Top 10 Iconic Pens

[minimax447]

Lack of sales does not prevent something from being iconic. Very few Concorde aircraft were sold and those that were were sold for £1 each.

[ajcoleman]

Another way to think about "iconic" is what illustrates or represents the class of objects we call fountain pens? What do people picture when they think "fountain pen?" What pen would be in the illustration next to the entry in the dictionary? The Parker 51 is perhaps one of the greatest pens of all time, but it wouldn't be in the picture because it doesn't look like a fountain pen. Neither do two more of my favorites, the Pilot VP or the Parker 45. Same with the Lamy 2000, or most other Lamy pens. They look too modern to be an iconic fountain pen. The Waterman 52 or the Esterbrook J on the other hand have an exposed nib and a lever on the side so you can squirt ink in the face of the bad guys like they do in the old cartoons. They look like the fountain pen that people picture in their head. Like it or not, the MB 149 looks like what people think a fountain pen looks like. Big, black, expensive, with a large exposed gold nib.

 

If we consider sub-categories, the Parker 51 would be the iconic hooded nib pen, perhaps the Sheaffer cartridge pen would be the iconic school pen, and one could go on to try and define the iconic eye-dropper, the iconic modern pen, etc.

[OcalaFlGuy]

The Cross Century Classic I in 14k has always been an iconic pen to me that isn't usually mentioned.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[minimax447]

ajcoleman has a point. The outside world has a very rigid view of a fountain pen. The lever on the side is long obsolete though (and who said they had to be bad guys ) It is the shape of the nib that most outsiders recognise the pen by. Most of them would not know a pen was iconic if you stabbed 'em with a 149! Ah! that's what its for!

Edited September 9, 2012 by minimax447

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

I have the following list:

 

Waterman Lever-filler

Parker Duofold

Sheaffer PFM

Pelikan 100

Parker "51"

Aurora 88

Montblanc 149

Montblanc 139

Lamy 2000

Pilot Capless

 

These pens are what I feel to be most iconic. I'm referring to some as a series since the series itself was quite iconic.

 

Dillon

[srgantong]

For me, when I think iconic I think: Parker 51, Montblanc 146/149, and Lamy 2000.

[pelahale]

Dillo's list is good. I'd replace Pelikan 100 with Pelikan Souveran M1000. Waterman Ideal 52/54/56 rather than callit it a generic "Waterman lever-filler." I'd include just the Montblanc 149, for their upscale marketing while providing low-grade plastic parts/service/craftsmanship entry, which is iconic in itself imo. For the last spot of 10, I'd include either the Eversharp Skyline or Sheaffer Oversize Balance, or maybe a modern Italian piece like Omas Paragon or something like that.

[82Greg]

Just to sustain the argument (that no one will win, but we may have some fun along the way)

1. Pelikan 1002. Parker Duofold3. Parker Vacuumatic4. Shaeffer Balance5. Onoto Plunger6. Parker 517. Soennecken 2228. Waterman 52 / 52 1/2 / 559. Waterman C/F10. Lamy 2000

Honorable Mention: Shaeffer Targa

I think this group collectively stands as an icon of what a fountain pen is (or should be).

[OcalaFlGuy]

I included the Onoto as probably the best execution of a plunger filler pen ever, and because the US is not the world and in the then rest of the world (British Empire), ONOTO was king. I included the Pelikan 100 for much the same reasons; it was a well executed piston filler that was very popular and was the basis for almost all Pelikan pens since then.

 

I threw out the PFM and the "61" because both were pretty much failures; the PFM didn't sell well at all and the "61" was just ahead of the available materials and so prone to early death (and losing its way because the arrow fell off).

 

I did not include a Montblanc pen because there is simply very little original about any of their pens.

 

I don't usually have a dramatically differing opinion than Jar and this time, I agree 100%.

 

Just because you don't like the facts doesn't make them not true.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[torstar]

You really have to go out of your way to try to prove whatever point you are dreaming up to not include a single MB in your top 9...

 

Really now kiddoes....

 

The problem with lists like this is that it is difficult to include pens that you have no experience of. I personally would love to be able to include am MB 149 in my list, but as I have never touched one, it would be hearsay, or parroting the opinion of others. Also each of us has individual reasons for finding a pen to be "iconic". And what we recognize as being an icon is likely to be affected by our socioeconomic class and circumstances.

 

 

 

As a sports fan I see childish lists like this all the time.

 

Such as a top-ten switch hitters in baseball history that won't include Mickey Mantle because the person hates the Yankees.

[jar]

You really have to go out of your way to try to prove whatever point you are dreaming up to not include a single MB in your top 9...

 

Really now kiddoes....

 

The problem with lists like this is that it is difficult to include pens that you have no experience of. I personally would love to be able to include am MB 149 in my list, but as I have never touched one, it would be hearsay, or parroting the opinion of others. Also each of us has individual reasons for finding a pen to be "iconic". And what we recognize as being an icon is likely to be affected by our socioeconomic class and circumstances.

