Favorite High End Pen?

[coleb87]

Hey all, I'm looking to add another nice pen to my collection some time... I love both vintage and modern.

I would love for the pen to be real smooth, and decently wet but not an ink-hose (I really enjoy the pelikan I have)

I find flex to be interesting but not needed, so whichever way works.

I tend to like a slightly larger pen. But I can get along just fine with most sizes!

 

I have an interest in the following so far:

-MB 149

-Modern Eversharp Decoband

-Visconti Medici (Beautiful, but Q/c issues?)

-Oversize Eversharp Doric. My dream vintage pen, I can just never seem to come across one at the right time!

-Delta Dolce Vita

-Omas (I don't really have a specific model in mind)

-Really most anything vintage, now that I think about it.

 

What would you recommend? It doesn't have to be from that list, so feel free to give ideas!

[Barkingpig]

From your list I have a Delta Dolce Vita, Oversized, which was my first "nice" (for me, High End) pen; It has a wonderful stub nib & is as large a pen as interests me.

 

The modern Eversharp Decoband is almost more of a "club," yet it's beautiful finish, soft nib with that RED feed, makes it's added size forgivable.

 

I also consider my last "nice" pen, the ONOTO, Magna (with additional brass weight) to have been a pleasure since the day it arrived. The standard Broad 18kt nib, has not required customisation, despite my preference for italic or stub nibs.

 

I would grab my Omas Ogiva, FIRST, if the house was on fire, but they are becoming harder to find for consideration. It has probably the nicest nib I have & was my favorite celluloid finish they made.

[Bo Bo Olson]

I prefer the '50's MB pens to modern.They have better nibs, all are stubs & semi-flex....so being semi-flex will be wetter nibs.

The 146 is a much more nimble pen than the 149, which I've tried in my B&M. I prefer my '50's medium-large 146 over my Large '70-80 146. The '50's one has a maxi-semi-flex nib, which is luck of the draw....but all '50's MB's will have at least a semi-flex. My '70-80's has a regular flex, my 2006 Virginia Woolf has a modern MB nib you want, slightly stubbish, "Springy" = good tine bend but only 2X tine spread. Butter smooth.

Butter smooth nails are easy to find, if that's all you want. And steel is as good as gold....no BS.

 

What Pelikan do you have?

I find a modern 146 to be better balanced, more nimble than an 800.

Edited April 2, 2018 by Bo Bo Olson

[jchch1950]

The Omas factory is close and to find spare parts for some is almost impossible.

[hari317]

-MB 149

this is a basic nice pen everyone must try. you might love it.

[praxim]

Did you look at S T Dupont, or Graf von Faber Castell? The former in particular may be interesting.

[markshan]

My favourite high-end pen is the Visconti Homo Sapiens. One with a medium, the other with a broad stub. Both tuned by Mike Masuyama. It's about the perfect pen for me. I have some issues with the filling system where it barely fills a third of the barrel in a fill. I can still get a full fill but it's not the 60%+ fill on something like the Pilot Custom 823.

 

Yard-O-Led Viceroy Grand Victorian is worth looking into, and so is the ASC Bologna Extra, but I don't have either of those pens.

[Driften]

I prefer the MB 146 to my 149, but some people like the larger pen better.

I would also suggest you buy used. You can get nice pens MB's for less that way.

[max dog]

I never tire looking at my

Yard O Led Viceroy Grand Victorian

[vicpen123]

There is something about a decorative barrel and cap that sets one pen apart from another and makes a pen high end. Makes no difference to the quality of the nib or the experience in writing but it does appeal to the senses.

 

Ordinary single colour pens just don't qualify unless there is a simply stunning nib hidden under the cap. There needs to be either a decorative pattern on the surface like the a Parker 75 Cisele or a decorative pattern and finish in the material like the Parker Centennial Pear and Black or a bright and colourful translucent celluloid like a Danitrio Cum Laude.

 

Things of beauty before they write.

[Jezza]

I was going to recommend Pelikan, but I see you already have one...just one? 😜 Aurora might be an option for you. It has numerous models in dazzling colors and materials, but with generally few quality control issues compared to other Italian pens. They also make their own nibs and ebonite feeds.

Edited April 3, 2018 by Jezza

[roaringrabbit]

My grail pen is the Pelikan M600 I'm waiting on. Previously, I'd not had one that I wanted too badly other than a Pilot CH912 with a PO nib.. which someday I will probably still get, but I'm waiting til I travel to Japan to get one. I figured it would make a nice souvenir.

 

I saw a thread on another forum recently saying, "now what?" (after the user had acquired their grail pen). For me, it'll be focusing on starting a collection of vintage nibs, unusual size nibs, custom nibs, fancy inks, fancy papers, and all the interesting accouterments. I'm already eyeing blue leather journals to go along with the "turquoise" barrel. Working on my penmanship is something I'm actually starting today. I mean if I'm going to have a fancy pen then I am going to have even fancier writing daggon it. ... but forgive me, I'm off topic here.

 

Pilot pens have always been a favorite of mine, from the cheapest I've tried to the most expensive. I've heard nothing but good things about the Pelikan brand and have been told that they're a solid brand that you can pretty much expect to last to pass down to a grandkid.

