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Looking For Info: Vintage Japanese Eyedropper Pens


jekostas

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Hey all.

 

I recently purchased a pair of vintage, Urushi over ebonite eyedropper pens and I've had a heck of a time finding information about them from anywhere. I was hoping someone could provide a little enlightenment.

 

The first is this little Woden:

 

sf5EnR6.jpg

 

Quite a smallish pen, similar in size to what were often referred to as "Lady's" or "Purse" pens, though it's longer than a ringtop. The imprint says "Woden New Pen, No. 1952". The clip is engraved "Fountain Pen". The pen had the original paper price tag included with a price of 130 yen. From what I could gather the 100+ yen pricing would put it roughly in the decade following WWII, but that's all I could find. The pen was purchased as NOS, unused, and the quality is good, but not outstanding. The lacquer work is good but there are, for example, visible machining marks in the ebonite.

 

The nib is chrome-plated stainless steel with the engraving of "Special Woden Pen M2". All of the trim is chromed as well.

 

The second is this Niole:

 

cbSFxWJ.jpg

 

This pen is quite a bit larger, on par size-wise with a modern MB 146. The barrel imprint says "Niole (with a stylized O) Made in Japan". This pen was used and came with no documentation. The lacquer work is absolutely first rate, with great depth and transparency (possibly a Kuro-Dame type finish?). The ebonite is in perfect condition with no marks, and the lacquer has only minor wear despite obvious signs of usage.

 

The nib is gold plated, and is engraved "Standard Hardest Iridium JIS 3". I understand that the JIS imprint places at least the nib post-1955, but I'm not sure the nib is original.

 

Could anyone out provide some more info? The seller from whom I purchased the pens stated that both pens were pre-WWII, but the price tag on the Woden contradicts that.

Edited by jekostas
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Woden was an average small pen maker in the 1950s. I used to have a nice hiramakie pen by them a number of years ago.There were two or three vintage advertisements on the internet, probably on one of the Japanese blogs. Would take a lot of time to find it. Sorry.

 

They were okay pens for the period. Nice keepsakes today. Your is in super condition. Hold on to it.

 

The noname black torpedo is a typical Japanese pen. Many many models were made by countless makers. If it writes well, you got a great pen.

stan

Formerly Ryojusen Pens
The oldest and largest buyer and seller of vintage Japanese pens in America.


Member: Pen Collectors of America & Fuente, THE Japanese Pen Collectors Club

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Thanks for the info. They're my first Urushi pens, so I'm definitely keeping them, helped in no small part that I paid an absurdly low price (~$65 shipped for both).

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