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I visited a flea market a few days ago and bought a Cross Century set for $43. The price in my opinion was really good and the case and mechanical pencil was a bonus. After a little inspection I found some interesting markings on both of them. Both the fountain pen and the pencil were made in Ireland. I found on the net that if the fountain pen was made in Ireland it is from around 1982. Obviously they are the gold filled versions but there is not inscription like on my USA made ballpoint "-1/20 12kt gold filled". I checked the hallmarks used in Ireland but found nothing similar to these. On the pencil is written "CROSS , Made in Ireland , Plaque ORL" and a little hallmark with a T inside (see photo). The fountain pen has "CROSS , Made in Ireland" and a hallmark on the cap with a shield divided by an "X" with "A C T" (photo) also a similar hallmark is found on the nib "A C T Sté". Even if they seem like a set (in the inside of the box there is an inscription 14kt gold filled) they are diffirent: -Difference #1: the CROSS inscription on the fountain pen is in cursive and on the pencil is printer font -Difference #2: they have different colour pen is more pink and pencil more yellow My questions are: -What is the meaning of those hallmarks on the caps? -Were they from different sets? -Why is there no "gold filled" text on them? -The box is quite large, what was inside the box beside the pen and pencil? Any information, idea is greatly appreciated! Have a nice day!

We have the Pelikan 640 Special Edition Eternal Ice pens at 50% off. Choose from the fountain pen, rollerball pen, or ballpoint pen. This is a great price on a fantastic pen. http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/enlarge/10061-EternalIce.jpg Pelikan Eternal Ice Fountain Pen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/enlarge/10059-EternalIce.jpg Pelikan Eternal Ice Rollerball Pen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/enlarge/10060-EternalIce.jpg Pelikan Eternal Ice Ballpoint Pen

This is a slightly new design for me. I am trying to mix up my segmenting a bit. Hope you like this one. Padauk, Blue Fleck Acrylic, maple and white and black rings. The lower barrel is just long enough to fit a converter. No extra room though.

Hi! I'm looking for options to put in my Midori-style leather cover. It's Moleskine/Field Notes-sized, but I would like better paper to suit fountain pens. Preferably also thicker than Rhodia - I like to draw. I live in Norway, so the physical stores don't cover my needs. It would have to be an online shop with worldwide shipping. I have a Banditapple Carnet on its way, I just would like more options. Thank you.

I guess I am the first ever to review a Jac Zagoory fountain pen on FPN! I had a rule never to spend more than $20 on a fountain pen, at least until I saw this Write No Evil one by Jac Zagoory. I absolutely love the design and sentiment on this pen! Now I want to get a matching Write No Evil pen stand for it. My only two complaints are the heaviness of the pen (for me), and the fact that when I unscrew the barrel to check ink level, the ink feed starts to gush with ink and drip (see more details about this below). I haven't figured out why. So I guess I can't check the ink level in between fills. It doesn't leak while I write, only when I unscrew the barrel and release the tension of the spring inside there. Otherwise, I love the pen. You're probably familiar with these 3 monkeys: "Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil." Well, Jac Zagoory has added a 4th monkey: "write no evil." From the Jac Zagoory website: See the 6? Appearance & Design (1-10) – 10. Jac Zagoory pens are known for their fun and quirky styles. Have a look on their website at all their amazing pens and pen holders. It was the design that sucked me in! This is part of their Ripple line. It has a screw-type cap. Construction & Quality (1-10) – 10. This is a solid, heavy pen. Good quality. I think this is an American company, but the nib says made in Germany. Weight & Dimensions (1-10) – 5. Total Weight: 1.75 oz. Without the cap: .96 oz. Length with cap on: 5 3/4 inches. Length without cap: 5 1/4 inches. Diameter: a little less than 5/8 inch. The pen is on the bulky and heavy side and feels heavy for my own hand. It will probably tire my hand to write with it for long periods. I definitely have to leave the cap off to write with it or it'd be too heavy. Men would probably have no problems with this pen, though. Nib & Performance (1-10) – 10. So far as I know, there is no choice in nib sizes for these pens, and it doesn't state on the nib what size it is. The line it puts down is a broad monoline. The nib point is made of iridium. The nib writes good and smooth, without skipping. The black plastic nib feed on the underside has a 6 on it (or maybe a 9, depending on which direction you hold the pen when you look at it). It handles my homemade iron gall ink just fine, so a definite plus there! Normally iron gall ink feels dry to write with in most pens, but it does not with this pen. Flow is probably on the wet side with other inks, though I haven't tried any other inks with it yet. Filling System & Maintenance (1-10) - 10. I like this style of ink converter, and this one holds a pretty generous amount of ink. For some reason there is a spring attached to the converter that holds it in place inside the barrel. The pen also accepts international ink cartridges. This pen is also available as a rollerball, so there is a "fountain pen converter kit" to transform it into a fountain pen for only $15 (good to know in case I ever need to replace parts). The nib reminds me of the nib/ink feed that you see on the Jinhao X450 and X750... the metal nib curls slightly around a narrower black plastic feed. Though I haven't tried to slide the nib feed out yet, it looks like it comes fully apart for cleaning, just like the X450 & X750. One annoying thing I discovered is that when I unscrew the barrel to check the ink level, the nib feed suddenly gushes with ink and drips big time if I tilt the pen at that point. The ink draws back in when I screw the barrel back in place (you can hear the spring inside squeak as you do this). So there's something about that spring that seems to be holding the converter in place and keeping the tension just so, to prevent this from happening. I guess I won't be able to check the ink level in-between filling without the ink flooding out. Cost & Value (1-10) – 10. This pen retails for around $80. I got it in new condition on eBay for $50 (the seller said she got it on closeout from a Hallmark store in NJ that closed). I feel I got a great bargain! This is the most I've ever spent on a fountain pen, though, and I'm not likely ever to spend this kind of money again on a pen. Just this one time I splurged because I was able to get a good deal on it. Conclusion (Final score, xx/6) - I love the pen, but I'll be keeping an eye on it for leaks until I figure out a solution. If not for the leaking when I unscrew the barrel, I'd give the pen a 9 (a 10 if it wasn't so heavy for me). I'll post updates if there are any more problems with it. If anyone else has experience with this pen, please chime in! I'll give the pen some heavy usage this week and report back.eta:

