What Are These?

[Fearman111]

I was wondering if anyone could help me identify these pens - have tried looking around the web (and I'm terribly new in the fountain pen hobby, so I'm sure there's tons of resources I haven't found), but have come up short.

The old pen is one I found at an antiques market, part of a set with a mechanical pencil and a ballpoint pen. It's a lever fill, it is inscribed with "National' on the clip, and seems to be plastic (maybe Bakelite?) in construction.

The new one was bought at a kiosk in a mall, with no box or anything. The nib is inscribed 'Iridium point Germany'. No other inscription, no identification at all anywhere on it. The cap seems to be of stainless steel, the body seems to be a lacquer finish in a copper colour.

The comic book collector in me is being driven mad by the lack of specifics. Any help is most appreciated.

 

-fm111

[jar]

The first one is likely a National, one of the brazzilion NoNami pens that were ubiquitous at the time. The new on is a modern NoNami, one of the brazillion NoNami pens that are ubiquitous at this time.

[ehemem]

The first one is likely a National, one of the brazzilion NoNami pens that were ubiquitous at the time. The new on is a modern NoNami, one of the brazillion NoNami pens that are ubiquitous at this time.

 

To add to jar's brilliant observations, you are probably misreading the nib on the second pen. It really translates from the ideograms "Made in China."

[casualmerlinconstant]

The first one is likely a National, one of the brazzilion NoNami pens that were ubiquitous at the time. The new on is a modern NoNami, one of the brazillion NoNami pens that are ubiquitous at this time.

I looked at this far too long before it sank in

[shawndp]

Those are some nice boxes... maybe those are prototype (new)Esterbrooks?

[AAAndrew]

To answer a little tiny bit more seriously, back in the 40's, 50's and into the 60's there were a ton of smaller manufacturers making low-budget fountain pens. (this was before the day of low-budget ball points, but same idea)

 

Over in the Pen History forum there is a list of all makers identified so far. National is one of them for the US.

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/281024-pen-brands-worldwide-by-country/page-2

 

You might be able to find some information on them, but I wouldn't be at all surprised that the only evidence of their existence left are a few pens that show up now and again. As you can see from the list, there were a lot of them, and only a few survived enough for us to know much about them.

 

A similar phenomenon is happening now with pens mainly from China. There are a lot of small pen companies cranking out all kinds of pens. Most of the nibs of the good ones are actually made in Germany, but many more are made in China with the iridium tip only made in Germany. I believe yours is one of those.

 

I would suggest trying over in the forum specifically for pens from China. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/forum/132-china-korea-and-others-far-east-asia/

 

There are a fair number of very inexpensive pens being made in China which are not half-bad, and some quite good.

 

The comment about Esterbrook refers to a modern company has bought the rights to the venerable brand Esterbrook and is cranking out cheap Chinese pens branded Esterbrook and then jacking up the prices astronomically. But they have nice boxes.

 

Welcome, and if you're willing to put up with the japes and capers of some of the folks 'round here, it is actually quite a nice place.

[inkstainedruth]

Those are some nice boxes... maybe those are prototype (new)Esterbrooks?

 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth