A Slight Departure From The Usual First Fountain Pen Thread

[Carrau]

Platinum 3776 and Edison pens as recommended above, and Leonardo or Santini would be other choices.

Edited May 29, 2020 by Herrjaeger

[sirgilbert357]

OP said he would usually pick a Lamy Al-Star or an L2K, but this time wants to get something "a bit grander" -- and people are recommending a TWSBI? Maybe I'm missing something... LOL.

 

I'd probably get this person a Pelikan M600 in a medium or fine nib, and check the nib prior to gifting to ensure it functions properly. Only potential downside for someone like her is they aren't C/C, but filling it from a bottle might add to the charm for her. This is personal preference and it can be hard to know if you haven't asked her or she's never had experience with both filling systems.

 

If you'd lean more towards a C/C pen, I'd suggest looking at Pilot and Sailor -- there are a myriad of options between those two. Likely just about any color/size/price range combination you want will be available, with gold or steel nibs in some cases. She should recognize the Pilot name (but may not realize they make high quality "expensive" pens too). Lamy should probably also be in the running, but I consider the L2K one of their best products, so if you want something "grander" than that, well...I don't know...LOL.

Edited May 29, 2020 by sirgilbert357

[Paganini]

I would like to know if there's an anticipated use for this pen.

 

What I mean is, does the intended recipient already do a lot of drawing or writing or journaling with gel pens, or something, and the OP would like to introduce her to a more elegant tool from a more civilized age?

 

Or will it just be "that fancy pen that Uncle OP gave me" and sit in a display box most of the time, only coming out once a year to sign christmas cards?

 

Or will it be a tough EDC banging around in purse and pocket with keys and such, used for on the fly note-taking in college classes and lectures?

 

I think the pen needs to suit the person.

 

That being said, I also think Lamy 2000 is pretty grand. I'd sure be happy to get one. It's hard to beat the personal pen choice of Neil Gaiman as a gift pen without getting something super fancy.

 

- N

[sirgilbert357]

It's hard to beat the personal pen choice of Neil Gaiman as a gift pen without getting something super fancy.

 

- N

 

 

I thought that was a Pilot Custom 823? THAT would also be a pretty nice gift, IMO, but not everyone thinks demonstrators look "grand". I LOVE my 823 though...

[Arkanabar]

I also have large sized men's hands and can't deal at all with Pelikan's diminutive 200/205 size, and even struggle with 400s. I can't remember now if a budget was mentioned but I would include as possibilities some already mentioned, including the 3776 which is available in a wide variety of colours or a nice Cross Townsend which is a super writer. I'm just about to receive a Duofold Centennial as a belated birthday present so perhaps an International (as a size compromise) could be considered?

I also wear Large sized men's gloves, and the M200/M205 are my favorite pens. They are the same size as the M400, the differences being (primarily) that the M400 has a celluloid binde, a 14kt gold nib, and an extra trim ring or two. I've swapped caps between the two without issue.

[Paganini]

 

 

I thought that was a Pilot Custom 823? THAT would also be a pretty nice gift, IMO, but not everyone thinks demonstrators look "grand". I LOVE my 823 though...

 

I read that he uses a Lamy 2k as his "workhorse" pen. I.e., he handwrites his novels with it, whereas his Pilot Custom 823 is his "signing pen." Of course, he is a rich dude and can have all the expensive pens he wants!

 

- N

[GreenMountain]

You didn't ask about paper, but a pen without good paper wouldn't be as fun. Once you decide on the pen, you could get a selection of notebooks, loose leaf, and stationary and put it in a nice box. (I have an Microsoft Surface box that is perfect for storing paper.) While you are at it, you could throw in a few books about handwriting, or a subscription to John Neal Books' Letter Arts Review or Bound & Lettered.

[Pensei]

Coming in late here. There are so many variables, including budget, and of course there is the simple fact that some people are not interested in fountain pens, and never will be, introducing the possibility that this very nice gift will never be used, unless you have some preview of interest on the part of the recipient, such as curiosity expressed regarding your own pens.

All that said, I would say the budget choice ( and it's still a very nice gift) is a TWSBI, which is a little bit unusual and a little bit sparkly, generally reliable nib OOB, hence a good gift. And less "waste" if it isn't used.

If price is no object, I think the Pelikan 600 Violet and White is the fairly obvious choice. Lifetime pen, very attractive (I'm going with your mention of pink), and (key point), you can tell it's expensive by looking at it. It comes in a nice gift box. As you probably know, the pen is no longer manufactured, but is available from a number of online vendors (and maybe in stores; I don't have one of them). As you probably also know, Pelikans are on the broad side of the nib scale, so think twice before going beyond F, although you can figure that better than I can from seeing the person's writing. Get a nice bottle of Pelikan Violet 4001 (the distinction of Edelstein is unnecessary), and if she wants a broader line, then go to a wetter ink. (Maybe get a small bottle of such as a throw-in?)

[DrDebG]

I would suggest something a bit different. I would recommend a Visconti Rembrandt in Pink or a Visconti Van Gogh Souvenier de Mauves. These are both cartridge/converter pens, which may work better for a new fountain pen user. And they are unabashedly "PINK". Add a nice bottle of pink ink. I would recommend Pilot Iroshizuku Kosumosu or Pilot Iroshizuku Tsutuji depending upon how vibrant you choose.

 

These are lovely pens and write very well when tuned properly. I recently purchased a Rembrandt and it is an excellent writer.

[Chouffleur]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I've filled a few idle hours reading up on each option.

 

Being an unimaginative sort I'm leaning toward the Pelikan M600 Violet-White in Medium or Fine in line with sirgilbert357's (magnum?) thinking.

 

 

[snip..]

 

I'd probably get this person a Pelikan M600 in a medium or fine nib, and check the nib prior to gifting to ensure it functions properly. Only potential downside for someone like her is they aren't C/C, but filling it from a bottle might add to the charm for her. This is personal preference and it can be hard to know if you haven't asked her or she's never had experience with both filling systems.

 

[snip...]

 

I'll have it shipped here to check the nib. I'll take a chance on the bottle being acceptable as sometimes the "old-fashioned" option has a certain charm. Then again I was a source of amusement to my friends by using a shaving brush when their fathers used foam from a can. So I might not be the best judge of that sort of thing.

 

In order to make up for lack of pinkness in the pen I was going to throw a bit in with paper and ink. My only experience of pink ink is Iroshizuko Yama-Budo but I don't know if that's a good match for a Pelikan M600 in terms of ink flow. The color is quite nice though.

 

If you were buying ink and paper (either stationery or journal/notebook) with the M600 as a starting point, what would you choose?

 

Thanks again for all your responses. The pen-buying fever had long abated before I started this forum thread. Now I feel twinges of it again. That would make this a more expensive gift than I'd imagined ;-)

[corgicoupe]

For stationery I would consider Crane Co.