 

 

As a sports fan I see childish lists like this all the time.

 

Such as a top-ten switch hitters in baseball history that won't include Mickey Mantle because the person hates the Yankees.

 

 

Don't you mean Damnyankees?

[Scrawler]

<snip>

<snip>

 

 

As a sports fan I see childish lists like this all the time.

 

Such as a top-ten switch hitters in baseball history that won't include Mickey Mantle because the person hates the Yankees.

 

 

Don't you mean Damnyankees?

 

:roflmho:

[Namo]

You really have to go out of your way to try to prove whatever point you are dreaming up to not include a single MB in your top 9...

 

Really now kiddoes....

 

The problem with lists like this is that it is difficult to include pens that you have no experience of. I personally would love to be able to include am MB 149 in my list, but as I have never touched one, it would be hearsay, or parroting the opinion of others. Also each of us has individual reasons for finding a pen to be "iconic". And what we recognize as being an icon is likely to be affected by our socioeconomic class and circumstances.

 

 

 

As a sports fan I see childish lists like this all the time.

 

Such as a top-ten switch hitters in baseball history that won't include Mickey Mantle because the person hates the Yankees.

 

Maybe you are taking this too seriously... it's just a way to speak about FPs and share opinions and thoughts with other people; childish game, indeed...

[Scrawler]

 

Maybe you are taking this too seriously... it's just a way to speak about FPs and share opinions and thoughts with other people; childish game, indeed...

If I do not see it casually used on Twilight Zone, it is not iconic. (My not so serious opinion)

[LedZepGirl]

My top ten include:

 

1. Parker Duofold- the vintage models

2. Esterbrook J

3. Sheaffer Balance

4. Parker '51'

5. Eversharp Skyline

6. Parker Vacumatic

7. Waterman Lever Filler- those early ones in hard rubber

8. Conklin Crescent Filler

9. Sheaffer Snorkel

10. Parker '61'

 

Being from the 'States I chose a list of pens that I feel most people (even those who don't know much about pens) will have heard of, remember or seen in advertising at some point in time. I don't see it as an 'end all, be all' list, but just what I feel many people will think of when they hear the word fountain pen.

[Namo]

Maybe you are taking this too seriously... it's just a way to speak about FPs and share opinions and thoughts with other people; childish game, indeed...

If I do not see it casually used on Twilight Zone, it is not iconic. (My not so serious opinion)

 

...used on what??

[Scrawler]

Maybe you are taking this too seriously... it's just a way to speak about FPs and share opinions and thoughts with other people; childish game, indeed...

If I do not see it casually used on Twilight Zone, it is not iconic. (My not so serious opinion)

 

...used on what??

Sometimes on paper. Occasionally on people. Also to gesticulate and point. Or just lying on a desk. Frequently actual desk pens. In fact one of the most recognizable iconic symbols is a Sheaffer or Esterbrook desk pen.

Edited September 10, 2012 by Scrawler

[ToasterPastry]

You really have to go out of your way to try to prove whatever point you are dreaming up to not include a single MB in your top 9...

 

Really now kiddoes....

 

The problem with lists like this is that it is difficult to include pens that you have no experience of. I personally would love to be able to include am MB 149 in my list, but as I have never touched one, it would be hearsay, or parroting the opinion of others. Also each of us has individual reasons for finding a pen to be "iconic". And what we recognize as being an icon is likely to be affected by our socioeconomic class and circumstances.

 

 

 

As a sports fan I see childish lists like this all the time.

 

Such as a top-ten switch hitters in baseball history that won't include Mickey Mantle because the person hates the Yankees.

 

Maybe you are taking this too seriously... it's just a way to speak about FPs and share opinions and thoughts with other people; childish game, indeed...

 

As a listener of sports-talk radio, I can appreciate of the reference. Who's the best quarterback, Dan Marino or Joe Montana? Of course, Joe Montana because he won more championships. Honest answer is, "Who really cares?"

 

Similarly with fountain pens, who really cares. Well, Peter cares. He's going to buy these pens. Do you think this was an exercise to improve my FPN ratings, or because my guest cancelled, and now I need something to talk about for the next 15 minutes? No, this is a life and death fountain pen purchase we're talking about here. These opinions matter.

 

These responses have swayed my opinion. We were just sitting around, a bunch of us old-farts in a room on a Saturday afternoon, actually trying to figure out what pen Peter should purchase. Now I can show him the list. I can tell him to purchase a MontBlanc. Not because I think that MontBlanc makes the best pen, but because some stranger on this list says that this pen really matters.

[ToasterPastry]

...and because I got a response from LedZepGirl, that's all that matters.

[JonSzanto]

...and because I got a response from LedZepGirl, that's all that matters.

Three things:

1. Good luck with your list, I hope this helps Peter.
2. Why does LedZepGirl have a picture of FZ as her avatar?
3. Don't you ever check your In box?

 

 

 

Edited September 10, 2012 by JonSzanto