What Was Your Last Impulsive Pen Acquisition?

[brokenclay]

Pelikan 120 (1965) with a modern 14K broad nib ground to a stub by Rick Propas.

[AmandaW]

I'm waiting for a brown clipless Sailor fude. I already have a green one, but a brown one would match the brown or sepia ink... Then the green one could be dedicated to a pigmented black instead. Therefore it's not a totally insane doubling up. I hope.

 

Is it still impulsive if one has been agonising over a decision for weeks?

[A Smug Dill]

Is it still impulsive if one has been agonising over a decision for weeks?

 

 

Yes, of course, if 'reason' (or some attempt to 'rationalise' one's purchases and/or spending) is what was holding you back all those weeks, but you finally succumbed to sheer want in a moment of 'weakness'.

[Time-Traveller]

A Waterman Expert II City Line, brown, with an F nib. (But I can't really decide whether it is 'impulsive' or 'compulsive': it'll be my sixth Expert.)

[inkstainedruth]

Well, only semi-impulsive.... I've got a purple Pilot Falcon (one of the new colors) with a soft fine nib arriving from Vanness. Got the USPS notification that it (and a couple of bottles of ink and some samples) are out for delivery -- a day ahead of the original ETA.

Kinda pricy -- but I justified it by telling myself it's STILL less expensive than a Sailor 1911 Wicked Witch pen, and WAY WAY less expensive than that new Pelikan M600 Silver and White will likely be....

And I'll admit that I'm curious about the "soft" nibs. And the new barrel colors were quite attractive (I could just as easily bought the blue one had the purple been sold out).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[N1003U]

WAY WAY less expensive than that new Pelikan M600 Silver and White will likely be....

 

If it helps, the new Silver and White is an M40(5), thus somewhat less expensive than an M600 (like an M200 with a gold nib and a slight upcharge for the Souverän trim)

 

😛😀

Edited October 8, 2020 by N1003U

[greencobra]

i had a bad habit of coming in after a night out with the guys, tucking the girlfriend into bed, and then without turning on the lights and only the glow of the computer screen, head to the fountain pen hospital pre owned section and have at it. my last impulse buy before i took my sabbatical was a mb 149 with a fine nib. beautiful pen and the prior owner had a little customization nib work done. it's very expressive for a fine nib. i still use it often. this was ~2010 or so.

 

i remember the 2 right before that mb. came in from work at midnight, and saw 2 nice etruria's here in the classifieds. both with beautiful 18k nibs, one a 1.1 stub and the other a 1.0 italic. boom and boom! still own them also. impulse buys are my downfall.

[N1003U]

I am not sure if this reply belongs in the "What are You Waiting For" thread, or this one, but somehow it all feels pretty impulsive.

 

Below is what happens when one sits too long in a small village in Germany and chats with friendly FPNers, who have things to sell, and shops for deals tax-free in EU on-line stores. To use a favorite line that folks here seem to like, "I am not sure I can afford to save so much money..."

 

In a couple of weeks' time, I am returning to my SE Pennsylvania HQ, and this is what is waiting for me in a back bedroom:

 

 

In these boxes are no less than 10 fountain pens, 4 ballpoints, and a pencil (rumored to be a lovely [fairly] modern 0.5mm Green-Black D800). Christmas is coming early in the N1003U household.

 

Some Pelikan and MB fans may recognize the light brown wrapping paper on the upper/middle/left box. It is fairly distinctive to that dealer.

 

The two white boxes are private purchases from FPNers.

 

The Boxes with the "USA" tape, I think, are from Fahrney's.

 

The large box on the bottom is from Berlin, and looks like it was kicked all the way to Valley Forge from there, though I have been assured that the contents is undamaged.

 

 

[maclink]

I am not sure if this reply belongs in the "What are You Waiting For" thread, or this one, but somehow it all feels pretty impulsive.

 

Below is what happens when one sits too long in a small village in Germany and chats with friendly FPNers, who have things to sell, and shops for deals tax-free in EU on-line stores. To use a favorite line that folks here seem to like, "I am not sure I can afford to save so much money..."

 

In a couple of weeks' time, I am returning to my SE Pennsylvania HQ, and this is what is waiting for me in a back bedroom:

 

 

In these boxes are no less than 10 fountain pens, 4 ballpoints, and a pencil (rumored to be a lovely [fairly] modern 0.5mm Green-Black D800). Christmas is coming early in the N1003U household.

 

Some Pelikan and MB fans may recognize the light brown wrapping paper on the upper/middle/left box. It is fairly distinctive to that dealer.

 

The two white boxes are private purchases from FPNers.

 

The Boxes with the "USA" tape, I think, are from Fahrney's.

 

The large box on the bottom is from Berlin, and looks like it was kicked all the way to Valley Forge from there, though I have been assured that the contents is undamaged.

 

 

HaHa! Send us a photo of the pens lined up, will ya?

[carola]

My latest impulsive acquisition was a little black pen marked "Ultra 1941". It´s a piston filler with a glass nib, presumably from WWII and also presumably German or Austrian made (which was legally the same in 1941) as I found it around the corner from my home and the seller, an older woman, said the pen was a leftover from "grandfather´s" stuff.

 

I can´t seem to find any information on this brand on the internet. So if someone knows anything about it, please go ahead, I´d like to know what you have.

 

The piston doesn´t work, so I´ll have to send it off for repair, but I think it can become a nice little pen again. I´ve tested the glass nib and it´s quite different from gold or steel nibs, but I´m looking very much forward to thoroughly testing it after it got serviced.

