Which Country Do You Think Manufactures The Best Fountain Pens?

[firebug]

Ever since I have started using FPs, I've been dying to understand what is the genesis of FPs and which country kind of holds the best expertise in FPs? Like the Swiss are unbeatable at watches.

 

At one end I find Germany which has fewer but very popular brands like MB, Pelikan, GvFC, there's an Italy with a horde of brands like MGP, Visconti, OMAS, Aurora, Ancora, Tibaldi, Delta and a lot more.

 

There is also Japan with Pilot, Nakaya, Sailor, Danitrio etc.

 

There's also USA with the mother of all brands like Parker, Sheaffer, Waterman, Conway Stewart.

 

I am sure I am leaving out a couple of countries though. But with knowledgeable minds like that are on the forum, this will be a nice thread to keep watching.

 

Awaiting revert mates! Also add valid logic and reasoning without getting personal as to which country is the best and why.

 

Thanks

Edited August 3, 2013 by firebug

[inotrym]

I'm not all that experienced but I would say it must be the Asians (in general).

 

After all, who can beat the guys who invented ink and paper?

[humsin]

Ever since I have started using FPs, I've been dying to understand what is the genesis of FPs and which country kind of holds the best expertise in FPs? Like the Swiss are unbeatable at watches.

 

At one end I find Germany which has fewer but very popular brands like MB, Pelikan, GvFC, there's an Italy with a horde of brands like MGP, Visconti, OMAS, Aurora, Ancora, Tibaldi, Delta and a lot more.

 

There is also Japan with Pilot, Nakaya, Sailor, Danitrio etc.

 

There's also USA with the mother of all brands like Parker, Sheaffer, Waterman, Conway Stewart.

 

I am sure I am leaving out a couple of countries though. But with knowledgeable minds like that are on the forum, this will be a nice thread to keep watching.

 

Awaiting revert mates! Also add valid logic and reasoning without getting personal as to which country is the best and why.

 

Thanks

Conway Stewart is British, and modern Watermans are French. The American one when bust a while back.

[rochester21]

*Wrong forum !!!*

 

Today? That`s actually a good question. I`m going to say Japan, because they still make quite a large variety of interesting pens. At least i know that pilot, sailor, platinum etc make their pens and nibs in Japan, they don`t use any "Bock" nibs- do they?

 

Oh, and neither do the chinese use any Bock nibs, and yet, some of their "iridium point made in Germany" nibs are surprisingly smooth. Also, they still make all- brass pens, which otherwise are hard to come by. Not to mention the variety of styles and colors

 

Another reason why i like pens made by the japanese and chinese is that in most cases they don`t charge for their pens more than they`re worth.

Edited August 3, 2013 by rochester21

[hari317]

Japan and Germany. Some excellent pen body makers in the UK like Yard O Led and Onoto.

[georges zaslavsky]

ST Dupont and Cartier are very good French pen manufacturers, now they are rated way above Waterman.

Cleo an Astoria are smaller brands than MB and Pelikan but they are also very good german products.

[RMN]

I would say China, these days, as "almost" all brands have their pens produced over there nowadays....

 

But the cradle of all FPs was without a doubt in the USA, where Waterman Parker and Sheaffer along with several others did a lot of inventions.

 

This quickly spread, with manufacturers in Japan (around 1911) and Europe catching on, sometimes in new directions. I believe the piston fill is of German origin.

 

 

D.ick

[The Blue Knight]

USA as I've never owned a bad Parker or tried a bad Sheaffer.

[firebug]

@ humsin, I thank you for the information you have shared. I stand corrected.

 

@ rochester 21, thanks for a detailed view.

 

And thanks every one else also chipping in.

 

Yeah, I did miss out on the french, as they have Cartier, S. T. Dupont, Michel Perchin (correct me again, if I am wrong).

 

China, I must agree has suddenly sprung as a manufacturer of reliable and cheap instruments.

 

In my personal opinion, however, value of an FP never be determined by value of the input materials+cost of workmanship+a reasonable profit. I think it is a life style accessory, and hence it's value will always be in line with the brand producing it. How else can one define luxury?

 

Again, I've used quite a few FPs, and I think MB outlasts most other brands in terms of retaining the same look, feel and quality that would have been at the time it was bought. Reason that it's popular and most sold FP brand in the world.

 

However, I seek more inputs, more insights into why would a maker of a pen / country be better. If anyone can only share technical insights in terms of materials used, feed qualities, nib qualities, filling mechanism, then it would be more rounded a discussion which would be more factual than just opining. I hope my point of view is appreciated.

 

Never the less, many many thanks for dropping in precious lines on this topic. Most welcome, anytime, with any comment, any feedback.

