stupid newbie question - ladies' pens

[turban1]

sorry if this is dense.

 

are vintage, so-called ladies' pens much smaller than other pens? such as watermans and so forth. more importantly are they a lot more slender and less thick? or are they merely on the short side? a lot of them look attractive and not particularly effeminate, given the amount of gilt bling and bright colours on many modern pens.

 

advice most welcome.

[jar]

They can be short (Conway Stewart Dinky) or long (Sheaffer Ladies Pen), slimmer or about the same girth. Often they were ring tops or designed without clips to carry in a purse, but they might also have clips.

[penspouse]

They can be short (Conway Stewart Dinky) or long (Sheaffer Ladies Pen), slimmer or about the same girth. Often they were ring tops or designed without clips to carry in a purse, but they might also have clips.

 

Good response. I must say, though, that uninformed newbie question would be more appropriate. There are very few stupid newbies on this forum. We are an intelligent bunch.

[Johnny Appleseed]

I find that "Ladies pens" are usually shorter and more slender, but it really depends on the era you are talking about.

 

In the 1900-1920s, a "Ladies pen" was very similar to a "men's" pen, but tended to be more slender. They often did not have a clip, but then neither did many pens not designated ladies. However, ring-top pens were not considered "ladies" pens, as they were usually used by men in a vest-pocket on the end of a chain. You cite Waterman as an example, but the first waterman "Ladies" pen was the Lady Patrician in the 1930s, which was shorter than the full-size Patrician and usually had a clip. Short Waterman ring-top pens were labelled "V" for "Vest pocket" up until the Lady Patrician.

 

Sometime in the mid 20s - early 30s we start to see ring-tops considered to be a "Ladies" pens and clipped pens to be "mens". I have not done a systematic study of this, to see when the change occured and how sharp a change it was, nor to determine what the driving factor was (though the end of the Waste-coat may have been a part of it). I suspect it was a change driven by larger changes in fashion, but I have not studied it deeply. "Ladies" pens were generally shorter, though often with the same girth and nib.

 

By the 1950s and 60s, Ladies pens were sometime clipless, but often simply more decorated / effeminate in design - eg the Sheaffer Lady Skripserts.

 

John

[FrankB]

The others have already answered the question well. I will just add that a "lady's pen" is a good option for anyone who likes smaller pens, male or female. I agree that many vintage lady's pens are in design quite conservative and sensible compared to some of the modern ones. Another good option are "junior" models, which are also small.

[Silvermink]

Short Waterman ring-top pens were labelled "V" for "Vest pocket" up until the Lady Patrician.

 

Oh, is that what the V means? Good to know.

[lapis]

Sorry, but this is a dense question. It was asked for the last time today here.:

Any pen which any woman can/will like, is up to her own choive (hope you like it, too). The smaller their hands -- the smaller maybe also the pen, but not necessarilly-- e.g. an M320 or an Optima Mini.

 

Mike