This weeks new discounted items include: Stipula Suprema Nuda Limited Edition Fountain Pen http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/enlarge/10938-Demonstrator.jpg ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Stipula Vedo Fountian Pen http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/enlarge/10640-Blue.jpghttp://www.penchalet.com/images/products/enlarge/10640-Jade.jpg ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Stipula Vedo Ballpoint Pen http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/enlarge/10641-Onyx.jpg ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sheaffer Sentinel Signature Ballpoint Pen http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/enlarge/10934-BlackCheckerEngravedChrome.jpghttp://www.penchalet.com/images/products/enlarge/10934-BlackFlutedGoldTone.jpghttp://www.penchalet.com/images/products/enlarge/10934-GeometricEngravedChrome.jpghttp://www.penchalet.com/images/products/enlarge/10934-WhiteEtchedChrome.jpg

I just joined this forum and wanted to introduce myself. I have been developing my style of blank making for a good portion of that time. This is just one type of segmenting that I have been using. I hope you all like it.

Jane Austen Fountain Pen Review http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/c4/c0/74/c4c07467d2b6153a83990aec23b3a3fe.jpg I purchased this pen from Victorian Trading Company for $20 Packaging and Presentation: 10/10 I really like the black box this pen came in. It features Jane’s signature on the top and Victorian Trading Co’s logo inside. The pen came nestled inside the white silky lining with a ribbon holder and two elastic holders as well. The box was packed safely in bubble wrap and had no damage when it arrived. The packing slip even had instructions on how to insert the ink cartridge. http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/b0/87/8d/b0878ddf02530c3f6cd01fbe1113a96a.jpg Pen Appearance: 8.5/10 This pen is pretty! Seriously it is lovely! I love the shiny pearly white finish. And the alabaster white part (in the middle when pen is capped) is so gorgeous! Jane’s signature is also on the pen and seems to be very nice; no fading or flaking off. The finish is smooth and pleasant to the touch. There are two things I am not incredibly fond of: 1) The cap has a strange shape at the end; I think this is to stop the pen from rolling around since there is no clip on the cap. There is nothing wrong with this; it just seems a little strange at first. I have gotten used to it, and while I still don’t particularly fancy the strange shape of the cap’s hat, I do appreciate that it helps stop the pen from rolling around so I am willing to compromise. – 1/2 a point 2) The grip section is very skinny and the white metal part is not shiny like the rest of the pen. I think it makes the pen look cheap and it takes away from the appeal of the pen slightly. -1 point Function: 10/10 This pen came with one black standard int’l ink cartridge. I did purchase the Monteverde Mini Converter from Goulet and it fits perfectly. The cap snaps on and off and posts. The pen has a little weight but is not too heavy for me (I don’t like real heavy pens.) The pen has not dried out, nor has ink evaporated or any other problems when left sitting for a few days. Writing Experience: 8/10 This pen wrote surprisingly well and far exceeded my expectations the first time I wrote with it. After writing with it for a couple weeks I have noticed a couple negatives. 1) The small metal section is super skinny and uncomfortable even for me to hold – and I typically like smaller pens. But I found a solution to this problem. Keep reading. 2) The second problem is that as the converter was running low on ink, ink would creep from the section and the silver finish above the nib resulting in very inky fingers. This doesn’t seem to be a problem when the converter is full, only when the ink level is very low. I also found a solution to this. My solution to both aforementioned problems was simply to hold the pen on the alabaster section of the pen. It is a little strange for me at first since I am familiar with holding pens closer to the paper, but this has solved both issues for me and is a compromise I am willing to make. It hasn’t really changed the way the pen writes, I just have to adjust when I first hold the pen and then as I write it becomes more comfortable and I forget that I made an adjustment in the beginning. So my experience is now very pleasant. Ink Flow: 10/10 The pen’s ink flow is in the middle, I think. It is not dry (I hate dry pens) but definitely doesn’t gush (nothing like the Ahab). I feel like the