What's Your "grail Pen"

[Bookman]

Waterman Patrician

 

 

[Slider20]

Montblanc Meisterstück Solitaire Blue Hour LeGrand, I have an older 149, but I really would like a new Legrand, and the Blue just does it for me

Edited September 9, 2016 by Slider20

[pajaro]

My grail pen was the Parker 51 in plum. Since acquiring one I have felt as if I were wandering aimlessly in pendom.

[RubenDh]

The arco celluloid Omas fountain pen! Milor size

[inotrym]

Aurora Optima Silver

Montegrappa Miya Argento

 

highly doubt I will ever get either.

[vicpen123]

If it hasn';t been posted yet, the grail pen is always the next pen you buy. It's just that you can't know it in advance.

 

Have faith that that pen is looking for you and you will never wander "aimlessly in pendom".

[gregamckinney]

I personally take the "holy grail" view of 'grail pen' searches, that is, something that is near impossible to find. Many folks here seem to take more of a "as soon as I get the money up I'm going to buy my 'grail pen'" view. My 'grail pen' is one of the earliest possible Waterman Pens. I seek a Waterman from the first year of Waterman production, something akin to what David Nishimura writes about here: http://www.vintagepens.com/Oldest_Waterman.htm

 

Best Regards, greg

[john74]

Namiki Emperor maki-e. But I could never pay that much for a pen.

[pajaro]

The plum 51 was a pen I was beaten on in many auctions, until I finally won one. After that there was nothing I really wanted, so I just aimlessly tried quite a few pens. Mainly they showed me why the fountain pen is less used these days than other pen types or paperless. I have little interest in buying more pens. I do enjoy Parker 51s and Montblanc 144s, and I have enough of each.

[Goudy]

I personally take the "holy grail" view of 'grail pen' searches, that is, something that is near impossible to find. Many folks here seem to take more of a "as soon as I get the money up I'm going to buy my 'grail pen'" view. My 'grail pen' is one of the earliest possible Waterman Pens. I seek a Waterman from the first year of Waterman production, something akin to what David Nishimura writes about here: http://www.vintagepens.com/Oldest_Waterman.htm

 

Best Regards, greg

 

You seek a pen with no nib?

 

I thought the knights who hunted the holy grail did so not because it was rare and hard to find but because they believed it had miraculous powers that would transform their lives. Like a Waterman Pink ("It'll make my handwriting beautiful") or a Meisterstuck 149 ("I'll write like Hemingway").

[LokiLaufeyson]

As it stands, being a new lover of pens-- It's a relatively inexpensive one,
It's the new Lamy LX in Gold

[Rednaxela]

I'd love to own a Platinum KDP-3000-A one day.

[dragonmiroff]

3 pens, original Parker Big Red, Mont Blanc Meisterstuck Solitaire Blue Hour Le Grand Fountain Pen and a new yellow bugs bunny parker vector. I have split mine ;(

[ENewton]

The plum 51 was a pen I was beaten on in many auctions, until I finally won one. After that there was nothing I really wanted...

 

I didn't buy mine from an auction site, but like you, I am not motivated to buy other pens, now that I have it.

[Ian the Jock]

A Parker 75 "Queen Elizabeth" LE.

There are many reasons why.

 

Maybe one day (sigh)

 

Ian

[cellardoor04]

My ultimate grail pen: Pelikan M1000 Milky Way. Only 1 or 2 were ever made, if I'm not wrong, and I doubt I have any hope of finding one, let alone affording it if I do. But gosh darn is it a gorgeous pen:

 

 

 

Aside from that, a more reachable grail (some day ) is the M1000 Sunlight. If I could find one of that for a reasonable price, I'd get it in a heartbeat!

[pajaro]

 

I didn't buy mine from an auction site, but like you, I am not motivated to buy other pens, now that I have it.

Thanks, this was a pleasure to read.

[inkstainedruth]

My grail pen was the Parker 51 in plum. Since acquiring one I have felt as if I were wandering aimlessly in pendom.

 

That was sort of a grail for me as well. I was surprised that I was able to both get one as quickly as I did and to get it for anything faintly resembling a reasonable price. Mine's a Demi size, and a user grade pen (both of which are fine for me -- I'm not a C-worder and I didn't want a pen that would get put into a display case).

Ironically, the Red Vac Shadow Wave (which was sort of the next "grail") has seen more constant use. Probably because I don't switch inks out as often as I do with the Plummer.

