Oh Dear! Yet Another Frankenpen

[Cob]

Osmia is one of my favourite makes, so I had to buy this one: a pre-war 226 even though the listing informed me that it had a Parker nib; there was a Parker connexion with Osmia so I thought it was not too bad.

 

The pen did look very sad when it arrived and the Parker nib was an English 35 so probably from a Duofold Senior of the 1950s. I cleaned up and rebuilt the pen, but though very good of its type, the Parker nib did nothing for me. The original nib in the pen must have been huge; I thought I might remove the Supra broad nib from an 884 but despite being about No 4 size, this was too small. Luckily I also have an enormous Jewel nib, for which I had no home and it turned out perfectly. The 226 is a big pen, 13.5cm capped and wth girth to match; a pen that needs a big nib and I was fortunate enough to have one.

 

 

Cob

Edited November 20, 2014 by Cob

[Scribblesoften]

That looks like a nice juicy nib in a pretty pen. Good job getting it back in service.

[Cob]

That looks like a nice juicy nib in a pretty pen. Good job getting it back in service.

Thanks. Well I bought the nib on a sort of impulse and whilst knowing that it was a big 'un its size did rather surprise - I had nothing that it would fit, so was never able to give it a try. Obviously I am delighted!

 

Rgds

 

Cob

[RMN]

Another nice one Cob

 

thanks for showing

 

 

D.ick

[Cob]

Another nice one Cob

 

thanks for showing

 

 

D.ick

Thank you.

 

People are often specialists in one make or another - whether as collectors, writers, repairers or dealers - I suppose... I appear to be becoming a Frankenpen specialist...

 

I have an absolute corker on the way - that is in terms of Frankenpenmanship - it's an ancient Mentmore bulb filler with large transparent ink reservoir. The rest of the thing was made I think of casein - very pretty in fact - but the cap has disintegrated. The bulb cover has a crack which I have started working on. It's a pretty blue-gold sort of marble. Of course I needed a cap, and I found one: a really rare item that fits: it's immaculate in splendidly clashing green marble and comes from a very late 1930s Mabie Todd New York Swan Visofil!

 

Perfect for a sort of Chamber of Horrors!

 

Rgds,

 

Cob

[Cob]

Well, here's the one I mentioned: the remains of a Mentmore Visi-Ink, with repaired end-cap and late 1930s Mabie Todd New York Swan Visofil cap...

 

It fills really well: the centre section is a visible ink reservoir - it is a bulb-filler - and its small nib writes quite nicely too.

 

 

Rgds

 

Cob

Edited November 21, 2014 by Cob

[Bo Bo Olson]

Thanks for the 226 info. I'd not realized it was such a Large pen.

 

The biggest Osmia I have is a BCHR 76, which is a thick girthed, medium-large pen. Large steel Supra nib EF nib.

Got 5-6 but that's the largest.

Parker only 'owned' or owned controlling interest in 1928-29...a Parker-Osmia Duofold goes for €1000. Lamy was the manager. It was too expensive for Germans, held too little ink, and the German's had cloned it long before. Osmia got a technology transfer out of it.

I just see by Lambrou's book the 78 should be bigger than a 76. Ah, Ha....got to have a 78, or a 226 or a 448.

 

In a picture in Lambrou's book, showing a row of Osmia's, the 226 is as big as the O-F-C 448.The 448 was developed to chase the MB 146-9.

 

Just noticed in the picture in Lambrou's book, the cap 'jewel' is much different, than yours. The form looks like a 223. But Osmai in the late '30's-50's often had two or three different 'cap jewels' and different four clips that I've had or seen pictures of.

Don't worry, it's just a variant. It does look as I said, like the 223, pictured....could well be the 223 came in other cap jewels also.

 

Sorry I can't help you with the nib. None of my Degussa nibs are even as huge as my 76.

 

Not having an office supply company backing it like Soenecken, MB & Pelikan, Osmia had to sell it's nib factory to Degussa in 1932. Degussa continued making the superb Osmia (O-F-C also) diamond semi-flex and Supra 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex nibs.

In during various eras the Osmia-Degussa nibs were made for other of the reputed 120 pen manufactures in Germany. Most were mom-pop build a pen from ordered parts from the big boys and flag it to the local department store type makers. Degussa made regular flex nibs also.

Rupp made nibs from 1922, Bock from 1938. Both Rupp and Degussa stopped making nibs in 1970.

 

So a Degussa nib would not be a true Frankie.

