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2017 Retospective


pepsiplease69

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Looking back at the entire year of 2017, what all pens did you purchase?

( not counting other writing necessities like ink, paper, leather cases or covers, nibs and other accessories)

 

I purchased the following:

 

1- Modern Parker Duofold black & Pearl with #98 Fine Italic nib

From ebay

 

2- Desiderata Daedalus pen

 

3- Lamy 2000 Black Amber with B nib

From ebay (I got it for a steal)

 

4- Parker Duofold International Black w/ #94 Medium Italic nib and Harvard University medallion on the cap finial.

From ebay (after haggling the price down some)

 

5- Pelikan M215 Blue Stripe (rare)

From Teri @ Peyton Street Pens

 

6- Noodlers Boston Safety pen

Pre-order as of now, so maybe this one doesnt count.

 

I went on a crazy binge for empty ink bottles, montblanc shoe bottles, Lamy bottles, as well as some vintage bottles, but that was a short burst of purchasing.

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2017 is the year I entered the fountain pen world and I wound up with more pens than I might have guessed, with no real regrets, thankfully. I won’t list the specifics but I’ve sampled Pilot, Sailor, Lamy, Aurora, TWSBI, and Pelikan. Across these I’ve sampled different shapes, sizes, colors, and nibs. All were new except for one vintage Pelikan. Pelikan has become the brand that makes me want to expand upon, accumulating a small assortment so far. There are numerous other brands out there which attract my admiration but I don’t feel the need to acquire any.

 

For 2018 I plan to stray from new pens and turn my attention to familiarizing myself with vintage Parkers. Sure, there are many other vintage brands to consider, but this is my path.

 

It probably goes without saying, but I’m very much enjoying this new interest/hobby.

 

- Marc

Ink 'em if you got 'em!

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About 150, mostly vintage, mostly paid for by previous sales, and mostly tried, appreciated, and sold on. Slowed right down in the last three months, as my wish list is getting shorter, and still selling to trim the collection.

 

Edit: just started listed the highlights... but there really are too many!

Hi, I'm Mat


:)

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I purchased five pens during 2017, very different pens as well. The first three combined were less than half as expensive as either of the other two. All are well liked and four of the five are currently inked.

 

In order:

Parker 45 (burgundy) A nib (Accountant)

Esterbrook J transitional (blue) 1555 Gregg

Esterbrook J (copper) 2556 nib. The nib fell apart and I replaced it with a 1551.

Pelikan 140 F

Pelikan M200 brown marbled M

Brad

"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind" - Rudyard Kipling
"None of us can have as many virtues as the fountain-pen, or half its cussedness; but we can try." - Mark Twain

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For me 2017 has been the year of the custom spare nibs for my Kaweco Lilliputs.

 

I purchased two 14K Kaweco/Bock nib units (B, M) from Cult Pens in the UK (no affiliation).

Sent these nibs to Pendleton Brown to be stubbed. The B nib was also reduced in width to about .05mm. Both the Kaweco/Bock 060 feeds were "reworked" to flow best with a dry ink like Pelikan 4001 blue/black ink.

 

In addition, I successfully sold a F-C "Iterum" 03 with an 18K custom stub on FPN Classifieds.

When I tried to sell two more expensive Sailors, the FPN Classifieds programme would not allow me to upload my images. This is still an ongoing issue. Most annoying!

*Sailor 1911S, Black/gold, 14k. 0.8 mm. stub(JM) *1911S blue "Colours", 14k. H-B "M" BLS (PB)

*2 Sailor 1911S Burgundy/gold: 14k. 0.6 mm. "round-nosed" CI (MM) & 14k. 1.1 mm. CI (JM)

*Sailor Pro-Gear Slim Spec. Ed. "Fire",14k. (factory) "H-B"

*Kaweco SPECIAL FP: 14k. "B",-0.6 mm BLS & 14k."M" 0.4 mm. BLS (PB)

*Kaweco Stainless Steel Lilliput, 14k. "M" -0.7 mm.BLS, (PB)

 

 

 

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My 2017 pen acquisition list is bigger than I thought:

  • Vintage Eversharp Skyline with flex nib, from Greg Minuskin at the LA Pen Show
  • Esterbrook J with an Osmiroid Italic nib, from a LA Pen Show dealer table
  • Bexley Owner's Club 2017 (20/45) in purple, an LA Pen Show impulse purchase I've been very happy with
  • Three Pilot 78Gs with BB Italic nibs from Peyton Street Pens at the LA Pen Show
  • TWSBI Eco (this was a gift from a friend, as thank-you for helping him with a project)
  • A Pilot Penmanship, from JetPens, I use for illustration work
  • Lamy Safari Petrol, from Goulet. Swooped in the moment these went on sale.
  • Lamy Al-Star Pacific, from Goulet when they ran a BOGO Lamy sale
  • Lamy Dialog 3, discounted at the LamyUSA distributor fire sale

Pens I considered but didn't buy this year:

  • Aurora 88 Flex - I loved the colors of this line of pens, especially the yellow and orange versions, but overall reviews on this pen and especially the flex nib were "meh", specifically on value for money (and this is to me a very expensive pen). Also, the vintage Skyline has filled the niche for flexible nibs in my collection.
  • Modern Wahl-Eversharp Skyline - I passed on this at the Wahl-Eversharp table at LA Pen Show in favor of vintage, but I think I want a modern version of this pen in CC filler. I think this might be on my 2018 wishlist
  • Lamy Aion - been on the fence over this one, but by the time it came out I had bought the Dialog 3 so had my fill of Lamy for the year. I want to see this pen in person before deciding.
Edited by ErrantSmudge
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I've bought 68 so far - but there are still two days left so maybe it will go higher!