wetness level is exactly perfect. If I had to compare, I would say it is similar to the Metropolitan and Artista Crystal in flow. Nib: 9/10 This nib is smooth! Not buttery smooth, like the Goulet nibs, but still very smooth – so smooth that I do not even need to use Mylar paper with it. It is truly great! The one problem is that it skips sometimes. I haven’t figured out a pattern, but it seems worse when I write too fast and on very slick paper like Clairefontaine or Rhodia. It hasn’t been too big of a deal for me, but it has annoyed me a couple times. I need to try more inks in the pen to see if different inks will affect this skipping issue. Durability: 10/10 The pen is very durable when carrying around in my purse (three different times: inside the box, in a zipper pocket and in a pen case roll); there was no leaking or any other issues. A few ink spots on the nib were minor. I have not noticed any scratches or any other defects in the pen. Everything seems to be working perfectly! Cost: 10/10 This pen cost me $20 with a coupon for $2 shipping. An awesome deal! http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/28/de/ba/28deba65abd0f937a7d92f60237fea00.jpg Overall Value: 75.5/80 I personally feel this pen is worth the cost. I enjoy the pen for the novelty, the loveliness and it is fun as well as practical. I do recommend this pen for any Jane Austen fan. Just be sure to get a mini converter so you can use bottled ink (or a syringe to refill the short cartridges). To see more photos please visit my gallery on my website: http://tessymoon.wix.com/tessymoon#!fountain-pen-love/cp8t

We have the Pelikan 205 fountain pens discounted at 50% off. This is a great buy on a great fountain pen. The full retail on this pen is $195 and we are selling it for $97.50 with free shipping within the US. We have four colors available. Choose from black, white, red or taupe. We only a few fine nibs left but have plenty of the extra fine and medium. http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/enlarge/10620-Black.jpg

I saw a Waterman's 12 1/2 BCHR on Ebay with what appears to be a Toledo overlay (I have no affilication to seller, see link below). I have never seen any Toledo overlay pen in person and was wondering if this is a genuine example. http://www.ebay.com/itm/131289632586?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649 Item # 131289632586 Thanks, Jesse

Hi everyone, I recently inherited some pens, and I am slowly going through them to try and identify and value them. The first one of the batch is this Ted Lapidus fountain/ballpoint pen set. I cannot seem to find any info on them. Is anyone able to help me identify them?

I have been adoring this JANE AUSTEN FOUNTAIN PEN for quite a while now. http://www.victoriantradingco.com/images/vtc/products/20119_large_1.jpg As far as I know, it is sold exclusively from Victorian Trading Co. Here is the link: http://www.victoriantradingco.com/item/79-pn-7920119/100100100/jane-austen-fountain-pen# The problem is, they really do not give much information about the pen. I have sent them an email with a bunch of questions; although I am doubtful if they will be knowledgeable enough to clearly answer my questions. (I don't mean to be judging, but I have found every time I ask anyone questions about fountain pens and they are not specialists, they have no clue how to answer. <sigh> I wish it was a requirement to at least understand the basics of a fountain pen if you are going to sell them. Who knows, maybe they will surprise me and answer all my questions clearly.) I am mostly concerned with two things for this pen - the nib and will it take a converter. The description on the website says: Worthy of the beloved and outspoken writer, a pearlized pen revives the joy of scribbled thoughts. Her signature graces both pen and gift box. Black ink. Takes standard ink cartridges and arrives with one. VTC Exclusive! It doesn't even say if they ink cartridges are long or short. A question I have, that I hope someone here could answer is this - If this pen takes standard international cartridges (long or short?) will the pen also take a standard international converter? I think the nib looks similar to a JoWo, which would be awesome, as I know they are usually good. And I guess I could just refill empty carts with bottled ink with a syringe, it's just a little more hassle. But this is a beautiful Jane Austen pen and may be worth it anyway. Any thoughts out there? http://www.victoriantradingco.com/images/vtc/products/20119_large_2.jpg http://www.victoriantradingco.com/images/vtc/products/20119_large_3.jpg All photos belong to Victorian Trading Co.