 

Thanks

[monanza]

My limited experience (so take the following with much salt) has been that Japanese pens tend to perform consistently out of the box (even or especially in the sub $10 range). Italian pens are best tuned by a professional because they can be inconsistent. I have no complaints about Pelikan's, they are great out of the box and so are Kaweco's. Parker's, Waterman's, Sheaffer's are also great. I think in the end that the design of the pen plays as much a part in what makes the pen as does its writing performance.

 

I also think it is important to recognize that companies now collaborate a lot more across national borders. Japanese companies can source ebonite and other materials from other nations and German, Italian, and American companies can source certain finishes and art forms from Japan (Urushi, Maki-e).

 

Anyway this is my naive opinion (for today ).

 

Cheers.

[humsin]

@ humsin, I thank you for the information you have shared. I stand corrected.

 

@ rochester 21, thanks for a detailed view.

 

And thanks every one else also chipping in.

 

Yeah, I did miss out on the french, as they have Cartier, S. T. Dupont, Michel Perchin (correct me again, if I am wrong).

 

China, I must agree has suddenly sprung as a manufacturer of reliable and cheap instruments.

 

In my personal opinion, however, value of an FP never be determined by value of the input materials+cost of workmanship+a reasonable profit. I think it is a life style accessory, and hence it's value will always be in line with the brand producing it. How else can one define luxury?

 

Again, I've used quite a few FPs, and I think MB outlasts most other brands in terms of retaining the same look, feel and quality that would have been at the time it was bought. Reason that it's popular and most sold FP brand in the world.

 

However, I seek more inputs, more insights into why would a maker of a pen / country be better. If anyone can only share technical insights in terms of materials used, feed qualities, nib qualities, filling mechanism, then it would be more rounded a discussion which would be more factual than just opining. I hope my point of view is appreciated.

 

Never the less, many many thanks for dropping in precious lines on this topic. Most welcome, anytime, with any comment, any feedback.

 

Thanks

 

Welcome to the forum. Just so you know, there's actually a multiquote button

[Scrawler]

When it comes to objects like pens, "best" is a personal value judgement. A pen is a fairly basic piece of technology with one fundamental operating principle and a limited number of implementations. Provided that a pen can be wielded to perform the act of writing or drawing, the differences are down to material it is made from, its weight, its size and its decoration. If we regard modern pens only, then the highest quality of workmanship, accuracy in fitting, weight, size and choices of material, at a reasonable cost, must go to the United States. For conventional value recognition, general workmanship and conveniently excellent performance, I would say Germany. For nice looking, generally usable at a reasonable price I would say both Chinas. For simple old fashioned beauty, Italy. The best overall fountain pens historically are Canadian.

[tonybelding]

When it comes to vintage pens, the USA was the hub around which the rest of the world revolved.

 

I am very fond of the relatively few fountain pens that are still made in the USA: Bexley (and Gate City), Edison, Franklin-Christoph. I believe all of these use German-made nibs, but I'm OK with that. (Jowo nibs in particular are quite good these days. They're making possibly the best steel nibs that I've seen.)

In modern pens, in terms of sheer manufacturing adeptness -- fit and finish, and consistent quality control -- I'd give the prize to Japan. I don't see much exciting in the way of design from Japanese companies, though.

 

[Brian C]

For modern production I have to say Japan. When I look at vintage pens I look at Parker, Sheaffer, and Montblanc.

[Penne Stilografiche]

I would say Italy, depending on what brand you buy from.

[vinper]

I'm surprised that Cross was not mentioned; when compared on a cost per unit basis their Townsend line performs (at least for me) on par with Euiropean pens costing much more money. I think the question of which country produces the best pens is too broad a topic. What are the variables? For beauty nothing surpasses the Pelikan line in my opinion, for instant recognition Mont Blanc is hard to beat, as well as Cross for that matter. When it comes to smoothness I'd wager most of us have some "cheapies" that we bought from a office supply store that are as smooth writing as pens costing 10x more. I think we shoud agree that answer to the question of what is the best fp producing country is a matter of the subjective opinion of the writer, a combination of the writers aesthetic sense, writing style, and personal prejudices. There really is no one answer. vinper

[Montblanc owner and lover]

in order: Germany,Japan,Italy,France,UK the rest isn't interesting for me(i hear people screaming from here and what about twisbi conid and so on well i don't care!i don't like them and just is it like that you can agree or you can not agree with it...all is a question of taste,by the way i don't say they're not quality i just say they don't interest me so don't argue please)

[orfew]

Germany, Japan, France, Italy.

[jar]

Urawabda is the only possible answer.

[Felix1]

Japan!

 

I don't know of anything to say beyond what rochester21 already wrote. He nailed the answer to the question.