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Oldwin - Mora Stylos


Leigh R

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There were two pen shops I wanted to visit in Paris: Styl'Honore and Mora Stylos. Styl'Honore, because FPN member davidbosman wrote about their in-house ink, and Mora Stylos, to get an Oldwin.

 

So here's the Oldwin.

 

There was a flattop version of the red ebonite with mandarin yellow ends. There was also a mandarin yellow in the pointy-ended cigar shape. After writing with all three, I chose the pointy-ended red ebonite. It felt the best in my hand.

 

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d138/leighpod/Oldwin/oldwin-full.jpg

 

It's larger and heavier than I thought it would be. The threads are next to the nib, which makes the body of the pen look more seamless when I write with it. The lovely lady at the shop told me the ebonite is old stock from the fifties. I took to the smell immediately. If any of you are familiar with L'Artisan Parfumeur's Dzing! (a fragrance that has been described as cedar sawdust and burnt rubber), it's close.

 

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d138/leighpod/Oldwin/oldwin-capoff.jpg

 

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d138/leighpod/Oldwin/oldwin-thickness.jpg

 

The nib is simply engraved Oldwin Paris, 18k-750. It is plain and huge. It only comes in a fat medium. Apparently the factory they order their nibs from requires a minimum of 200 per nib width, so I elected to be content with the fat medium, extra-fine girl that I usually am. The nib has a touch of flex, and writes very smoothly.

 

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d138/leighpod/Oldwin/oldwin-nib.jpg

 

They fitted it with a Waterman converter. I expect it can also be used as an eyedropper, but I've yet to try.

 

The box is uncompromisingly plain.

 

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d138/leighpod/Oldwin/oldwin-box.jpg

 

Here's a size comparison. From left to right, Tibaldi Iride, Omas Arco in the Milord size, and the Oldwin. Side by side with the MB 149, the Oldwin is slightly less fat, and a little longer. (No picture of that, sorry.)

 

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d138/leighpod/Oldwin/oldwin-sizecomparison.jpg

 

Here's a write-and-sketch sample, using Styl'Honore's Noir Diamant ink on Moleskine watercolor notebook paper. I like the even lines, which just flow out of the nib without skipping, even on paper that has a bit of texture. (I thought Noir Diamant sounded like a suave assassin, so there you go, that's why the sketch is like that.)

 

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d138/leighpod/Oldwin/oldwin-writingsample.jpg

 

My friend was shocked at what I paid for the pen. (Even with detaxé at the airport.) For that much money he expected to see more bling. It certainly cost more than my other friend's designer shoes, which she also bought in Paris. I think we pay what we feel the pen is worth, and the more I enjoy the Oldwin, the more it will be worth it. :)

 

 

 

 

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Hi, Thats Oldwin is a beauty, it is truly said that beauty lies in simplicity... Thanks for doing this nice review.

In case you wish to write to me, pls use ONLY email by clicking here. I do not check PMs. Thank you.

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Many thanks for the wonderful review and pictures.

 

May I ask why you choose the hardrubber finish? How do the other "acrylic/celluloid" finishes look like in real life?

 

I'm always brwosing through André's website but could not decide on a finihs yet :-)

 

Cheers

 

Michael

 

 

PS: I'd really like to see this pen besides an vintage OS Balance and the Tibaldi Bononia for comparison!

Edited by Michael R.
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Leigh, I think you made a perfectly lovely choice of pen!

 

Of course, it's the one I'd have picked as well. :)

deirdre.net

"Heck we fed a thousand dollar pen to a chicken because we could." -- FarmBoy, about Pen Posse

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Thank you so much for this review, and the pics. I have been so curious about Oldwin pens and very frustrated that no one had yet done a review.

 

The plain, straightforeward design of the pen is almost Japanese in its Zen-like simplicity. I love that simplicity. The threads near the nib makes ever so much sense to me - for both the design and comfort in gripping the pen. I like large pens, and this pen being similar to the MB 149 in size is all the more attractive. The pens looked large in photos, but I wanted some assurance the pens are as large as I hoped.

 

I confess to being surprized that only one nib point is available. For the cost of the pen, I fully expected more options. However, I would (will) try the M before I would do anything to it.

 

I like the warm feel of ebonite, and the red-black seems to me the very definition of "ebonite." I probably would have chosen the same pen.

 

Now I have to keep saving my money for my special Christmas pen. It might come down to a choice of an Oldwin or a Nakaya, and that will be a hard choice.

 

I hope you continue to enjoy your pen.

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That pen is a real looker & the nib threads spell "well thought out design" to me

 

I have a couple of questions like overall length & what's the diameter of the barrel & section? ~ The other pens & the Montblanc reference are unknown to me so I have no point of reference.

 

Another questions are ... who did that wondeful sketch? & was it all done with the Oldwin Medium Nib?

 

 

Many Thanks

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Many thanks for the wonderful review and pictures.

 

May I ask why you choose the hardrubber finish? How do the other "acrylic/celluloid" finishes look like in real life?

 

I'm always brwosing through André's website but could not decide on a finihs yet :-)

 

Cheers

 

Michael

 

 

PS: I'd really like to see this pen besides an vintage OS Balance and the Tibaldi Bononia for comparison!