We have a few Aurora pens discounted: Aurora Tu Fountain Pen at 50% Off - 2 Colors available http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/enlarge/10785-BlackSatin.jpg http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/enlarge/10785-BlackSatinChromeCap.jpg ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Aurora Tu Rollerball Pen - 50% Off http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/enlarge/10786-BlackSatinChromeCap.jpg ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Aurora Style Fountain Pen - 40% Off http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/enlarge/10865-BlackPepperSilver.jpg http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/enlarge/10865-Paprika.jpg http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/enlarge/10865-Mustard.jpg http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/enlarge/10865-BronzePVD.jpg ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Aurora Style Rollerball Pen - 40% Off http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/enlarge/10866-BlackPepperSilver.jpg http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/enlarge/10866-Mustard.jpg

Hi, I was hoping for some help identifying this Cross Fountain Pen. If anyone could give me any information at all, it would be much appreciated! Thank you Michelle

Since purchasing my first fountain pen a few months ago, my kids have hopped on the bandwagon as well. I'm proud to say that my 12 and 13 year olds have their own pens, and my soon-to-be 8 year old will have one for his birthday. I've mostly been purchasing inexpensive pens on eBay because, well...they're kids. I'll buy them something nicer for graduation. My eldest is 15, and has mild Autism. Dystonia, or muscle weakness/cramps, is a common ailment of kids who are autistic. I bought her a ceramic Chinese pen from eBay when she got all "ooooh, shiny!" over it. Now that we have it, she complains that it's too heavy and hurts her hands to write. (No vast loss...I have a new pen!) She likes the weight and size of my Platinum Plaisir, but I'm hesitant to buy one for her because her maturity level ranges about 4 years behind her chronological age. $10-$15 is about as high as I want to go. Ideally, a pen for her should be similar, but perhaps with a soft grip that helps with finger positioning. I want to get her one as an incentive to practice her handwriting, as she can only print and her writing is very labored. Can anyone here recommend some good options? Thanks so much!

We just received a new shipment of pens that we have discounted at 50% off retail. Here is a list of some of the new items. We have each of these items in multiple colors: Stipula Etruria Magnifica ballpoint pen Stipula Etruria Magnifica fountain pen http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/10421.jpg ______________________________________________________________ Stipula Model T ballpoint pen http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/10773.jpg ______________________________________________________________ Stipula Gladiator fountain pen Stipula Gladiator rollerball pen http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/10418.jpg ______________________________________________________________ Delta Fusion Gift Set - fountain pen with rollerball tip included http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/10921.jpg ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ Limited Edition Items: Delta Amerigo Vespucci fountain pen http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/10076.jpg ______________________________________________________________ Delta Indigenous Peoples Indios fountain pen http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/10133.jpg ______________________________________________________________ Delta Indigenous Peoples Hawaii fountain pen http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/10143.jpg ______________________________________________________________ Delta Indigenous Peoples Maori fountain pen http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/10129.jpg ______________________________________________________________ Delta Indigenous Peoples Tuareg fountain pen http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/10131.jpg ______________________________________________________________ Delta Indigenous Peoples Maya fountain pen http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/10141.jpg ______________________________________________________________ Delta Indigenous Peoples Mapuche fountain pen http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/10139.jpg We have even more items discounted on our specials page

Hi all! I am contemplating getting a new fountain pen and cannot decide between a Sheaffer Valor or an Aurora Talentum Finesse (the Aurora Talentum is a little above my price range, and anyway I quite like the Finesse's slimmer look). Unfortunately the only review I could find of the Aurora is one that mentions the cap not being tight fitting enough, leading to the ink drying out by the next day. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with the Aurora, or could give any input as to which of the two I should go with? Thanks in advance!

