Excellent Reform Calligraphy Pen Nos

[Maurizio]

I found an excellent Reform Calligraphy Pen gathering dust in the case of an art supply store in Brooklyn 2 weeks ago. This is a beautiful pen. It has a 2.3 italic nib which writes very nicely. It has a piston filling system.

 

It saddens me that only a 20 - 30 years ago there were enough people using and playing around with italic writing that there was a market for italic pens and several companies providing for that market. This pen is so far superior to what's currently and commonly available: the Manuscript pens; OK, but not great, and cartridge only (they do come with a cheap almost useless converter), and the fairly awful Shaeffer pens. Rotrings are still available, but not commonly at art shops; you have to hunt for them or special order them.

 

I have added this pen to my collection of calligraphy fountain pens I use daily to practice calligraphy (at least "a quick brown fox" or an alphabet chain a day). This takes its place alongside my Rotring 2.7mm, and 2.3mm pens, and my old English Osmiroid 2.4. I also found the Osmiroid brand new in its aging and yellowing package in an art supply store.

 

This is a shout out to our international fountain pen community. Let's start requesting better italic pens from companies; maybe we can get one or two more to re-enter the market so we can have a better selection and just maybe improved quality and at common price.

 

Photos attached (I apologize for photo quality; I'm a poor and uninterested photographer).

 

Nota Bene: If anyone out there in cyberspace happens to have one of these sitting around in a drawer, I'll happily buy it.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Mine is a 1.1. It puts down a very nice, wet line suitable for everyday writing with flair.

[ink-syringe]

I have a .9 that is amazing. fantastic pen. Smooth as butter.

[Bo Bo Olson]

I have a few....and got to start using them. Osmiroid 6 nib set that fits either the 65 that they came with and or an Estie...a 1.5 Lamy....and my Manuscript is useless really unless doing a heading, in it is BBBB.

I gave my older Sheaffer set to my godchild.

[Tanzanite]

I bought one of these 20 years ago but not with an italic nib. I chose the EF nib. Unfortunately the feed has a crack so the nib is not steady. Wish I could find a way to fix it. It is a very nice pen.

[Tweel]

Is the point a screw-in unit, and the pen a piston-filler?

 

I bought one of these 20 years ago but not with an italic nib. I chose the EF nib. Unfortunately the feed has a crack so the nib is not steady. Wish I could find a way to fix it. It is a very nice pen.

 

It looks as though the calligraphy pen is basically a Reform 1745. If so, you could buy a 1745 for a fairly low price and transplant your EF nib into its point unit.

[Tanzanite]

Yes it is a screw-in unit and a piston filler. I paid only about 4 Euro on sale.

[amk]

I found two of these in a box at a sale and snapped them up for very little (I think 4 euros each, just like Tanzanite - what a coincidence!) - they have rapidly become one of my favourite calligraphy pens.

 

I don't think the Sheaffers are dreadful, but they do have a cheap feel, whereas these pens feel wonderful and of course are piston-fillers.

 

Reform also made a desk-pen style calligraphy pen which is a cartridge filler. It's nowhere near as good.

[Maurizio]

I just realized I omitted a few pens in my complaint about the lack of availability of italic fountain pens at reasonable cost. I should give credit to Manuscript for recently introducing the Master Italic pen. I don't have one because it's currently available only in a 1.1mm nib, but from the photos and reviews I've seen, this seems like a respectable pen. If Manuscript ever produces one with a 2.3 or 2.4 nib, I'd buy one.

 

There is also the Italix Parsons pen this too appears to be a decent pen but again it's not (yet) made in a 2.3 or 2.4 nib.

 

Of course neither of these is a piston filler either, but I'm assuming each would accept a universal converter such as a Schmidt.

 

The beauty and fun of the Reform pen is that it's a pocket-sized, piston filler with a true italic nib, allowing for a convenient carry so you can bring the magic of italic calligraphy with you to the office or anywhere else outside your home desk; and, I don't know what its original retail price was, but I'm further assuming it retailed for under $50.00.

 

I love Noodler's, have 2 Ahab's and buy more Noodler's Ink than I need. I'd be willing to spend the money a new Neponset is going for if it had a true italic nib, but, as I see it, currently it doesn't. Mr. Tardiff: is it feasible to create genuine italic nibs for the Neponset which can be screwed in? Manuscript: can you create a 2.3/2.4 nib for the Master Italic pen? Italix: can you also do that?

[pjford]

We do offer the 'Originalis' which takes standard Manuscript nibs. A hand made barrel and cap of good quality utilising the standard Manuscript nib units, may not be quite what you are looking for but it is close. MrPen

Edited December 30, 2014 by pjford

[dms525]

I am always looking for new italic fountain pen options. Based on the positive comments above, I just bought two Reform Calligraph pens with 1.9 and 2.3mm nibs, respectively. I didn't get them for anything like the bargains reported by others, unfortunately.

 

FYI, there are currently NOS Reform Calligraph nibs available for decent prices (IMO) on ebay.

 

And a question: Does anyone know if the Reform Calligraph nibs are directly compatible with the Reform 1745 pen? Or with any other pens, e.g., Pelikan 140's or M200"s?

