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A "ciros" Fountain Pen


txomsy

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Digging in my drawers I finally decided to make a review of this pen. I got it from my grand father, and it is branded "Ciros".

 

Introduction

 

"Ciros" is a Spanish (from Spain, EU) mark. It was founded in about 1950 by Emiliano Sanz Barberó, with a curious history, and is still alive through a new company "Emilsa" (for Emil-iano Sa-nz), although the founder died in 2011. It is a family brand now run by his descendants.

 

Ciros became the largest "mark-maker" of pens in Spain by issuing a huge amount of models. So many that it is said to be impossible to catalogue them all. Emiliano started in the pen world introduced by Agustín Cañada, whose father owned a stationary store in Madrid, where pens where sent to external contractors for repair. Seeing the opportunity, both of them decided to open a pen repair shop close to the aforementioned stationery shop.

 

In 1947 they moved and started to make and sell parts. And part they did, Agustín kept the repair shop and Emiliano decided to fund his own fountain pen mark "Estilográficas Ciros". It is said that the name was suggested by F. Sacristán (who, by the way, still owns one of the most renowned fountain pen shops in downtown Madrid, a must visit for any pen lover), seemingly after Cirus the Great.

 

Ciros marketed a miriad of fountain pens, mechanical pencils, and ballpoint pens, without a clear catalog, seeking the opportunity and driven by market demands. They would sell their own products, relabeled products (I've seen some german ERO pens rebranded as Ciros), etc... both budget and expensive models, always branding the product with the "Ciros" and "Marca registrada" (registered trademark" anywhere on the pen. They also marketed their own lines of pens, both in gold (made by Damiá Onsés) and stainless steel, usually branded "ciros point"

 

Probably the most well known products were the aluminium models designed after the "Taperite" ones from Waterman. They offered a good cost/quality ratio in their popular production by focusing on low prices for selling at retail stores.

 

After almost 30 years, in 1977, a new company was founded to import and distribute foreign marks like Parker, Waterman, Cross and others, and adapt to the shrinking market demand by specializing in selling products for promotional and institutional presents for private companies, (apparently producing in China now) and maintaining the "Ciros" trade mark till now.

 

More information and pictures can be found in

 

http://plumahispana.blogspot.com/2015/12/ciros-y-millians.html

http://estilograficavintage.com/ciros.html

 

All that I can say about the pen I am reviewing is that it is a "Ciros" pen, there is no way that I am aware of now to find the model (there were so many) or the date (it was given to me by my grand father, so any time after the 50's-60's is feasible, although I would bet on the 60's-70's)

 

Appearance & Design (1-10) - 5

 

Nothing stunning, a cigar shaped pen, made in celluloid or acrylic plastic, I wouldn't know, sorry. This one has a rather classic and boring shape, but with a nice green marbled swirl color mixed with shades of grey.

 

The cap, which has a breathing hole, has a band near the mouth opening, in bass-relief and golden colored with a valance engraving which seems to be part of the cap itself, and a finial with a clip on the end, also golden colored. Both golden colored parts have turned brownish with age. The cap screws on the barrel for added security.

 

The grip section is made in black plastic, The nib has lost most of its thin golden plating (though it still keeps enough to tell there was one), and the feed seems to be black plastic with longitudinal grooves that run all along the visible part.

 

post-146310-0-37252800-1543944220_thumb.jpg

 

To me it looks as if it was designed to have -from afar- the looks of a more expensive pen, while using cheaper materials, and qualities, and, at the same time, maintaining good functionality.

 

Construction & Quality (1-10) - 5

 

I can't tell what is the barrel an cap material, but I can tell that it hasn't aged well. At some point several years ago, it lost a small ring that was sitting in between the section and the barrel, and the barrel has lost one spiral of the threads, I think that it was because the material became too brittle. The clip is far from the cap body, and it is not a metal clip (it seems to be plastic as well).

 

I confess that, from afar, I find it attractive. From close up, it rather looks as a cheapie, which is to be expected from a budget product that would match the low income of popular classes of the age (my grand father was a concierge and shoe-repairman).

 

Still, the pen has aged remarkably well. It uses an aerometric system, which has been looking OK until the but-last time I used it (a couple of years ago), although now the sac feels a bit brittle and dry, and the metal part is a bit rusted.

 

post-146310-0-62526400-1543944356_thumb.jpg

 

Weight & Dimensions (1-10) - 8

 

This pen is light and a pleasure to hold in the hand, but you know, that is a matter of taste, some people love heavier pens and some don't, and yet others -like me- prefer one or the other depending on the day. It is much like any other cigar shaped pen, very comfortable in size, and about 12.7 cm long and 1.3 cm at its widest. Some 7-8mm in the grip section.

 

post-146310-0-93987100-1543944270_thumb.jpg

 

Nib & Performance (1-10) - 7 fair (and for me, fun)

 

post-146310-0-73376800-1543944308_thumb.jpg

 

It gives a lot of feedback, I do actually like it a lot because of it. How could I describe it? A bit toothy or scratchy without being obtrusive, with that slight sound or scratch that one associates with old and dip nibs. Funny, I would say. Yeah, I think it describes it, it gives a feedback similar to the one you feel with a dip pen nib, which is something I find rather appealing, makes me aware I am writing (as, e.g. opposite to, for instance, writing with a Montblanc, which you don't notice).

 

Filling System & Maintenance (1-10) - 8

 

It has an aerometric converter, so you can use it either with it or with international cartridges. I suppose that you could also convert it to an eyedropper if desired.

 

It is now rather old, so that the material is starting to show some minor signs of degradation, although no wear is appreciable on the outside, no scratches at all, but the ink sac is starting to feel dry and less elastic. That is why I do not give it more points, I have always feel uneasy about parts that can degrade with time and need a replacement that might be difficult to find.

 

All in all, I'd say it has stood the pass of time reasonably well.

 

Cost & Value (1-10) -

 

Since I didn't buy it, I cannot comment on the cost/quality ratio. From what I have been able to gather, and from the characteristics of the model, I guess it was a budget one, and therefore had a most affordable price. If so, I think this little gimmick has well paid off in excess for its price, whichever it was.

 

Conclusion (Final score [sUM/6]: X) -

 

Ciros pens were either high end or affordable budget ones, and there was a huge amount of models. This one seems to be an example of the cheaper ones, but despite its humble appearance, it has stand the pass of time in rather good condition.

 

It's not a winner and probably not a collector's dream, but apart from its humble origins, it is a nice example of good handcraft, market oriented, functional design and a reflection of (hard) times past.

Edited by txomsy

If you are to be ephemeral, leave a good scent.

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I have not been active on this wonderfull Forum for quite a long time, but now a found an opportunity to post a little sign of life.

 

Something seems to go wrong.... I'll be back later 

 

 

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Welcome back. And thanks for bringing up this old thread, I'm happy to remember this pen and the fond, family memories I associate it with.

If you are to be ephemeral, leave a good scent.

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Good to see you, Lex.

a fountain pen is physics in action... Proud member of the SuperPinks

fpn_1425200643__fpn_1425160066__super_pi

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