Jump to content

Ancora Calamus


zanio

Recommended Posts

Following the dictates of style of that period, Ancora introduced, at the beginning of the '50s, its last successful model: the "Calamus" pen.

post-39258-087019300 1276269245.jpg

 

At a first glance, you might easily confuse the Calamus with Ancora's earlier line of pens called "Lusso", especially if you compare the version with the metal cap.

 

post-39258-053097000 1276269065.jpg

 

In natural fact, the Calamus is an evolution of the Lusso line, with three main innovations: the hooded (and semi-hooded) nib, the push-on cap and the material.

post-39258-079891800 1276269282.jpg

 

The cap is basically identical to the Lusso one: same design, same clip with embossed & enamelled logo, same plastic cap top which matches the color of the pen.

But it is a push-on type cap which allows the Calamus to gain a very clean design and streamlined shape, when open.

For what I know, the Calamus cap does not have venting holes that might disturb its appearance.

 

I do not personally get crazy for hooded nibs, but the Calamus' semi-hooded one...I LOVE it !!! It just looks like it has been dipped, along with part of the section, in liquid gold !

The hood screws on a double threaded unit, which carries a metal ring to hold the cap in place.

 

post-39258-031147200 1276269345.jpg

 

Ancora made several versions of the Calamus, with full body overlay or metal cap, hooded or semi-hooded nib, different colours (plain), but they are all piston fillers.

The piston has a cork seal.

I am not sure if Ancora ever made Calamus pens using celluloid. All of the Calamus I saw had plastic bodies.

Without a visulated barrel, the translucent property of the resin may help you checking the ink level

 

post-39258-036019000 1276269379.jpg

 

...and if you have that X-ray sight ... it definitely helps! ;)

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 36
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • zanio

    14

  • Ambros

    6

  • simp

    3

  • fabbale

    2

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

Well done.

 

So the Calamus production overlapped the Lusso by some years. Do you know the years of production for these models?

 

I seldom see Calamus ads from this period of time. Were the models ever jointly advertised?

 

 

post-4689-074989800 1276311569.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks guys, glad you like it.

 

Things with Ancora are quite misterious sometimes and I have to say I am not an expert, I love this brand and I am trying to collect pens and info about it.

However, I believe Ancora overlapped the production of Lusso and Calamus models, offering pens with or without hooded nibs at the same time.

I don't have Calamus Ads but I do have Lusso one from the '50s. The Lusso line had been introduced at the end of the World War 2, the Calamus at the end of the 40's for approx 10 years...the production of the 2 models overlaps for few years. I've also seen Ancora models with mixed features: hooded nib, push on celluloid cap with band and Lusso clip, ringed celluloid body. The Lusso line had a good success, I don't think the Calamus was meant to replace it.

We need a catalogue, don't we ?! ;)

 

My pens says Ancora was an artisan. That means sometimes freedom...decades later, it could mean confusion. (I love this excuse for my lack of contents !!!)

 

Jeff, thanks for that Lusso pic...lovely.

 

Z

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

very nice pens thanks for sharing :thumbup:

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

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Zanio, very interesting pen and beautiful pictures. Thank you. Yes, all about Ancora is a bit "mysterious"… see the book of Letizia: the name of the founder (Zanini or Zannini?) .. tha date of establishment (1909!? .. the first Italian pen factory!?).

 

Further more Ancora pens and documents are scarce. I have this "22", a model of late '30s, in amber celluloid with 585 gold nib.

 

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee36/gicoteni/ancora1a.jpg http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee36/gicoteni/ancora2a.jpg

 

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee36/gicoteni/ancora3a.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes Gicoteni, it is hard to find informations and documents regarding the history of Ancora. I wish I had more time for that research... little by little...with a bit of luck. I know, it is gonna be a lifetime commitment...maybe longer!

Probably, at the beginning, Zanini was just assembling pens, rather than making them. Probably the real Ancora pens production started in the early '20s. I do have few roads which I want to follow and that might lead to some surprise. However, I am in a really really early stage.

 

Your "22" is a beautiful little pen. Simple, classic design and high level of quality. Its colour is gorgeous.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

These are lovely. Meanwhile I'm enjoying the present day Ancora now that there's a U.S. distributor again. :cloud9:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have learnt something today...only 40 minutes left!

 

Thank you for posting this beautiful pen topic and pictures. I'm sure we all look forward to any more information you uncover and support your search!

