Vintage Pen Recommendation?

[tgoto]

Hi guys-

 

Ever since I got my 1944 Parker Vacumatic, I simply cannot put down the pen.

It is one gorgeous and excellent writing/drawing instrument.

 

I have been collecting more modern pens but I can only find a few pens in my collection that can be as pleasant as the Vacumatic. Aurora Optima and OMAS 630 are among those excellent pens...

 

That got me thinking to maybe also collecting more vintage pens if they are as great as, or greater than Vacumatic.

 

Can I get your input on older or vintage pens that you recommend?

I use my pens to take notes, make markups on documents/plans and draw.

 

Thank you!!

[Moonshae]

I have a Parker Cisele in sterling silver that's nearly 20 years old, and it's one of my smoothest writers. Might be too modern for you. I have a 1945 Vacumatic that I find a bit scratchy, but it could be that the nib needs a small adjustment. It is a beautiful pen, though!

[praxim]

My role on this site ( ) is to advise you to have a look at restored Onotos from the 1920s to 1940s. They have some wonderful nibs, nice feel in the hand, and quite a few of them work reliably.

 

I can recommend also Watermans which should go without saying. There are others which have been commended but I simply have chosen not to collect.

 

Most of my pens are vintage. All of them are used by me.

 

edit: Given you like your Aurora Optima, try the Aurora 88 / 88K / 88P for semi-vintage. Great pens.

Edited April 21, 2017 by praxim

[tgoto]

I have a Parker Cisele in sterling silver that's nearly 20 years old, and it's one of my smoothest writers. Might be too modern for you. I have a 1945 Vacumatic that I find a bit scratchy, but it could be that the nib needs a small adjustment. It is a beautiful pen, though!

 

I remember my father had Cisele!

It is a bit modern like you said but I have great memories on that pen.

I need to re-visit that pen

Thank you!!

[MKeith]

If you like your Vac you should consider a Parker 51 Vac or Aerometric. The Aero's are the sturdier pen insofar as restoration/endurance IMO.

[tgoto]

My role on this site ( ) is to advise you to have a look at restored Onotos from the 1920s to 1940s. They have some wonderful nibs, nice feel in the hand, and quite a few of them work reliably.

 

I can recommend also Watermans which should go without saying. There are others which have been commended but I simply have chosen not to collect.

 

Most of my pens are vintage. All of them are used by me.

 

edit: Given you like your Aurora Optima, try the Aurora 88 / 88K / 88P for semi-vintage. Great pens.

I am so amateur on vintage pens.

It is great to learn new things...I didn't know Onoto. Is there a particular model you like better?

I now have a joy to look into this pen, thanks to you

 

I am also going to look around for Aurora and Waterman, they could be very expensive so I have to be patient.

[tgoto]

If you like your Vac you should consider a Parker 51 Vac or Aerometric. The Aero's are the sturdier pen insofar as restoration/endurance IMO.

Is 51 similar to Vacumatic in terms of how it writes? or is it better in certain ways?

I have never tried 51.

Sturdiness is a big factor for vintage pens though.

[MKeith]

Is 51 similar to Vacumatic in terms of how it writes? or is it better in certain ways?

I have never tried 51.

Sturdiness is a big factor for vintage pens though.

 

Yes they are very similar although the nib is "hooded" on the Vac and Aero. I believe that the Aerometric is extremely durable. Many can be found with their original "pli-glass" sacs from 1948 on. The Vac 51 can be expected to need restoration after approx. 5+ years or so due to the vac mechanism. The Aero is additionally much easier to clean when changing ink etc. The links below will help you see the differences.

 

http://parker51.com/

 

http://parkercollector.com/

Edited April 21, 2017 by MKeith

[praxim]

Onotos vary in price from the low tens of dollars. I have one outlier which cost a long way over US$160 but no others. Excluding the Magna, the average was about US$110. Aurora 88 models can be had for very similar money. I think they are a safer bet for early exploration, and riff on the Parker 51 design theme in a piston-fill pen of arguably better proportions. Have a look in the classifieds here for options as well as on ebay where there are many good sellers in Italy.

