Ultra Fountain Pen C1958 - Could It Be "one Of The World's Finest Fountain Pens?"

[PenHero]

Fellow Collectors,

http://www.penhero.com/MainPagePics/UltraFrontPage.jpg

I stumbled onto the Ultra Fountain Pen line while on an annual trip to Maine. This particular small town antique store had a complete dealer package with ten of the pens, a counter display, warranty cards and advertising cards. The shop owner told me that the pens were originally owned by a shop that intended to distribute them in Maine in the late 1950s. He thought they were being sold in 1958. The set was a complete dealer marketing package so a store could advertise and display the pens.

http://www.penhero.com/PenGallery/Ultra/Pics/Ultra1280_05.jpg

I think it was the counter display card that caught my attention most. Would these pens be sensational to write with? Would the Ultra Fountain Pen live up to its billing as, "One of the World's Finest Fountain Pens." That's a towering claim, indeed. And all the way from Italy! I bought the lot and took them home for closer inspection.

http://www.penhero.com/PenGallery/Ultra/Pics/Ultra1280_03.jpg

Find out what I discovered about this obscure Italian pen likely made by LUS in the article line below:

Ultra Fountain Pen c1958

http://www.penhero.com/PenGallery/Ultra/Ultra.htm

Any additional information on these pens and the company that imported them would be much appreciated!

Jim Mamoulides

www.PenHero.com

[plumista]

Thank you for your wonderful article, as usual!

 

Nevertheless, these pens seem to me a lower-notch version of higher Italian pens of that era, above all Aurora, and perhaps this may become evident when compared with the still available Aurora Archivi Storici (similar slim designs, specially the hooded nibs and black sections, clips, &c.).

 

In turn those vintage Aurora were probably made to resemble some Parker pens (namely 51s and 61s from the good old times, alas! Look at what they have done to you, Parker!), true, but the eventual buyer of the Ultra probably wanted something like an Aurora more than a Parker; possibly he/she had not even heard of Parker but surely the Aurora pens were something like the grail pen in those years, above all in the modest stores that were the target of the Ultras. I mean, there is no need to refer everything to the USA.

 

I am no specialist, though!

 

plumista

 

time is my only treasure

Edited August 31, 2015 by plumista

[PenHero]

Dear Plumista,

 

Thanks for the insight. I'm not an expert on Italian pens and my focus is on their sale in the USA. I can see how the Aurora Archivi Storici would be an influence and I would imagine the USA importer was looking at existing inexpensive pen designs, not trying to come up with something new. No doubt the pen was already in existence when the importer obtained them. The importer possibly could have been an Italian living in the USA bringing these pens in. I am also told that the pen was made by Universal for LUS. I would love to know more!

 

Thanks!