Top 10 Iconic Pens

[LedZepGirl]

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

 

 

You're welcome.

[Laura N]

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.

 

1. Joe Montana.

 

2. He's going to buy these pens? Really?

 

3. LedZepGirl, huh? Hmph. I'm a little jealous.

 

4. Michael Jordan. That's the answer to the sports question you didn't ask.

[ethernautrix]

I once watched an entire Super Bowl by myself in order to coach the Broncos into beating the Packers (which they did -- you're welcome, Broncos fans!), because a guy at work told me that if the Packers won, they would have as many Super Bowl rings as the 49ers. (I was living in New England, so the 49ers' record was more significant than it is now that I'm back in the area.)

 

My (then) husband would walk by and laugh at me for my, er, enthusiastic coaching, but I'm sure that my efforts are what led the Broncos to preserve the 49ers' record-breaking number of Super Bowl wins.

 

Next day back at work. same guy comes over to correct his bad information: The Packers had won only two Super Bowls. Had they won, they would have had only three (maybe four) championships to the 49ers' five.

 

I have a history of misdirected energy....

 

I did, eventually, learn to VERIFY.

 

#SMH

 

 

 

P.S. Still tangential. Sorry.

Edited September 10, 2012 by ethernautrix

[minimax447]

"I did, eventually, learn to VERIFY."

Can you confirm that?

[ToasterPastry]

Don't be jealous Laura.

 

LedZepGirl and Lisa--oh my God, Lisa, oh how I miss your tangential non-sequiturs--are from my generation of FPN members, maybe the second or third generation, back from a time when FPN was 'more-funner.' Back when we'd come up with these silly lists, and then two or three people would hijack the thing and the whole board when end up either die laughing, or post disgruntled pornography. Ahhh, the good ol' days.

 

Yes, he's really going to buy these pens. I didn't make this up.

 

I was going to ask, who's better, Jordan or James, but you beat me to the answer.

 

Yes, Jon, I did see it. I'm letting it marinate in the in-box, and will respond to you shortly.

[JonSzanto]

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb204/EnvoyC/emotes/danceman_r.gif

[Bultaco]

I'd I'd like to nominate the Nettuno Shark...

[karmakoda]

Yes, L'il Miss Directed Energy always leaves me wanting more.

So, yes, I wuz going to jump on the "how could you", "how dare you", "perhaps you did not consider", "limited geo-political perspective" bandwagon.

Instead, I will go for a drive, pick up some ink and write my own little list of ten Iconic pens from the kajillion,billion, millions out there.

No, I won't share it, too personal, but, there will probably be a Montegrappa on it. Maybe even a........... Nakaya. Ah hah!

 

I have to go now. No, really.

[tomgartin]

the Bic BP will be THE iconic pen of our time, and then the iPad...

 

What have we become as a society?

[pencils+pens]

Difficult - I think that innovation for a given time should be considered as well as success in sale and/or design.

 

 

As for contemporary FPs, it is always fun to try a guess. But i'ts moe likely that the Bic BP will be THE iconic pen of our time, and then the iPad...TIme will tell...

 

Given your criteria, the Parker (T-ball) Jotter will either immediately lead or follow the BIC. The iPad is a babe in the woods given the longevity and sales figures of the two pens.

[Moynihan]

a list of the top 10 iconic pens.

 

Iconic: Relating to or having the character of an icon.

Icon:

usually pictorial representation : image

 

[Late Greek eikōn, from Greek] : a conventional religious image typically painted on a small wooden panel and used in the devotions of Eastern Christians

 

An object of uncritical devotion : idol

 

emblem, symbol <the house became an icon of 1960's residential architecture — Paul Goldberger>

 

A sign (as a word or graphic symbol) whose form suggests its meaning

 

Dictionary

 

hmmmmmmm perhaps what was meant is "cultural icon"? combines an object of devotion / emblem, symbol.

 

Would include the classic Cross ball point (the thin one you see all over), the Bic, A rollerball of some sort, the Parker Jotter.

Fountain pens?

An early Waterman, Skyliner, Parker Vacumatic, Parker 51, Montblanc 149 ?