Edited November 22, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[Cob]

Thanks for the 226 info. I'd not realized it was such a Large pen.

 

The biggest Osmia I have is a BCHR 76, which is a thick girthed, medium-large pen. Large steel Supra nib EF nib.

Got 5-6 but that's the largest.

Parker only 'owned' or owned controlling interest in 1928-29...a Parker-Osmia Duofold goes for €1000. Lamy was the manager. It was too expensive for Germans, held too little ink, and the German's had cloned it long before. Osmia got a technology transfer out of it.

I just see by Lambrou's book the 78 should be bigger than a 76. Ah, Ha....got to have a 78, or a 226 or a 448.

 

In a picture in Lambrou's book, showing a row of Osmia's, the 226 is as big as the O-F-C 448.The 448 was developed to chase the MB 146-9.

 

Just noticed in the picture in Lambrou's book, the cap 'jewel' is much different, than yours. The form looks like a 223. But Osmai in the late '30's-50's often had two or three different 'cap jewels' and different four clips that I've had or seen pictures of.

Don't worry, it's just a variant. It does look as I said, like the 223, pictured....could well be the 223 came in other cap jewels also.

Thanks very much; all that was jolly interesting..

 

In fact I have, apart from the 226 Frankenpen, a 223 (this one has a Parker-type black cap jewel and also the wrong clip), I also have an 884B Supra (wrong cap) a 661BL and a 62BL Supra in grey marble. I am sure that my 226 is pre-war - I think that the rather fancy clip is the giveaway. It is a big substantial lump in the hand but pleasant to write with. I think that users of these very large modern pens would feel quite at home with it! I am very pleased with the way it has turned out and I do like button-fillers. Incidentally you might care to know that my 226 does not carry the famous Osmia symbol on top of the clip screw.

 

I believe that the 448 fetches very good prices indeed, and if the quality is like that of my Osmias, deservedly so I should say.

 

Best wishes

 

Cob

Edited November 22, 2014 by Cob

[Bo Bo Olson]

I have a similar clip on my 540, got three different clips and three different cap jewels...I do count Boehler '30's pens as Osmai's in they brothers split in '38 and the Boehler pens continued to use the same model numbers and clips and jewel caps.

I do not take many pictures in I'm bad at it. The top pens are I buy the pen, I get the Ebay picture too. The last was just 'borrowed' for my reference.

O-F-C 540 @ 1952....didn't want to load, if it don't show up, will try later.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/1b88524b-11ac-4e56-b929-781d80a84e99_zps3341aeb1.jpg

Boehler Gold mdl 54. Full tortoise. Notice the clip and the cap jewel, which I have on other Osmia's.

Generic clip.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/3peCUqOKR1A01282498390S_zps2af57cbb.jpg

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/B05qqKwB2kKGrHqMOKiEERGChR8EBMcV7mpcw_12_zps30b5d73e.jpg

 

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/ZL6RrVDHwYC11282498416S_zps34268f27.jpg

Other Boehlers. great clip. I never thought to own a BCHR pen, now i have 5 of them...mostly Osmias. Six when I count a cheap no name with the Soennecken Rhinegold on it....stole the name, they did.. It was no wonder I got it cheap...everyone else knew better. "Noobies" pay to learn.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/B0ijpCWkKGrHqQOKioEWJJF95bBMvLLjW0w_3_zps48f0adfc.jpg

 

Our Grail pen ...Osmia Supra Deluxe early '30's...don't have The last time I saw one, it went for €350. Hello Soennecken, hello MB...stomp, stomp; stomped them right into a mud-puddle.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/B01Jfw2kKGrHqRg4Ew5FYulSBMcCgocBw_12_zpsb63405fa.jpg

 

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/B01JREwEWkKGrHqNjUEpeRZ0OLBMcCW45dIg_12_zps27e5444f.jpg

Edited November 26, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[Cob]

I have a similar clip on my 540, got three different clips and three different cap jewels...I do count Boehler '30's pens as Osmai's in they brothers split in '38 and the Boehler pens continued to use the same model numbers and clips and jewel caps.

I do not take many pictures in I'm bad at it. The top pens are I buy the pen, I get the Ebay picture too. The last was just 'borrowed' for my reference.

O-F-C 540 @ 1952....didn't want to load, if it don't show up, will try later.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/1b88524b-11ac-4e56-b929-781d80a84e99_zps3341aeb1.jpg

Boehler Gold mdl 54. Full tortoise. Notice the clip and the cap jewel, which I have on other Osmia's.

