting a vintage pen and the CS's are really calling me. What I would like to know is which ones are the largest in girth, you know the "fat boys". Looking for something made during the mid '50's or earlier.

As far as I know,the CS 100 was the largest production pen that they made.

John

Thanks John for the reply. Since your reply I've looked that 100's and they are out of my price range right now. At 13mm, they are a good sized pen. I'm looking at the 55's and the 77's now. They are 12mm in diameter and alot less money. I see that I need to do my homework for sure.

Where are you looking at the prices on these? Prices of vintage CS can vary wildly from seller to seller, there is no real Price Index. It is quite possible to acquire a Model 100 at a better price than a smaller model, depending on where you are looking.

I suggest contacting this seller and asking what they've got:
http://www.writetime.co.uk

Good luck!
QM2

Writetime was one of them and other sites that was referred from Writetime. Also Melbourne Vintage Pens.

Have you contacted Writetime directly? They sometimes have things for sale that are not listed online, and they are very good to deal with.

No Q I haven't. Trying to get a feel for whats out there and to educate myself. I have tried a couple of CS's but they were moderns, but I really liked the Duro I tried out, hence the interest in the 100.

Let me ask you this. If my budget was around $150USD, what would recommend for my first vintage CS.

It depends on what you like.

For example, my own preference is strictly for flat-tops, and for materials such as casein and hard rubber. In that category, I would recommend
the Scribe 330, which can be found for under $100 USD easily.

However it seems that you prefer the later models of the 1930s-50s, in which case I'd recommend a Model 58, such as this one
(taken from Writetime's website).



The CS 58 is a classic model, which is (re-)produced by modern CS as well, and therefore owning it gives a nice sense of continuity.
Comes in different colours as well, such as the hatched patterns that people seem to like. The cost of the one above is $120 USD,
and from this seller you can trust it to be properly restored.

EDIT: Can't really say "no affiliation" when it comes to Writetime anymore, as I feel quite warmly towards the kind and knowledgeable
Barry Rose and am only too happy to recommend him. The affiliation is that he is my " go-to CS dealer". ...So if you buy from him,
just stay away from the flat-tops -- those are all mine! : )

JunPat,

I know that on ebay CS100's can be found. They are(sometimes!)a cheaper alternative to buying from a reputable
dealer. Also,looking at 58's,77's and 85's as you have done is a good alternative. QM2 is right,however;sometimes
a dealer might have something in your price range that they don't have listed.

Have you thought about the CS herringbone models...........

John

I apologize for being so general QM2 but the thing is that I haven't seen a CS I don't like, I especially like the flattops, . But you did give the answer I was looking for which is which one is considered a classic CS, of course that point can be argued by all you CS experts. As far as what I prefer, the only reasons I asked about girths is because of a hand injury I suffered on my job, a fatter pen is more comfortable for me when writing for any length of time. And why am I looking for something from the '50's? I want a pen that is as old as me.

John, I love those herringbone CS's, especially the green ones.