But my true "grail pen" is a Yard-o-Led Viceroy Victorian Standard. Early in my forays on here, I ran across a thread called "Show Us Your Silver Pens" and someone (Pakman, maybe) posted pictures of his. And it was the one of the most beautiful pens I'd ever seen: classy, elegant, and silver (my college colors were purple and white, and I would probably put purple ink in it -- and I don't mean blue violet or red violet, I mean "smack in the middle of the spectrum" purple, like Noodler's North African Violet, or maybe Skrip Purple. Except of course for the little detail that it's completely unaffordable for me (and I really can't justify a pen costing over $200 -- let alone the price of one of those). Yes there are a lot more expensive pens on the market, and some of them are really lovely (especially some of the Japanese maki-e pens). But there's just something about that Viceroy Victorian that is a head turner; I don't actually care for the designs of a lot of their other lines much, just that one. Someone suggested I consider the (relatively speaking) less expensive Pocket model, but those are too short for a converter, and I'd have to buy mini-carts. So not practical.

Of course I fear (after handling a few brass bodied pens the other day) that the pen would be too large and heavy for regular use. Which would defeat the purpose of owning it. Plus, I'd probably be afraid to take it out of the house without wanting to hire a bodyguard.... (Yes, I'm as good as talking myself out of things as talking myself into things....)

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[pajaro]

 

That was sort of a grail for me as well. I was surprised that I was able to both get one as quickly as I did and to get it for anything faintly resembling a reasonable price. Mine's a Demi size, and a user grade pen (both of which are fine for me -- I'm not a C-worder and I didn't want a pen that would get put into a display case).

Ironically, the Red Vac Shadow Wave (which was sort of the next "grail") has seen more constant use. Probably because I don't switch inks out as often as I do with the Plummer.

But my true "grail pen" is a Yard-o-Led Viceroy Victorian Standard. Early in my forays on here, I ran across a thread called "Show Us Your Silver Pens" and someone (Pakman, maybe) posted pictures of his. And it was the one of the most beautiful pens I'd ever seen: classy, elegant, and silver (my college colors were purple and white, and I would probably put purple ink in it -- and I don't mean blue violet or red violet, I mean "smack in the middle of the spectrum" purple, like Noodler's North African Violet, or maybe Skrip Purple. Except of course for the little detail that it's completely unaffordable for me (and I really can't justify a pen costing over $200 -- let alone the price of one of those). Yes there are a lot more expensive pens on the market, and some of them are really lovely (especially some of the Japanese maki-e pens). But there's just something about that Viceroy Victorian that is a head turner; I don't actually care for the designs of a lot of their other lines much, just that one. Someone suggested I consider the (relatively speaking) less expensive Pocket model, but those are too short for a converter, and I'd have to buy mini-carts. So not practical.

Of course I fear (after handling a few brass bodied pens the other day) that the pen would be too large and heavy for regular use. Which would defeat the purpose of owning it. Plus, I'd probably be afraid to take it out of the house without wanting to hire a bodyguard.... (Yes, I'm as good as talking myself out of things as talking myself into things....)

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

I think one should have a special something that they like. It doesn't have to be practical, and possibly shouldn't be. Just something you want to have, just because you do want it. For me it's the plum, and I never use it, just put it in a special pen case with two useless Carenes and the Montblanc 144 I bought at my art supply store, and the owner was so proud to have sold. These are pens I love to look at. I have other pens to write with and risk losing. If you want the Yard-O-Led Viceroy, get one when you can comfortably do it. I think though, that I should not have bought the Plum 51. Having the grail pen hovering in the imagination keeps a level of excitement and interest going. I have not another grail pen. So, it's not necessarily true that you can keep replacing one grail item with another. It's been a few years since I got the plum.

Edited October 22, 2016 by pajaro

[Nikaa]

I have a few types. First, MB.

I would like to have MB 142 or 144 or 145.

And I hope, I will get one of them one day.

 

Most wanted and however hard to get (because of the price) will be MB Franz Kafka or Hemingway or E.A. Poe.

 

Another, but hard to find it (unless someone wants to get rid of it or anyone know where I can but it ....) is Sailor Pro Gear Slim Starbust Galaxy.

Friends buy me Sailor 1911 during their trip to Japan. And this pen - Sailor 1911 with medium nib, it outclassed all my pens , it writes.... it's a fairy tale for me!