Greif Gold - The Elusive Pen

[OMASsimo]

Have you ever heard of a pen manufacturer by the name Greif? Probably not. Or you may be a specialist on German vintage pens and can tell me more about this one, which I'd love to hear. The Greif-Werke A.G. in Goslar (about 60 mi. south-east of Hanover) had been a well-known producer of office supplies between the 1920-1950s. Their big and dominating competitor was Pelikan in Hanover. They also produced ink and fountain pens which had a very good reputation. I've seen pictures and read about them now and then and this was sufficient to spark my interest. But apparently they are very rare and elusive. But recently I was successful and managed to catch one of these mythical creatures (Greif = gryphon/griffin).

 

Here it is, a Greif Gold button filler which I assume is from the mid 1930s.

 

 

It is a good size pen for that time measuring 128 mm closed. At first glance it is the typical boring black German pen. But then there is this distinctive jade green celluloid ring on the cap with the inlaid gold ring. I think that's very pretty, indeed. Here is a close-up of the cap with the "Greif Gold" imprint:

 

 

As you can see as well, there is some brassing on the clip. The cap screw holding the clip is obviously made of hard rubber. I haven't restored the pen cosmetically, yet. I only restored it to perfect working order by cleaning and replacing the petrified ink sac.

 

On the barrel there is a crisp imprint of the manufacturer:

 

 

Unscrewing the cap discloses an impressive 14k gold nib which is marked #6. This isn't the size but the specific type of nib and means an OBB nib in the Greif numbering system. And yes, just by chance it is as big as a #6 nib that you might think of.

 

 

 

I only finished restoring it today and didn't have much chance to write with it beyond the typical testing. But I can tell already that this is an outstanding nib. It doesn't have much flex (which makes sense for an OBB) but still has a very soft feel and perfect ink flow. Like usual for pens from that era, it wants to be handled with a light hand. It has surprisingly little line variation for an OBB nib of that period and the average line width is probably close to a modern western M nib.

 

Finally, to give you an impression of how big this nib is, I photographed it side by side with a Montblanc 234 1/2 of roughly the same time (I think).

 

 

 

I'd be very happy to learn more about this company and their pens. So, if you have any info, please share. If not, I hope that I could at least spark a little interest for those gems or entertain you for a while.

[Azuniga]

Being particularly a Greif collector, here is some more in the forum...

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/303512-greif/

[catbert]

All I know about Greif is the Goslar connection, and that they got bought out by Pelikan. (Or was it Geha that got bought out by Pelikan?)

They are quite hard to find, and consequently it’s hard to find anyone to work on them. Certainly not confident enough to tinker with mine.

I have a couple of examples:

Greif 'Senior' (according to the seller - it's marked 'Greif' on the cap and 'F' on the end of the piston knob). Similar in shape to your Greif Gold. Piston filler with a steel nib. 1930s or 40s? Writes like a stub with some flex.

Greif 110 (marked '110 EF' on the barrel near the piston knob - not shown): Cigar-shaped piston filler. 1950s? Expressive 14K EF nib.

[OMASsimo]

Being particularly a Greif collector, here is some more in the forum...

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/303512-greif/

 

Thank you, I've seen and enjoyed your link before. It looks like my pen is shown in the add you post from Sept. 1935. Could that be? For me, mid 1930s seem right.

[OMASsimo]

 

All I know about Greif is the Goslar connection, and that they got bought out by Pelikan. (Or was it Geha that got bought out by Pelikan?)

They are quite hard to find, and consequently it’s hard to find anyone to work on them. Certainly not confident enough to tinker with mine.

I have a couple of examples:

Greif 'Senior' (according to the seller - it's marked 'Greif' on the cap and 'F' on the end of the piston knob). Similar in shape to your Greif Gold. Piston filler with a steel nib. 1930s or 40s? Writes like a stub with some flex.

Greif 110 (marked '110 EF' on the barrel near the piston knob - not shown): Cigar-shaped piston filler. 1950s? Expressive 14K EF nib.

 

 

 

Pretty pens. The upper one looks like a "Zweiring" litteraly "two ring" model from the 1930s/40s. The steel nib is indicative for war time production. My "Gold" shows excellent build quality and is easy to work on. Section is screw in and was easy to remove. I'm used to restoring pens and think it's quite easy. But I understand that you certainly don't want to start with such a rare one.

[catbert]

 

 

Pretty pens. The upper one looks like a "Zweiring" litteraly "two ring" model from the 1930s/40s. The steel nib is indicative for war time production. My "Gold" shows excellent build quality and is easy to work on. Section is screw in and was easy to remove. I'm used to restoring pens and think it's quite easy. But I understand that you certainly don't want to start with such a rare one.

 

Yes, I wondered if the steel nib might indicate wartime production or just a lower-end pen. (I find it interesting that US wartime pens switched from steel to palladium silver nibs - I have an Esterbrook example - while German pens switched from gold to steel.)

 

The build quality is good on both my pens, though the flat top seems sturdier.

[OMASsimo]

Well, the German pen industry was not allowed to use gold anymore and wouldn't be able to buy gold supply. Gold was considered essential for weapon production. Only a few big companies had enough gold in stock before the ban kicked in (e.g. Montblanc). Pelikan actually did make palladium nibs for the 100 model in small amounts. Most nibs were made from steel even by MB and Pelikan.

[catbert]

Well, the German pen industry was not allowed to use gold anymore and wouldn't be able to buy gold supply. Gold was considered essential for weapon production. Only a few big companies had enough gold in stock before the ban kicked in (e.g. Montblanc). Pelikan actually did make palladium nibs for the 100 model in small amounts. Most nibs were made from steel even by MB and Pelikan.

