Looking For Information On A Vintage Pilot Demonstrator

[fullfederhalter]

Hi, folks. I know very little about pens from Japan, especially older pens, and am hoping that someone out there can provide some information on this pen I bought at a local flea market. As the pictures show, the pen (which did not have a cap when I purchased it) is a demonstrator with a body which is similar in shape to a double jeweled Parker Vacumatic. There is no imprint on the barrel, but the steel nib reads, "Best Quality -- PILOT-- <4> Made in Japan." A the cap from a second vintage Pilot pen I purchased threads perfectly onto the demonstrator, so I am inclined to believe that this is a Pilot pen. The filling system seems a bit unusual to me. Although it appears like a plunger or syringe filler, the clear rod which can be extended by unscrewing the blind cap does not have a gasket which seals it to the barrel. Instead, the rod slides and turns inside another clear tube which pulls back slightly when the rod is extended, and seems to seal against the section when closed.

 

Any ideas on what model this is, and when it was made? Is it safe to assume that the pen originally had a matching clear cap? Any other information? Thanks.

Edited March 9, 2017 by fullfederhalter

[antichresis]

Sorry, I can't help but that looks amazing and an amazing find. It, to me, looks like an early Vac filler? I also just saw a DaniTrio Densho in another thread this morning with an unusual knob at the "tail" and upon some quick Googling it was an eyedropper with a rod that seals ink going out into the feed, quite similar to what I see here and what you are describing.

 

What was the other pen you got?

[fullfederhalter]

No idea of the model, but here is a photo. This one has a knob which turns at the end of the barrel like a piston filler, and doesn't come out.

Edited March 10, 2017 by fullfederhalter

[fullfederhalter]

Thank you, Stan. But just to be clear, are you describing the demonstrator or the second pen?

 

Dale

[AltecGreen]

The Demonstrator pen is not a Japanese eyedropper. It is a Pilot A-Shiki demonstrator. The A-Shiki is a form of plunger filler. There is a sliding sheath covering plunger that makes a rough vacuum. You need to pump several times to build up a vacuum to fill. Circa 1951 give or take.

 

Here is the one I have with the original cap.

 

[fullfederhalter]

Thank you very much. Great to have this information, and to see what the cap looks like (as if I will ever find one!).

 

Dale

[Mon34480]

The Pilot R3R but "demo" version which was given to shops as a way to demonstrate the inner mechanisms for their pens and in general wasnt actually produced for sale.

[Algester]

A-shiki the predecessor to the CON-70 mechanism technically by a long shot from what the writer of Cronicas Estilograficas calls it

also a time when Pilot was experimenting with filling system

Edited March 10, 2017 by Algester

[senzen]

Interesting pen!