 

I can, however, very vocally caution against getting a Visconti. Granted, mine was a Rembrandt. I actually just posted up a review about that bad boy. The pens are lovely, and very very heavy.. however the steel nib I had wrote only when it wanted, hard started, tore paper, and in general was even more temperamental than I am. I was very upset, because of the poor balance of it as well, as writing with it was actually quite painful. I would never purchase another one without having the ability to test it out myself. On the plus side, it was very pretty and the calligraphy nib was about the wettest writer 20% of the time that I've ever had.

Edited April 3, 2018 by roaringrabbit

[mitto]

MB 146 is my favourite. Though I also like using MB 149s.

 

My other favourite is Parker 51 though most would not consider it high end.

[Fermata]

MB 146 is my favourite. Though I also like using MB 149s.

 

My other favourite is Parker 51 though most would not consider it high end.

 

 

Would agree with that. It may be just my imagination but there is a certain ceremony to filling and then using a 149, almost a sense of theatre.

 

I found my fathers 51 Insignia yesterday and that seems very special, it was kept seperate from his other pens. Not sure why he hadnt used it, It has the name Martin Fox as an engraving and I know he doesnt like personalisations.

 

The nib needed tweaking and a light polish has it looking like new.

[Fermata]

My grail pen is the Pelikan M600 I'm waiting on. Previously, I'd not had one that I wanted too badly other than a Pilot CH912 with a PO nib.. which someday I will probably still get, but I'm waiting til I travel to Japan to get one. I figured it would make a nice souvenir.

 

I saw a thread on another forum recently saying, "now what?" (after the user had acquired their grail pen). For me, it'll be focusing on starting a collection of vintage nibs, unusual size nibs, custom nibs, fancy inks, fancy papers, and all the interesting accouterments. I'm already eyeing blue leather journals to go along with the "turquoise" barrel. Working on my penmanship is something I'm actually starting today. I mean if I'm going to have a fancy pen then I am going to have even fancier writing daggon it. ... but forgive me, I'm off topic here.

 

Pilot pens have always been a favorite of mine, from the cheapest I've tried to the most expensive. I've heard nothing but good things about the Pelikan brand and have been told that they're a solid brand that you can pretty much expect to last to pass down to a grandkid.

 

I can, however, very vocally caution against getting a Visconti. Granted, mine was a Rembrandt. I actually just posted up a review about that bad boy. The pens are lovely, and very very heavy.. however the steel nib I had wrote only when it wanted, hard started, tore paper, and in general was even more temperamental than I am. I was very upset, because of the poor balance of it as well, as writing with it was actually quite painful. I would never purchase another one without having the ability to test it out myself. On the plus side, it was very pretty and the calligraphy nib was about the wettest writer 20% of the time that I've ever had.

 

 

 

Love your writing style.

[ThomasB]

I see you like big pens, as do I, so I'll stick with these:

• MB149: Can't go wrong with this quintessential big pen.
• Delta Dolce Vita: This is a BIG pen as far as girth. Both the body and section feel BIG in the hands
• Visconti: I have the Divina Elegance and LOVE it...I was able to special order an italic nib for it which makes it all the more better
• Omas: I have the latter issue paragon with the metal sections...Great Pens...and the Arco Brown pattern is beautiful...I also have the Paragon version right before and it is smaller and lighter but still a nice sized pen. But do note Omas is out of business so any repair would be difficult to source
• Parker: first issued flat top Duofold Centennials...I am in fact using my Orange one today with a broad italic...feels good in the hand
• Yard O Led: I saw someone mentioned the Grand Viceroy earlier and it is a nice hefty pen
• Classic Pens: I believe these are the Lambrou special editions...The earlier ones are usually in sterling silver and are again big, hefty pens
• Aurora: Aurora is in my opinion an underappreciated brand...I have 88s and Optimas and both are well balanced models...The Optima is a "shorter pen" but has good girth and is well balanced when posted

Anyway, my 2 cents

 

Thomas

[Moruk]

Did you look at S T Dupont, or Graf von Faber Castell? The former in particular may be interesting.

 

I agree. Duponts don't get the recognition they deserve, IMHO

[senzen]

I really like my Waterman Le Man 100, it's a nice big pen but they do seem to have corrosion problems at the collar; my Sailor professional Gear with Rhodium trim is a very subdued design, but comfortable and with an interesting nib.

 

It took me a while to really appreciate these pens, and an m600, I seem to have needed to go through cheaper but still decent ones first.

[sansenri]

The Graf von Faber Castell Intuition Platino Wood may not be an iconic pen as much as others mentioned here, it's a modern pen in fact, but I find among modern pens it's one that has character, innovation and very carefully thought design.

The size is right (slightly wider than the Classic), the one piece section-barrel is amazing (no threads at last!), the wodden feel is luxurious, the converter mechanism is a bright idea (to achieve the one piece section-barrel), the balance is right, the nib is ever so smooth, the pen just oozes quality.

My Ebony is really fantastic!

 

Finding one, I would still probably go for a celluloid Omas though!

[praxim]

Given you have a Pelikan and like it, you should also cast your eye over a Toledo.