 

Onotos are most commonly sold out of Britain of course. The only nib to give me a difficult experience was a No 17 but it was bent when I bought it. Most nibs will be No 2 or 3 which are both very good, or you can get more flexibility in a No 5 in later models like the 6234. Some are plunger fillers, some lever. For early ventures you may wish to prefer a lever fill like the 1220 or 1332 with No 22 nib. In plunge fillers you will need a slightly greater sense of adventure but I think that issue can be overplayed. I have highly reliable writers in various pens in all the ranges from 2000 to 6000. The 3050 and 4601 or 5601 pens are fairly readily available and good pens with 2 or 3/ST nibs. Make sure you get one already restored by a reputable seller.

 

Have fun. You can always sell something and try again, nor is there a rush for the best because you are likely to buy more pens sooner or later.

[ParkerDuofold]

Hi Tgoto,

 

I have nothing to contribute, but I'm going to be watching this thread closely, looking for suggestions... personally, I've had four vintage pens and they were all bad news for me... but I keep lamenting not having any.

 

Every now and then I think about giving it another go, but I don't know...

 

I wish you the best of luck in your pursuit and I hope you find a pen you like as much as your Vacumatic.

 

 

- Anthony

[tgoto]

Yes they are very similar although the nib is "hooded" on the Vac and Aero. I believe that the Aerometric is extremely durable. Many can be found with their original "pli-glass" sacs from 1948 on. The Vac 51 can be expected to need restoration after approx. 5+ years or so due to the vac mechanism. The Aero is additionally much easier to clean when changing ink etc. The links below will help you see the differences.

 

http://parker51.com/

 

http://parkercollector.com/

Thank you for the input!

I will look inti aeromatic.

51 has many colors, it will be fun

[tgoto]

Onotos vary in price from the low tens of dollars. I have one outlier which cost a long way over US$160 but no others. Excluding the Magna, the average was about US$110. Aurora 88 models can be had for very similar money. I think they are a safer bet for early exploration, and riff on the Parker 51 design theme in a piston-fill pen of arguably better proportions. Have a look in the classifieds here for options as well as on ebay where there are many good sellers in Italy.

 

Onotos are most commonly sold out of Britain of course. The only nib to give me a difficult experience was a No 17 but it was bent when I bought it. Most nibs will be No 2 or 3 which are both very good, or you can get more flexibility in a No 5 in later models like the 6234. Some are plunger fillers, some lever. For early ventures you may wish to prefer a lever fill like the 1220 or 1332 with No 22 nib. In plunge fillers you will need a slightly greater sense of adventure but I think that issue can be overplayed. I have highly reliable writers in various pens in all the ranges from 2000 to 6000. The 3050 and 4601 or 5601 pens are fairly readily available and good pens with 2 or 3/ST nibs. Make sure you get one already restored by a reputable seller.

 

Have fun. You can always sell something and try again, nor is there a rush for the best because you are likely to buy more pens sooner or later.

 

You know me already, I will keep buying

I am definitely interested in flex nib.

I will look into Onoto.

Most excellent!!

[sidthecat]

If you can get yourself to a pen show you can try out a variety of pens without the inconvenience of buying them (for the most part). You can discover if flex is really for you, and just as importantly, how much are you willing to pay for.

[tgoto]

Hi Tgoto,

I have nothing to contribute, but I'm going to be watching this thread closely, looking for suggestions... personally, I've had four vintage pens and they were all bad news for me... but I keep lamenting not having any.

Every now and then I think about giving it another go, but I don't know...

I wish you the best of luck in your pursuit and I hope you find a pen you like as much as your Vacumatic.

- Anthony

Thank you Anthony.

 

I have noticed some ebay sellers in previous fpn posts and I was lucky to win the bid on the vacumatic from one of them.

 

I am thrilled to learn more recommendations from others.

It is my joy to explore fpn members' recommendations

 

tgoto

[tgoto]

If you can get yourself to a pen show you can try out a variety of pens without the inconvenience of buying them (for the most part). You can discover if flex is really for you, and just as importantly, how much are you willing to pay for.

my biggest mistake was that I didn't go to LA pen show this year. The location is only 50 minutes from where I live!