 

I have neither an OS Balance or a Bononia! :) The acrylic materials look delicious in real life, a little more translucent than the pictures on morastylos.com. I am a big fan of vintage red ebonite, rippled or mottled, so this was a natural choice. The shape of the Classic model I just find more appealing than the flattop (which they call the Art Deco model on the site), but if I only had flattops to choose from, I'd get the red ebonite with the mandarin yellow ends. Yum!

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Thank you for the review Leigh.

 

Bill

"Life moves pretty fast, if you do not stop and look around once and a while you might just miss it."

Ferris Bueller

 

 

 

Bill Smith's Photography

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Thanks for the informative review of the big pen.

 

This is the first time I have heard of an Oldwin pen. It is good to learn new things everyday.

 

purpledog

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These pens are made by Mr Andre Mora, my favorite pen seller and he has been very long in the business successing to his father Boris Mora. There is a big version of this oldwin called the black Giant and costing 800 euros. I might get one myself but not for yet.

Pens are like watches , once you start a collection, you can hardly go back. And pens like all fine luxury items do improve with time

 

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I have neither an OS Balance or a Bononia! :) The acrylic materials look delicious in real life, a little more translucent than the pictures on morastylos.com. I am a big fan of vintage red ebonite, rippled or mottled, so this was a natural choice. The shape of the Classic model I just find more appealing than the flattop (which they call the Art Deco model on the site), but if I only had flattops to choose from, I'd get the red ebonite with the mandarin yellow ends. Yum!

 

 

Really sounds like my next vacation trip is going to Paris :-)

 

...but as I said, I could not decide between the finishes anyway...

 

Is the surface on your ebonite pen glossy or matte?

 

Judging from your pictures the pen does look like it has a semi-matte finish which really goes along nicely with the red ebonite.

 

 

Cheers

 

Michael

 

 

PS: I forgot to ask if the feed is made of ebonite, too? Wouldn't it look great if they would have used the same motteld material....

Edited by Michael R.
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The sketch is by me. :)

 

I wasn't able to take measurements with my calipers; I hope this comparison with the MB 149 (a most familiar pen) can give you guys a better idea of the size.

 

Capped:

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d138/leighpod/mb-oldwin-capped.jpg

 

Uncapped:

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d138/leighpod/mb-oldwin-uncapped.jpg

 

The feed is black - I assume plastic? It doesn't look like ebonite. The surface is semi-matte, definitely not glossy.

 

 

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A fun, retrograde and appealing pen. Thanks for posting and sharing the pics. It makes me want one. Alas, it would have to come all the way to Hawaii.

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  • 4 months later...

I just love this pen the perfect material colour and everything. I have been locked in this conundrum for some time for my next pen , wanted it to be large. Love it's Zen like simplicity. I think this this could very well be it. Thanx so much for the photos , in particular the one with the MB 149 such a good shot for size comparison.

Great review,

Oberon

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That is a beautiful, beautiful pen. I really like the thread position.

 

If the giant one is 800 euros, I think I can estimate the value of this pen. My list of pens to buy when I have the money is so long that I'll be saving forever before I buy even one, not being able to decide which to buy first (and determining I'll have to buy them all at once).

 

Speaking of handmade pens not widely known outside their own country, does anyone remember that ultra-luxe Japanese maker, that takes forever to order and receive? One member had a wooden one made, but I've never been able to find the thread. I don't want to hijack the thread, so if someone PMd me that'd be wonderful.

 

But not as wonderful as this Mora pen.

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Leigh, your taste in pens is exquisite. :D

 

 

These orangy/black swirled ebonite pens always remind me of the Brunswick bowling balls I used to see at the bowling alleys when I was a kid. Of course, those were hard rubber and didn't have a scent to them. Anyway, when looking at this Oldwin, the bowling ball rolls into the distance and I see the pen for its beauty. Wow, what a shape! And the threads close to the nib is an interesting design--I certainly appreciate the smooth section it creates. The slightly bulbous body suggests a slight insect association. ;) I take it the cap doesn't post, but the body looks long enough to do without it. It's too bad that they didn't align the ebonite pattern when turning the inner threads, as it doesn't line up. But the overall look of the pen is really quite nice.

 

I like your drawing at the end. "Strange Overtones" in the quote written: "I did not wish to leave them alive"? Meaning you'd rather die than leave them, or you wanted to kill them? ;) :lol:

Edited by MYU

[MYU's Pen Review Corner] | "The Common Ground" -- Jeffrey Small

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  • 7 months later...
That is a beautiful, beautiful pen. I really like the thread position.

 

If the giant one is 800 euros, I think I can estimate the value of this pen. My list of pens to buy when I have the money is so long that I'll be saving forever before I buy even one, not being able to decide which to buy first (and determining I'll have to buy them all at once).

 

Speaking of handmade pens not widely known outside their own country, does anyone remember that ultra-luxe Japanese maker, that takes forever to order and receive? One member had a wooden one made, but I've never been able to find the thread. I don't want to hijack the thread, so if someone PMd me that'd be wonderful.

 

But not as wonderful as this Mora pen.

 

 

Hakase

the Danitrio Fellowship

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Speaking of handmade pens not widely known outside their own country, does anyone remember that ultra-luxe Japanese maker, that takes forever to order and receive? One member had a wooden one made, but I've never been able to find the thread. I don't want to hijack the thread, so if someone PMd me that'd be wonderful.

Try here: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...716&hl=ruud

and here: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...189&hl=ruud

 

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