:thumbup: :thumbup:

________________________________________________________________________________

 

Love and work... work and love, that's all there is.

Sigmund Freud

 

(there was a man who obviously never knew fountain pens!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Zanio, very interesting pen and beautiful pictures. Thank you. Yes, all about Ancora is a bit "mysterious"… see the book of Letizia: the name of the founder (Zanini or Zannini?) .. tha date of establishment (1909!? .. the first Italian pen factory!?).

That 1909 date is given by Lambrou book, reporting the Ancora foundation at Sesto Calende by Giuseppe Zanini.

 

But in 1909 Zanini was 12 years old, and the production was moved to Sesto Calende from Bologna in 1925.

 

So Ancora exact foundation date is still unknown, but what is clearly known is that Lambrou is wrong and 1909 is not a correct date.

 

Simone

Fountain Pen Wiki - www.FountainPen.it

Fountain pen Chronology (need help to improve...)

Old advertisement (needing new ones to enlarge the gallery...)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That 1909 date is given by Lambrou book, reporting the Ancora foundation at Sesto Calende by Giuseppe Zanini.

 

But in 1909 Zanini was 12 years old, and the production was moved to Sesto Calende from Bologna in 1925.

 

So Ancora exact foundation date is still unknown, but what is clearly known is that Lambrou is wrong and 1909 is not a correct date.

 

Simone

 

 

Hi Simone,

sorry but I do not understand why you say that Giuseppe Zanini, in 1909, was only 12 years old !? :blink:

He was born in 1879, right ?! So, in 1909 he was 30 year old, more or less, but not 12 !

 

Z

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Thanks guys, glad you like it.

 

Things with Ancora are quite misterious sometimes and I have to say I am not an expert, I love this brand and I am trying to collect pens and info about it.

However, I believe Ancora overlapped the production of Lusso and Calamus models, offering pens with or without hooded nibs at the same time.

I don't have Calamus Ads but I do have Lusso one from the '50s. The Lusso line had been introduced at the end of the World War 2, the Calamus at the end of the 40's for approx 10 years...the production of the 2 models overlaps for few years. I've also seen Ancora models with mixed features: hooded nib, push on celluloid cap with band and Lusso clip, ringed celluloid body. The Lusso line had a good success, I don't think the Calamus was meant to replace it.

We need a catalogue, don't we ?! ;)

 

My pens says Ancora was an artisan. That means sometimes freedom...decades later, it could mean confusion. (I love this excuse for my lack of contents !!!)

 

Jeff, thanks for that Lusso pic...lovely.

 

Z

 

Can you tell me about the Ancora Perla and the Ancora Gaudi? I really like the look of these pens and I read about them in Paul Erano's book. Are they good for everyday users and how much do they cost? Where is the best place to purchase from?

Thanks,

JShaft

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can you tell me about the Ancora Perla and the Ancora Gaudi? I really like the look of these pens and I read about them in Paul Erano's book. Are they good for everyday users and how much do they cost? Where is the best place to purchase from?

Thanks,

JShaft

 

 

I am sorry JShaft, I would be happy to help you answering your questions, but I know nothing about modern Ancora pens.

My interest focuses on the vintage production only.

 

Kind regards

Z

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Zanio, very interesting pen and beautiful pictures. Thank you. Yes, all about Ancora is a bit "mysterious"… see the book of Letizia: the name of the founder (Zanini or Zannini?) .. tha date of establishment (1909!? .. the first Italian pen factory!?).

That 1909 date is given by Lambrou book, reporting the Ancora foundation at Sesto Calende by Giuseppe Zanini.

 

But in 1909 Zanini was 12 years old, and the production was moved to Sesto Calende from Bologna in 1925.

 

So Ancora exact foundation date is still unknown, but what is clearly known is that Lambrou is wrong and 1909 is not a correct date.

 

Simone

 

Oh..... I LOVE ANCORA. :thumbup:

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/giugno%202010/ancora_1.jpg

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/giugno%202010/ancora_12.jpg

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/giugno%202010/ancora_11.jpg

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/giugno%202010/ancora_10.jpg

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/giugno%202010/ancora_9.jpg

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/giugno%202010/ancora_7.jpg

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/giugno%202010/ancora_5.jpg

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/giugno%202010/ancora_4.jpg

 

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/fabbale/giugno%202010/ancora_2.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33494
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26626
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...