Edited October 13, 2020 by carola

[N1003U]

HaHa! Send us a photo of the pens lined up, will ya?

I'll do that. I head back to Valley Forge at the end of this month, so it will have to wait at least a few weeks.

[como]

carola: Very interesting pen, also seems to be in very good condition. Probably need a new cork seal. Non-dip glass nib pens are unique to write with. Though they might not be your daily writer, they are surely an interesting part of history. Looks like a German design from 1930’ish, maybe by a small pen make? Just guessing... Good luck with the restoration and enjoy yiur new find!

[carola]

carola: Very interesting pen, also seems to be in very good condition. Probably need a new cork seal. Non-dip glass nib pens are unique to write with. Though they might not be your daily writer, they are surely an interesting part of history. Looks like a German design from 1930’ish, maybe by a small pen make? Just guessing... Good luck with the restoration and enjoy yiur new find!

Unfortunately, I have found a definitely cracked section by now, something that is either a crack or a scratch on the cap (as it expands above and below the upper cap ring, it might be a scratch) and a probably cracked piston (plus it´s not moving when I twist the knob). The cork seal is still in place and looks good but has probably shrunk a lot. I hope that all of this will be repairable.

 

I´m entirely with you about the German and 1930ish design. This pen´s looks remind me a lot of the Pelikan 100 and 100N. It´s the same length as my 100N although somewhat slimmer and the other proportions are practically the same. Also the clip looks very much like a Pelikan clip from that era. On the other hand there is that engraving saying "1941" that feels very much like a production year. And the glass nib says "war times pen", too. As I can´t find anything about the pen, it probably was indeed a small pen maker who made a Pelikan rip off. I´m curious whether my pen repairer will know more.

[corniche]

Hi Carola,

 

You beat me to the punch - I was just getting ready to say how much it reminds me of a Pelikan.

 

Don't worry, cracks can be filled in and polished - black is easy to match.

 

 

- Sean

[TitoThePencilPimp]

A red m600. I have been debating this purchase for years. I finally ordered one from Cult Pens, since they offered a free Pelikan Pen Case and Edelstein Ink with purchase.

 

Plus I been away from this board for a while now. Mostly focusing in school. I also used up my first ink bottle, after being a fountain pen user for 10 years. Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue 62.5 mL?. I think I will never write with Royal Blue again, but I have 5 bottles of 4001 of Roya Blue left, due to m101n purchases.

Edited October 13, 2020 by TitoThePencilPimp

[corniche]

Hi Tito,

 

The M600 is one of my Top 3 favorites. 👍 And the red stripe is a nice choice... not as dead common as the green stripe, (which I also have). Enjoy it in good health.

 

 

- Sean

[como]

carola: Most glass nib pens are from 1920s and 1930s, many made with ebonite. I hope that yours is celluloid or plastic. It looks too shiny black to be ebonite of this age. It would be easier to repair if not ebonite... Perhaps it's a pen made by one of these garage shops copying the Pelikan style, or a "promotion pen" with advertising (This is the case with my glass nib pen from 1920s, also from Germany, made by garage shop, in a style copying the Waterman style Safety pen). I tend to think that 1941 is likely part of the "advertising", not production year, as the cap seems to be too prominent a place to put production year of a pen on, just my guess. The cork seal looks so clean that it may never have been used. I am also curious and hope that someone will have the answers.

Unfortunately, ...

...This pen´s looks remind me a lot of the Pelikan 100 and 100N. It´s the same length as my 100N although somewhat slimmer and the other proportions are practically the same. Also the clip looks very much like a Pelikan clip from that era. On the other hand there is that engraving saying "1941" that feels very much like a production year. And the glass nib says "war times pen", too. As I can´t find anything about the pen, it probably was indeed a small pen maker who made a Pelikan rip off. I´m curious whether my pen repairer will know more.

[TitoThePencilPimp]

Hi Tito,

 

The M600 is one of my Top 3 favorites. And the red stripe is a nice choice... not as dead common as the green stripe, (which I also have). Enjoy it in good health.

 

 

- Sean

 

Yes. Thank you Corniche. I actually prefer the Red Stripe to the Green Stripe. I think the green stripe is okay, I have it in m600 and m1000, but I prefer the green marble m200 more. I wish Pelikan offered Souveran models in marble finishes.

 

I hope you are also doing well.

Edited October 14, 2020 by TitoThePencilPimp

[Mech-for-i]

A lot of vintage Hero ranging from 50's to 90's

[N1003U]

 

Yes. Thank you Corniche. I actually prefer the Red Stripe to the Green Stripe. I think the green stripe is okay, I have it in m600 and m1000, but I prefer the green marble m200 more. I wish Pelikan offered Souveran models in marble finishes.

 

I hope you are also doing well.

 

I like the red stripe M600, too (so much so that I replaced one that went missing), but 1.) I seem to always reach for the green stripe, as it was my first Pelikan, and 2.) My wife has confiscated the red M600 for her own use, and it is currently filled with Iroshizuku kon-peki, which is a lovely color, but like any color that gets used a lot, I am getting a bit burned out on it. We have used about half a bottle of kon-peki in the past year.

 

Among the pens in that stack of boxes I posted above is a gold-marbled M200, which has a lot of positive reviews, with much praise of the look of the marbled finish. I am really looking forward to seeing it. I bought it impulsively, based on seeing a number of positive reviews of the look. I find a lot of Pelikans (and indeed a lot of fountain pens in general) look differently in person than they do in photos.