Ohasido - Estimating The Age Of The Pen From The Clip

[zaddick]

I am not a big collector of Ohasido pens, but I pulled one out of storage for use today and noticed the clip has the JSA letters in a larger font size and in a vertical orientation (instead of the newer horizontal). I remember reading these clips phased out in the 1990s or so and were replaced with the more current design. The photos I could find on google show the smaller, horizontal JSA in use since round about 2000.

 

This, of course, does not affect the usability of the pen. I am just the curious type and it is hard to get a lot of information about older Ohasido pens. They have historically been hard to get in the US and they are not talked about a lot on FPN. If anyone out there reading this can shed some light on the clip changes or any other tips for dating the pens I would apprecaite it. Thank you!

Edited July 13, 2018 by zaddick

[zaddick]

Here is the clip in question:

 

[Nikolaos]

This is rather interesting! I had at least 15-17 Ohasido pens over the years and I have never seen this vertical J.S.U. large font on the clip Right now I have 7 in my collection, 3 of which have no J.S.U. marking at all on the clip. One idea for dating the pen would be pulling out the nib (press fit). Some of the Sailor and Ohasido nibs do have datecodes on them.

[zaddick]

Thank you for your helpful input. I had also seen some clips without stampings of JSU at all.

 

I forgot about date codes on nubs for Sailor. I am used to them for Pilot/Namiki. A good reminder. They also seem to use Sailor nibs that have the size stamped and many that do not. I wonder if that is a time range indicator also.

 

Finally, I found an old eBay add saying that pens in this shape (flat top with a tapering body to a rounded end) used to have a cap top that was wider without a little step at the top. This newer shape where the cap tapers in and has almost a coin on top seems to be for newer pens. Mine may be an initial transition as it does taper in but the "coin" is not as well defined.

 

There are lots of nice variations from this maker which is one of their charms.

[mchenart]

I have four Ohasido pens with clips, and all of them have the horizontal line-up of J.S.U. Initials, and that include the oldest Ohasido with 21k nibs. Again, I have no idea when Ohasido ceased using the 21k nibs, but I think they are older models.

[Tinjapan]

Although I have only two Ohashido pens, Living in Japan has given me the opportunity to see them at various pens shows.

 

First, what I do know. When you sit down to look at their pens, most are without nibs and at least some are without clips. You choose the holder and ask what nibs they have with them and choose from what is available, order or wait till they have the nib you are looking for. In the case of my first Ohashido, I came back the next day for my music nib. He ground a B nib into a music for me over night.

 

The second Ohashido pen did not have a clip until I choose it. He then put one on for me. A friend of mine does not like clips on his pens and got one with out.

 

Also, there were many many many producers of clips, feeds and perhaps other parts too that sold to just about anybody. I have a Kawakubo pen from a few decades ago with the same clip my Banei pen has and the same as many recently produced pens found in Japan. I think that Eboya uses the same clips.

 

So, it seems that being able to date the clip will only tell you the date of the clip’s production and dating the nib tell only the date of the nib’s manufacture, but not date of the holder’s manufacture.

 

Now for what I do not know for certain. As far as the holder’s design goes, they display a number of different designs. While I am sure that there is a specific year they decided to “mass produce” any specific design, there may be cases of the same design being made in small quantities or even as “one ofs” before then. These pens are all turned by hand by more than one pen turner. I do not know how much freedom they have in turning their own designs.

 

FPN’s Bruno Taut knows a lot about Japanese pens. He would know know more than I do.

[mongrelnomad]

Quick question: does anyone know the timetable for Ohasido fairs later this year? I plan to be in Japan October-November this year and was hoping to be able to attend one.

[Penbeginner]

Quick question: does anyone know the timetable for Ohasido fairs later this year? I plan to be in Japan October-November this year and was hoping to be able to attend one.

 

They list their fair dates and place on their Facebook page. So far they are up to September 3rd only. I assume they are at the Tokyo Pen Show on September 29th and 30th. As for October and November, you will have to keep an eye out on their Facebook or Instagram page.

[mongrelnomad]

Thanks to all. Fingers crossed our dates coincide.