Generic clip.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/3peCUqOKR1A01282498390S_zps2af57cbb.jpg

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/B05qqKwB2kKGrHqMOKiEERGChR8EBMcV7mpcw_12_zps30b5d73e.jpg

 

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/ZL6RrVDHwYC11282498416S_zps34268f27.jpg

Other Boehlers. great clip. I never thought to own a BCHR pen, now i have 5 of them...mostly Osmias. Six when I count a cheap no name with the Soennecken Rhinegold on it....stole the name, they did.. It was no wonder I got it cheap...everyone else knew better. "Noobies" pay to learn.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/B0ijpCWkKGrHqQOKioEWJJF95bBMvLLjW0w_3_zps48f0adfc.jpg

 

Our Grail pen ...Osmia Supra Deluxe early '30's...don't have The last time I saw one, it went for €350. Hello Soennecken, hello MB...stomp, stomp; stomped them right into a mud-puddle.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/B01Jfw2kKGrHqRg4Ew5FYulSBMcCgocBw_12_zpsb63405fa.jpg

 

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/B01JREwEWkKGrHqNjUEpeRZ0OLBMcCW45dIg_12_zps27e5444f.jpg

The clip in the picture at the top is the same as the one on my 62 and 661 Osmias; the 226's clip has more decoration at its end, though of course the overall shape is the same.

 

You are a nuisance Sir! Now I want a Boehler or two! Especially a lovely one like yours. I know nothing about Soennecken - this is the first tme I have heard the name! When did the company exist?

 

As for the last Osmia, well I am not surprised about the prices: one can imagine that one being wielded by the Krupps and their pals! It's a beauty and obviously top quality and indeed should wipe the eyes of the likes of Montblanc &c. The nib on that one is extraordinary - like a very broad italic; interesting in itself and I also see that the top carries the Osia logo on the clip screw; I presume that at the time, this feature was reserved only for the top-of-the-range models - as my 226 does not have the feature.

 

Best wishes

 

Cob

[Bo Bo Olson]

I don't see it as a oblique, but a BBB or even BBBB....now that is a Signature Pen.

 

I think, Osmia's Diamond, which I have on some of the pens...was more bling, than a quality marker.

O-F-C swiftly got rid of the diamond, then the clip, then the name, finally all that was left was the diamond of a semi-flex nib, with out Osmia, with in 6-7 years of taking over in '51.

 

What fools, they F-C only made second tier fountain pens and needed the first class Osmia. But those jumped up late 19th century business nobility, the Grafs of Faber Castell had an ego problem. You can not convince the pen buying public a second tier pen brand is actually still the first class Osmia, when you take the name off, for your own.

 

I see no difference in quality, with the pen body or nibs, with the different clips and cap ends. Different strokes?

 

Perhaps if the boss had a MB, you got an Osmia with a plainer top, than the diamond on the cap top. I can't immagine the clip alone would cost more. Some folks didn't want to brag too loud.

There is something there, when so many German pens are only black&gold and the colored models were exported....in I see so few on German Ebay...those go for 1/3 more.

 

Soennecken was one of the very first fountain pen makers...@1890.

 

Kaweco used only US Morton nibs, the worlds best from 1900 to 1914, when they made a deal with Morton, to import the machinery and the US workers to Germany in April 1914, then came August and the Americans went home.

 

The gold nibs were hand hammered and annealed. To keep the 'iridium' from burning off the tip was put in a potato.

Up to 1930 when the maker went broke from the market crash not the pen....it was used.

Thomas, who's uncle worked in Kaweco when it was still in Heidelberg and not picked up after it went broke a second time, and made for a while in Greece I think like now; said, the Germans for a long time use to say "lend me your Kaweco", instead of lend me your fountain pen. It was the best nib. A first class pen.

 

That was the first thing the new owner cut to cut costs, so Kaweco's nibs dropped back to second class like Soennecken and MB.

After that Soennecken and MB fought it (1930-60) out for best German Pen Company. Pelikan was using MB nibs at that time 1930.

 

Soennecken still around as a office supply company, like Pelikan and I don't think now MB does office supplies any more, but that kept them alive. Osmia was just a pen company so had always money problems.

In the '50's Soennecken was too slow to get into the ball point market unlike MB & Pelikan, so started dying in the mid-late '50's. By @ 1960 it stopped making pens.