 

The steel stub in my Greif must be a replacement since the barrel is marked F.

 

I wonder why the use of steel wasn't restricted as a strategic material for weapons as well?

[OMASsimo]

Ah, you're right about the replacement nib. I didn't realize the mismatch between marking on the piston knob and the actual nib.

 

Steel might have been restricted to some degree but pens were not unimportant either. And steel was still available because they had ore and coal in their own country and had a huge steel production in the West. Precious metals had to be imported and this became virtually impossible during the course of the war. By the way, there were also pens fitted with glass nibs during that period.

 

Last but not least, many decisions of the Nazis were highly illogical and corruption was flourishing.

[Azuniga]

 

Thank you, I've seen and enjoyed your link before. It looks like my pen is shown in the add you post from Sept. 1935. Could that be? For me, mid 1930s seem right.

As far as my experience goes after many years collecting Greif, most of those with a jade ring on the cap, as well as those with a jade ring and a gold nib on the top of it, are from that period (1935) indeed... From the two pieces shown by catbert, the one above is from the same date and the one under with three rings is a later piece 1949-1950, not long before the company was sold to Pelikan... and yes it was Greif that Pelikan acquired and not Geha, as far as I know.

[OMASsimo]

Thank you very much for the clarification. It's often not so easy to tell the exact age of German pens because the designs have been so conservative and many models were reproduced more or less unchanged after the interruption by the war. Good 1930s pens are a rare find unfortunately, so I've been very lucky.

 

By the way, congratulations to your absolutely stunning Greif collection. It seems hard enough to find a simple black Greif in reasonable shape. You've got the extra rare birds. Looks like beautiful celluloid pens from the 30s.

[Azuniga]

Thank you very much for the clarification. It's often not so easy to tell the exact age of German pens because the designs have been so conservative and many models were reproduced more or less unchanged after the interruption by the war. Good 1930s pens are a rare find unfortunately, so I've been very lucky.

 

By the way, congratulations to your absolutely stunning Greif collection. It seems hard enough to find a simple black Greif in reasonable shape. You've got the extra rare birds. Looks like beautiful celluloid pens from the 30s.

 

I guess with some brands is harder than others, like Soennecken... slow changes and then like Greif very little information.

Thanks for your comments.

I first found a later Greif but one thing convinced me from the beginning it was their weight, it establishes a great balance between the hand and the pen which I also found in some Matador... For some people they are, let's say too big, but for me they fit just as I need for the writing of several pages non stop...

Keep looking you will find more !

Regards

[catbert]

Ah, you're right about the replacement nib. I didn't realize the mismatch between marking on the piston knob and the actual nib.

 

Steel might have been restricted to some degree but pens were not unimportant either. And steel was still available because they had ore and coal in their own country and had a huge steel production in the West. Precious metals had to be imported and this became virtually impossible during the course of the war. By the way, there were also pens fitted with glass nibs during that period.

 

Last but not least, many decisions of the Nazis were highly illogical and corruption was flourishing.

 

That makes a lot of sense. Thanks for taking the time to explain.

[OMASsimo]

 

I guess with some brands is harder than others, like Soennecken... slow changes and then like Greif very little information.

Thanks for your comments.

I first found a later Greif but one thing convinced me from the beginning it was their weight, it establishes a great balance between the hand and the pen which I also found in some Matador... For some people they are, let's say too big, but for me they fit just as I need for the writing of several pages non stop...

Keep looking you will find more !

Regards

 

I agree, Soennecken is just another of those interesting but hard to find makers. But it seems that there is much more information on Soennecken than on Greif. They produced those amazing lizard skin 111, 222, 333, and (maybe) 444 models which are highly sought after.

 

The size and feel of the Greif Gold is indeed quite impressive for the period. But mine is rather lightweight, maybe because it's a button rather than a piston filler. It also seems to be made from celluloid which is a very light material.

 

If I find another Greif for a reasonable price, I certainly will be tempted. But it won't become the focus of my collection. There are simply too many interesting makers. The Greif will have excellent company with all my Osmias and Kawecos.

[catbert]

... and yes it was Greif that Pelikan acquired and not Geha, as far as I know.

 

Seems like Pelikan acquired Geha in the early 90s (sources vary) and they merged in 2005, though Geha operates as an independent division.

 

 

The size and feel of the Greif Gold is indeed quite impressive for the period. But mine is rather lightweight, maybe because it's a button rather than a piston filler. It also seems to be made from celluloid which is a very light material.

 

My (celluloid?) Greif 110 has a pleasing heft, thanks to the metal piston mechanism. It's noticeably heavier than the (ebonite?) zweiring.

[OMASsimo]

My (celluloid?) Greif 110 has a pleasing heft, thanks to the metal piston mechanism. It's noticeably heavier than the (ebonite?) zweiring.

 

Yes, this makes sense. My celluloid Montblanc 144 from the early 50s is roughly the size of the Greif and is way heavier. It has this metal telescoping piston mechanism which makes all the difference.

 

Actually, I inspected the Greif Gold again and start doubting that it's made of celluloid except for the jade green ring. But what is it made of? It doesn't feel like the typical plastic of the time. Cap screw and blind cap are obviously hard rubber as apparent from the slight discolouring and smell. Could it be ebonite? Many people use "hard rubber" and "ebonite" synonymously. Is there a difference? Barrel, section, and cap do not seem to be discoloured and thus are made from a different material than cap screw and blind cap. Hmmm....