 

Of course, I sold quite a few as well. Just all part of an active "catch and release" program.

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Pens for me:

  • Franklin Christoph Model 02 Antique Glass - Fine Cursive Italic nib
  • Kaweco Liliput Stainless Steel - Extra-fine nib
  • Pilot Kakuno Clear/Demonstrator - Extra-fine nib

Pens I bought as gifts for others (newbies):

  • Lamy Al-Star Pacific Blue - Medium nib
  • Lamy Al-Star Purple - Medium nib
  • Lamy Safari Petrol - Fine Nib
  • TSWBI Eco Lime - Medium nib
  • Pilot Metro White Tiger - Medium nib

Share the pen love!

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Of course, I sold quite a few as well. Just all part of an active "catch and release" program.

Catch and release? Am I in TZ?? Oh, now I see, its whichwatch! :-)

 

- Marc

Ink 'em if you got 'em!

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For me 2017 has been the year of the custom spare nibs for my Kaweco Lilliputs.

 

I purchased two 14K Kaweco/Bock nib units (B, M) from Cult Pens in the UK (no affiliation).

Sent these nibs to Pendleton Brown to be stubbed. The B nib was also reduced in width to about .05mm. Both the Kaweco/Bock 060 feeds were "reworked" to flow best with a dry ink like Pelikan 4001 blue/black ink.

 

This year I bought:

  • A Parker Victory with a semi-flexible nib
  • A Parker 51, full size, burgundy
  • A Parker Duofold Junior
  • A Platinum 3776

But what a great idea to have someone improve a Kaweco nib. My Kaweco is the only pen I regret buying, because although it has a cute design and is not a very expensive pen, its nib isn't even as good as the nib on a pen costing a fraction of its price! Someone adjusted it for me, but still... Are the 14K Kaweco nibs significantly better than the steel ones?

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Around 140 vintage pens including 68 Parker 51s, 17 Parker 75 ciselè, NS/AF and aero Duofolds, Parker VS, Parker Sonnet Fougare, Parker striped Duofolds, vintage Pelikan 400s, 400NNs and 140s. And some Swans, Conway Stewarts, Waterman 52s, Bayards, Parker 45s flighters, customs and signets (all gold nibs) as well some others that escape my memory at the time.

 

Sold none.

Khan M. Ilyas

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I practiced restraint and bought only a Kakuno this year! :lticaptd:

Seriously needed to save money for various reasons this year.

 

In 2018 on the other hand, it looks like I might finally pull the trigger on a nice little Pilot Stella 90s, as well as some vintage pens I've always coveted - a crosshatched Pilot Elite, perhaps a Snorkel too.

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Parker I.M. 2016+ model. This pen had some trouble starting up, even after cleaning it with water. The hole in the cap was too big, so the ink in the feed and nib would dry. Went back to the seller, he kindly replaced the pen, but not the cap, and said that I am not supposed to clean the fountain pen with water, at least not after directly buying it. And yes, he is a seller specialised in fountain pens.

Fixed the hole in the cap myself, and now it is a marvellous pen, really enjoy writing with it!

 

TWSBI Eco with a 1.1mm stub. Excellent pen, in my opinion at least. Holds a ton of ink, smooth stub nib, does have a large sweet spot. There is a tiny sweetspot, however, which results in a really wet line.

 

A dip pen and a couple of dip nibs.

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I trebled the number I sold. Unfortunately the number I bought was over ten times that. Still, I feel the top of the curve is about here. Being very satisfied with those I have accumulated in the last couple of years, I am likely to keep the number stable or reducing slightly, with purchases more for service and sale (I have some of those now) or the occasional trade out for something in. A pretty good year.

X

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A pretty quiet year of using what I have, for the most part. I did end up buying several pens:

 

  • A gold "Night and Day" Waterman Watermina, as the source of a donor cap for one I already had;
  • An Esterbrook M2, for the 9314-M point it held;
  • Two Jinhao 303 "Om and Ganesha" pens, one as a Christmas gift and one for me.

 

And a few nibs and other things, which don't count here.

 

I've never gotten into a buying frenzy, even when I was new to the hobby. I can take months, or years, of mulling before "pulling the trigger" on something.

fpn_1375035941__postcard_swap.png * * * "Don't neglect to write me several times from different places when you may."
-- John Purdue (1863)

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I practiced restraint and bought only a Kakuno this year! :lticaptd:

Seriously needed to save money for various reasons this year.

 

In 2018 on the other hand, it looks like I might finally pull the trigger on a nice little Pilot Stella 90s, as well as some vintage pens I've always coveted - a crosshatched Pilot Elite, perhaps a Snorkel too.

 

 

One Kakuno... I would like an autographed picture to put on my fridge and remind me that it really IS possible to only buy one pen in a year. What a joy it would be, to go from "one of everything" to "only one"! :notworthy1: Well done.

"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working." -Pablo Picasso


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I only bought two pens, both of which I am totally pleased with a Pelikan Aubergine (625) and an Aurora 88 Minerali (Azurite).

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