The '50's Soennecken was the best pen; perhaps in the world...not MB or Pelikan. Andreas Lambrou said so.

 

Soennecken run 20-25% more than Osmia....so I don't have one. I do have a superflex Soennecken fountain pen nib.

 

My Grail Soennecken is a '50's 111 Extra in either of three of the six herringbone colors. Last seen at €500 (When the Osmia Supra Deluxe was going for 350), except for some jerk trying to sell a Black herringbone for a buy now of €1,000.

There are folks with more money than good sense. Black IMO was the least interesting of the colors of herringbone.

 

There is or was some lady on this com with 6 of the herringbone Soennecken's. I've not seen those pens being bragged for a while, so it could be she passed.

Edited November 27, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[Cob]

Thanks very much for your very informative and entertaining reply. So if someone asked you to rank these German pen makers in terms of quality - say from 1930 - 1960 what would you say?

 

Osmia seems to have a very good reputation at least for its nibs - and I think that the Osmia piston system is excellent: simple and reliable and easy to repair. In truth I haven't any experience to speak of in connexion with the other German makes; I have tried some Pelikans and some of them have very nice nibs - the older ones - but of course I suppose that this applies to all manufacturers that have survived. I do have a M150 which leaks and a Geha with a nib lacking its tipping (my fault).

 

Sadly, Mabie Todd didn't survive!

 

My other favourite make is Onoto; I have three of these (none is a Frankenpen!) and they are very good quality indeed.

 

Best wishes

[Bo Bo Olson]

My view is slanted in I don't like nails. Out side the Herlitz that I don't have all were solid pens...the Artus...good...but more a top second tier pen....a good pen to have if you find one.

1930-60 Soennecken (Edge because the best pen of the '50s was Soennecken not the 146-9, MB. Back then MB made three levels of pens as did Soennecken....Pelikan two.

 

I have a superflex 100n nib. I see three levels to super flex; easy full flex, wet noodle and weak kneed wet noodle that I have read about. I have a Soennecken, wet noodle. Yesterday I saw a MB Safety pen 1914?-29 with a wet noodle...broken tine tip...sigh. It was possible of course to get a wet noodle from the early 1900's to after the war. Waterman was not the only maker of wet noodles.

 

Pelikan dragged both Soennecken and MB screaming, shouting and dragging their heels into pistons, they liked lever and push-button filling systems.

 

*Reform...real, real solid pen, *Osmia...nib and some nice BCHR, Pelikan/ after '50 Geha, *Kaweco......*=made in the pen capitol of the world...then...Heidelberg. All top of the line pens.

 

*Mercedes (nothing really to do with the car. Had I believe worked for MB once.) a well made pen with a semi-flex nib, *?Artus regular flex bought up by *Lamy always a nail/ was *Orthos(don't know what nib, never seen one) after he left Osmia; was the manager when Parker owned Osmia). The machinery to press plastic to make modern plastic pens (among other uses) were in Germany made by and are still made by Artus...Lamy bought up the Artus pen division when he bought the machines....same type used to make the P-51/Sheaffer and all the other ugly mono-tone modern pens. The early '40-50's Artus are nice pens....the later second level of Lamy Artus pens I don't know.

 

*Luxor a good pen, *Herlitz; that I don't have; do have nibs, mostly nails. Tropen, solid pen, a nail, mostly made for the export market...was in the '50's the biggest pen maker in Germany...hard to find on German Ebay, English too. Days after the war was over, and the new Labor Government refused to help the bombed out English pen companies, the British Army ordered 50,000 pens from Tropen....is solidly made a nail. All solid pens.

 

Faber-Castell a second tier pen( don't know where it was made, perhaps close to Heidelberg) Don't have one.

I don't count O-F-C as really Faber-Castell.

 

Reform was so good, right after the war, those who had imported pens before the war, advanced cash so he could buy materials and produce.

I've only two of the real very solidly made, Original Reforms. When the ball points drove others to make cheaper pens, he closed his factory rather than make second class. Later sold it to Mulshsomething or another Also in Heidelberg..second and third tier pen maker...that made the cheap Reform 1745 pens.

 

Right after the war the Mayor of Hanover gave the historic Mayor's gold chain of office to Pelikan so they could make gold nibs.

 

Thomas (Kaweco; here worth looking up in advanced search) is a the expert, a real scholar on German pens...I'm sure he'd rate Kaweco higher than me, his uncle worked there ( I only have one...can't chase Kaweco when chasing Osmia/Pelikan...and to my shock lately MB). Much of what I know is from standing in the Flea market BS'ing with him for a couple hours every time we meet.