 

David

[Maurizio]

Don't feel so badly David. I didn't get mine "cheaply" either. When I saw the pen in the case, it had a price tag on it of $xx.xx (I don't want to say lest some enterprising penperson holding some more Reforms will raise their prices) The merchant let me see it and inspect it for cracks and other flaws. After seeing that it was a piston filler and looked "clean", I just had to have it. I was only able to get the merchant to knock $10.00 of the price for cash I'm sorry to say; of course I paid it. I don't regret it though, I'm really enjoying the pen.

 

Glad you were able to get 2 on ebay. I would love to acquire another 2.3, but I'm leery of ebay. I don't have a PayPal account and I'm loathe to put any card I have "out there" on ebay.

 

I assume you've already got an old English Osmiroid? Those are nice also. I've heard here that they too can be found on ebay. I have mine fitted with a converter so it can drink bottle ink.

 

I hope you enjoy your pens too.

[dms525]

Don't feel so badly David. I didn't get mine "cheaply" either. When I saw the pen in the case, it had a price tag on it of $xx.xx (I don't want to say lest some enterprising penperson holding some more Reforms will raise their prices) The merchant let me see it and inspect it for cracks and other flaws. After seeing that it was a piston filler and looked "clean", I just had to have it. I was only able to get the merchant to knock $10.00 of the price for cash I'm sorry to say; of course I paid it. I don't regret it though, I'm really enjoying the pen.

 

Glad you were able to get 2 on ebay. I would love to acquire another 2.3, but I'm leery of ebay. I don't have a PayPal account and I'm loathe to put any card I have "out there" on ebay.

 

I assume you've already got an old English Osmiroid? Those are nice also. I've heard here that they too can be found on ebay. I have mine fitted with a converter so it can drink bottle ink.

 

I hope you enjoy your pens too.

 

I have had good luck with ebay, sticking with highly rated sellers. Anyway ...

 

I have a couple Osmiroid 65's, a 75 and an Easy Change (or something like that.) I got the last to fit some very cool shadow nibs in that format. I also have a couple Esterbrook J's that take Osmiroid nibs. You know, with all the fancy pens I have with custom ground italic nibs, the Osmiroids are hard to top. I'm looking forward trying the Reform nibs.

 

David

[Maurizio]

Mr Ford - I like the idea of being able to put the broadest Manuscript nib onto an Italix pen. I'm going to take a look at your website. As you can see from my post above I've been aware of the Italix and the only reason I haven't procured one is because there's not a broad (2.3 or 2.4mm) nib for me. Thanks for the tip.

[Green Ink]

The first fountain pen I ever bought was a Reform Calligraph 1.1

 

Right now it's filled with Diamine Ancient Copper. The nib is engraved: 1.1 Italic Reform W. Germany!

 

It's a very enjoyable pen and smooth smooth, smooth. Wish I could time travel and pick up a .9 as well. And a few other things....

[dms525]

FYI: The Reform italic nibs, made for the Reform Calligraph pens are not swappable with the Reform 1745 pen. The carrier on the 1745 nibs is longer. In the hope that the nibs were swappable, I got a 1745. Not a major investment, fortunately. I'll upload comparative photos, when I have a bit more time.

 

David

[mitto]

I just realized I omitted a few pens in my complaint about the lack of availability of italic fountain pens at reasonable cost. I should give credit to Manuscript for recently introducing the Master Italic pen. I don't have one because it's currently available only in a 1.1mm nib, but from the photos and reviews I've seen, this seems like a respectable pen. If Manuscript ever produces one with a 2.3 or 2.4 nib, I'd buy one.

There is also the Italix Parsons pen this too appears to be a decent pen but again it's not (yet) made in a 2.3 or 2.4 nib.

Of course neither of these is a piston filler either, but I'm assuming each would accept a universal converter such as a Schmidt.

The beauty and fun of the Reform pen is that it's a pocket-sized, piston filler with a true italic nib, allowing for a convenient carry so you can bring the magic of italic calligraphy with you to the office or anywhere else outside your home desk; and, I don't know what its original retail price was, but I'm further assuming it retailed for under $50.00.

I love Noodler's, have 2 Ahab's and buy more Noodler's Ink than I need. I'd be willing to spend the money a new Neponset is going for if it had a true italic nib, but, as I see it, currently it doesn't. Mr. Tardiff: is it feasible to create genuine italic nibs for the Neponset which can be screwed in? Manuscript: can you create a 2.3/2.4 nib for the Master Italic pen? Italix: can you also do that?

Here is the broadest Manuscript nib. I have a set of six sizes nibs by Manusctipt. And this one is the broadest. 4.8 I think.

[mitto]

See this Manuscript Deluxe caligraphy set. It has 2.2 and 2.8 nibs.

 

http://www.scribblers.co.uk/acatalog/Deluxe-Calligraphy-6-Nib-Set-238.html#SID=33

[Maurizio]

Nice, thanks mitto. That's what I'm talking about. Do you happen to know if any of these nibs are available individually? I have a "beginner" manuscript set & don't want to buy another whole set, but I would buy a couple of these nibs individually.

 

Thanks again.

[mitto]

I dont know if indiuidual nibs are currently available. But I purchased all my caligraphy nibs without the pen set nearly 25 years ago from a local stationery store here in pakistan . I however purchased a William Mitchell caligraphy starter set recently whose nibs are quite fun to use and write with. I bought it in Pak Rupees for something below USD 2.00. Here it is.