I have been slowly building up a modern and vintage fountain pen collection for the past couple of years, and I've reached the point where I would like to add something really 'special' to my collection. I own a number of MBs including the 144, 145 and 149, and am considering buying one of their limited edition pens. Having set aside $2500 to spend on a pen, I'm struggling to decide what to get... So far, I've come across 2 pens which I like, the MB 2012 limited edition - Joseph II fountain pen, and a vintage waterman 58... What would you recommend?

I have been slowly building up a modern and vintage fountain pen collection for the past couple of years, and I've reached the point where I would like to add something really 'special' to my collection. I own a number of MBs including the 144, 145 and 149, and am considering buying one of their limited edition pens. Having set aside $2500 to spend on a pen, I'm struggling to decide what to get... So far, I've come across 2 pens which I like, the MB 2012 limited edition - Joseph II fountain pen, and a vintage waterman 58... What would you recommend?

Great deal on the Lamy Safari fountain pen right now in the neon yellow color. Full retail is $37, on sale for $22.20. Great gift idea. http://www.penchalet.com/images/products/10895.jpg

I got a couple of pens at the Brimfield Antique Market that are almost certainly cheapos, but they looked cool/interesting. One appears to be an older demonstrator, and the other is a mini that converts in an unusual way. Here's the two capped: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7370/9697208128_40b48ab571_z.jpg Uncapped: http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2840/9697208530_fe61191de4_z.jpg The short one posted: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3778/9697208420_86dc5ef543_z.jpg The demonstrator nib: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3808/9697208368_45a7cf9540_z.jpg The short one's nib: http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5526/9693979873_614c5ff192_z.jpg General description: The demonstrator has an international screw converter. The tip is unmarked, but instead of being tipped, the end of the nib is crimped to make the ball shape underneath. The plastic feels... older. Light and kind of cheap, more clear plastic toy feeling than resin-y feeling that I get from modern demonstrators, even the cheapos from China/India. The mini has "Iridium Point F-GERMANY" written on it. This is a very heavy, metal pen. The nib has a lot of flex to it, not quite as much as a Noodler's flex nib, but way flexier than anything else I have. Any help in narrowing down where they're from/how old they are would be appreciated I've been looking around for a while, and I've identified all the other pens I picked up, but these are still total mysteries!

Hello, I am handwriting lover, in school, in college etc I always focused on my handwriting, I used to be obsessed that much with my handwriting that I used to change my handwriting daily in the school but after a long journey of this I finally made my hand legible enough to get a better grip on paper, so I have uploaded a sample of my handwriting here, my question is that 1) tell me that what type of handwriting is this? 2) Is this handwriting suitable for exams? 3) Is it legible and easy to read? 4) Is my handwriting beautiful good looking or bad looking? 5:) Should I continue to write like this? and please also rate my handwriting out of 10. Thanks.

Those are golden ratio version! Thanks for watch! 9x15 cm, 96 sheets 11x18 cm, 96 sheets 13x21 cm, 96 sheets

Every now and then, I come across a pen that is of particular value combined with a unique capability. The flexible Marlen Aleph pen shown above is such a pen. It is a piston filler with a nib made from fine harmonic steel that allows a beautiful calligraphic script. The harmonic steel nib guarantees a good flow for a controlled flex making a line of 1.0 to 1.5 millimeters. To control the flex of the nib, the pen presents two lateral cuts to accomplish a functional task without overshadowing the aesthetic component. The body of the pen is made of mother-of-pearl resin in lava grey or black refined with a full stainless steel barrel fully inspired to the old flat tops, without any kind of ornaments (rings and more) to divide the line. The pen is 143 mm of length; 111 mm for the body and 62 mm for the cap. The total weight is 30.9 grams (complete and refilled) of which 10.4 grams for the cap and 20.5 for the body. These characteristics lead to a balance allowing the pen to fit perfectly with the hand cavity. The filler system used is a piston filler in which the barrel end has as its main aim the protection of the mechanism from accidental or clunky actions. The harmonic steel nib guarantees a good flow for a controlled flex making a line of 1 to 1.5 millimeters. To limit the necessary strength for the flexion of the nib, the pen presents two lateral cuts to accomplish a functional task without the overshadow of the aesthetic component. You can find the Marlen Aleph on our website: https://www.bertramsinkwell.com/Marlen for special pricing.

Hello! I´m new here because I've found in the middle of my mom's stuff a Montblanc Meisterstuck cartridge fountain pen and have been told it's quite expensive, and would love to know its real worth, if it´s worthy... It has no case, it says 14K gold nib, around the ring Meisterstuck Germany. Coul anyone tell me about this pen? Its year, how much it could be sold for? If it's worth keeping? Thank you!