Edited September 11, 2012 by Moynihan

[Miketsheehan]

1. Montblanc 149

2. Parker Duofold

3. Parker 51

4. Lamy 2000

5. Namiki/Pilot Vanishing Point

6. Pelikan M800

7. Aurora 88

8. Visconti Homo Sapiens

9. Dunhill AD 2000

10. Omas 360

[ToasterPastry]

1. Montblanc 149

2. Parker Duofold

3. Parker 51

4. Lamy 2000

5. Namiki/Pilot Vanishing Point

6. Pelikan M800

7. Aurora 88

8. Visconti Homo Sapiens

9. Dunhill AD 2000

10. Omas 360

 

Had forgotten about the OMAS 360. Good one!

[Miketsheehan]

1. Montblanc 149

2. Parker Duofold

3. Parker 51

4. Lamy 2000

5. Namiki/Pilot Vanishing Point

6. Pelikan M800

7. Aurora 88

8. Visconti Homo Sapiens

9. Dunhill AD 2000

10. Omas 360

 

Had forgotten about the OMAS 360. Good one!

Sorry, Toaster Dude but I thought your original list was overly Parker- and US-centric for a list of truly iconic pens, being the pens that the great brands are most known for, globally

[richardandtracy]

I can't come up with 10, but those I can are sort of representative/iconic for their decade:

1. A Safety Pen from the 1900's. Innovation leading to self contained FP's.
2. An Onoto N (later 3000) plunger filler with under & over feed. (1910's, successful self filler)
3. A Parker Duofold (1920's, market domination)
4. A Parker Vac (1930's innovation)
5. A Parker 51 Vac (1940's innovation)
6. A Parker 61 Capilliary Fill (1950's innovation, even if eventually unsuccessful)
7. A Parker 45 c/c (1960's innovation & market domination)
8. Platignum school pen (1970's flight to cheapness & poor quality)
9. An MB 149 (1980's move to luxury product placement)
10. A Sheaffer Targa (1990's plethora of finishes)
11. A Visconti Homo Sapiens (2010's novel materials & manufacturing)

Food for thought anyway.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

Edited September 13, 2012 by richardandtracy

[ToasterPastry]

I can't come up with 10, but those I can are sort of representative/iconic for their decade:

1. A Safety Pen from the 1900's. Innovation leading to self contained FP's.
2. An Onoto N (later 3000) plunger filler with under & over feed. (1910's, successful self filler)
3. A Parker Duofold (1920's, market domination)
4. A Parker Vac (1930's innovation)
5. A Parker 51 Vac (1940's innovation)
6. A Parker 61 Capilliary Fill (1950's innovation, even if eventually unsuccessful)
7. A Parker 45 c/c (1960's innovation & market domination)
8. Platignum school pen (1970's flight to cheapness & poor quality)
9. An MB 149 (1980's move to luxury product placement)
10. A Sheaffer Targa (1990's plethora of finishes)
11. A Visconti Homo Sapiens (2010's novel materials & manufacturing)

Food for thought anyway.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

 

 

Fascinating list. Love the explanations. You essentially supported our feelings about the Parker 61, an innovative design. While I hate giving too much support to Parker, they produced and engineered some beautiful pens. Love the explanation supporting MontBlanc 149.

I can appreciate Visconti in their attempt to bring back Italian design.

 

I'm confused, did the Waterman C/F precede the Parker 45? Therefore, would not the C/F be given the nod? I guess you could support Parker, because they sold a lot of them.

[faustulus]

Waterman 52

Parker 51

Sheaffer Balance

Pilot Capless

Montblanc 149

Lamy 2000

Eversharp Skyline

Esterbrook J

Parker Duofold

Pelikan Piston fillers

[JefferyS]

I'm glad to see the Sheaffer Balance on a list.

[georges zaslavsky]

MB 149

MB 146

Pelikan 1000

Parker Duofold

Parker 51

Sheaffer Balance

Wahl Eversharp Doric

Waterman le Man 100

Omas 360

Montegrappa Extra

[Gerd W]

Waterman Ideal 52

Parker Duofold

Sheaffer Balance

Parker 51

Esterbrook J

Pelikan Piston fillers

Montblanc Meisterstück series

Conway Stewart 58

One typical Omas, faceted perhaps

Lamy 2000

 

and a great many more...