I will definitely go to the show next year.

 

I am willing to pay more for great pens and you are absolutely right about trying out the actual pens.

I hope I can try out all of the pens recommended here.

[Tresconik]

Get a vintage Pelikan/MB with a B or broader nib

[Mauricio]

Consider some of the classic vintage pens:

 

Parker Duofold

Parker 51

Waterman 7

Waterman 52

Sheaffer Balance

Sheaffer Snorkel

Wahl Eversharp Doric

Wahl Eversharp Skyline

Conklin Crescent

Esterbrook J

Pelikan 100

Pelikan 400NN

Montblanc 149 (vintage model)

Aurora 88 (vintage model from the 1950s)

[Uncial]

About three months ago I had a little black Sheaffer vac filler with a triumph nib repaired for the princely sum of thirty euro and it works perfectly. I think it may have belonged to my grandfather. Since then I've bought two. They are often overlooked. They don't command huge prices and don't cost a fortune to repair so you can end up buying a slightly beat up one and paying to restore it all for well under a 100 euro. They are often fantastic little writers that look really cool. I've fallen in love with them all over again. They are worth considering.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Depends on what you want the nib to do.

You should be ready for semi-flex....a '50's-65 400/400nn would do well, or a Geha 790 which is much cheaper but as well build....not so fancy....is Torpedo shaped like the 146/9 or 400nn. Geha aimed at Pelikan's market being from the same town and did well, making a pen just as good.

 

Two posters I respect told me the Geha nib is a tad better than the Pelikan and in my test ....having a 760 and three 790s vs 7 Pelikan pens of that era...'50-65 agree.

Pelikan is prettier....if you get the tortoise or green stripped....black is a draw.

You need to get three rings on the cap jewel.

 

Geha 790 has jumped in price...with Great Luck on German Ebay you can still get one for E19...if the seller takes Paypal and will ship outside of Germany there are very many penny pinchers who don't see being dirt cheap costs sales. (Well I'm at fault for the price jump....I've been telling everyone how great they are for the last 6-7 years. )

790-E30-60.

760 the same size as a Pelikan 140...20% more than a 790...was once the flagship. Medium Small with a long cap for longer posting was very popular in Germany at the time...Kaweco Dia is the same size.

 

The 790 is a standard sized pen the same as an Estie or 400.

 

Pelikan 140 E90-110. various 400's with four rill/combs on the feed which = semi-flex the same price...or less saw some with in the last month or so for E70-90-120.

 

Shape of the pen...torpedo...146/9, Swan, 400nn. http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o707/boboolson1/B6FmJVwB2kKGrHqEOKm4EyyFEhzKZBMwIPTRw_12_zpskew3nmrm.jpg

 

 

Clearer look at the three rings of the cap jewel.....it must have or it could be a Geha school pen with a 'true' regular flex nib instead of semi-flex.....and OB is something to look at also. An OB of that era is a writing nib not like modern a signature nib. I started doing semi-flex with an OB 140.

I of course have OBB, OB, OM & OF in an assortment of companies. It can be regular nib....also. Just as good.

 

 

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o707/boboolson1/B6FmHUwBWkKGrHqEOKiMEyVVGG6IBMwIK6RCg_12_zpstun7ukvs.jpg

 

The above pens are from @ 1960-mid-late 60's....could be '59.

 

The next one had the three real rings...could be '58 or 59. It is a lot scarcer...cost no more when found. Did polish up well....when I buy a pen, I figure I bought the photo also.

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o707/boboolson1/img8414j_zpscuc3gw3n.jpg

 

If you got money to throw around, look for a 780....that is stripped top and bottom. Some six months ago a poster here showed up with 3-4 all in different colors......very rare...or I'd seen them before.

Colored pens cost more in Germany....in most were basic black & gold.

Edited April 22, 2017 by Bo Bo Olson

[asegier]

I use a Montblanc 22/24 from the 1950's at the moment. A very nice pen.