 

You need to buy 'Fountain Pens, Vintage and Modern', by Andreas Lambrou....get the most up to date. Edition....Look on Amazon...some one is bound to have died. 'New' is expensive but worth it. I knew nothing before I got that book (wish it was in English...it takes me three times longer to read in German)....still know too little. I could look in the Ebays for various pens, that I'd never done, with out that book.

After 6 years one retains a bit. When I was new to the com, I must have copied 4 Meg of info.

Edited November 27, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[Cob]

I am the same - nails do little for me though there are certain ones that are pleasant to use: I have a Swan 44ETN that I like plus I have just acquired an old Swan 6160 curiously fitted with a No 3 Eternal nib. Of course Eternals were nails, but both of these are pleasant to write with.

 

Thank you so much for all that: fascinating - as and as for the story about the Mayor of Hanover - that is true dining-out material! Wonderful. Again many of the makes are unknown to me - Tropen, Luxor, Herlitz etc. I have heard of Reform though (just).

 

Some of the Osmias I have or have had, were marked A W Faber-Castell Heidleberg-Dossenheim, but all carried the famous Osmia script. The 884B I have (with the wrong cap sadly) is engraved with its previous owner's name - a very appropriate one: Ilse Schreiber!

 

Meanwhile I am still trying to find a feed (Sadly I broke it and have a temporary replacement) and clip for my 223M which has a lovely flexible nib and writes with lots of what I like to call "edge."

 

Thanks again for all this wonderful information; I have looked up the Lambrou book, but since the cheapest I can find (and a 1995 edition) is £140 I doubt I'll be buying a copy; I can get two decent Onotos for that money!

 

best wishes

 

Cob

[Matlock]

Battersea Pen Home has the latest version "Fountain Pens of the World" for £129

Amazon has the 1989 version " Fountain Pens: Vintage & Modern" for £11.99

The 1989 version is worth the money.

Edited November 27, 2014 by Matlock

[Cob]

Battersea Pen Home has the latest version "Fountain Pens of the World" for £129

Amazon has the 1989 version " Fountain Pens: Vintage & Modern" for £11.99

The 1989 version is worth the money.

Thanks very much. The £129 option is a fair price but I cannot justify it, but the other one...

 

Well I found a copy on Abe Books which is coming all the way from the USA and will save me about £4 altogether. Thanks again for the tip - of course I had no knowledge of this title.

 

Cob

Edited November 27, 2014 by Cob

[Bo Bo Olson]

I have the '89 in German...get the book for 12 pounds...a steal.

I got it from a second hand German book dealer my wife knows for €20 and never regretted it a second....even if it does take me three times as long to read.

 

One of the bad things in German...didn't notice it in the book, is they shrinkwrapwordstogether. Then I have to put my finger down and divide shrink...wrap...words...together.

[Matlock]

Thanks very much. The £129 option is a fair price but I cannot justify it, but the other one...

 

Well I found a copy on Abe Books which is coming all the way from the USA and will save me about £4 altogether. Thanks again for the tip - of course I had no knowledge of this title.

 

Cob

It's just that when Andreas updated the book he updated the title too. I got mine, free, with a Duofold set back in 1990 as it was part sponsered by Parker at the time. If you are only interested in older pens the 1989 version is still useful.

Peter.

[Cob]

I have the '89 in German...get the book for 12 pounds...a steal.

I got it from a second hand German book dealer my wife knows for €20 and never regretted it a second....even if it does take me three times as long to read.

 

One of the bad things in German...didn't notice it in the book, is they shrinkwrapwordstogether. Then I have to put my finger down and divide shrink...wrap...words...together.

Ha ha - yes - in fact I deeply regret not having learned to speak German, but that's another topic.

 

I worked once with a German girl who told me that the longest word in German had 88 letters. Sadly I no longer have the word written down but what it meant was the tassle on the back of the cap worn by a bloke who captained a boat that sailed on the River Rhine...

 

Cob

[Cob]

It's just that when Andreas updated the book he updated the title too. I got mine, free, with a Duofold set back in 1990 as it was part sponsered by Parker at the time. If you are only interested in older pens the 1989 version is still useful.

Peter.

Thank you; I am interested in old pens - I have no interest really in new ones - so I should be very pleased with my book.

 

Cob