best pen to buy as a gift?

[jhaddix]

I have an artist friend and i want to give her a gift she will use for a long time, she was talking the other day about wanting a nice fountain pen, so i was wondering what the best possible artist fountain pen i could get her would be? She said she loves the way Lamy's feel but i wanted something nicer (if such exists), i googled and found this wonderful forum... thank you in advance for responses (price really inst an object)

[dtrisgvex]

Try some Pelikans...M300 is perfect for girls...

[kissing]

Parker Sonnets are beautiful pens that come in a very wide range of finishes

They have a beautiful nib that has a bit of flex to it

 

That said, if price isn't a problem, there are so many other great choices out there that I shall leave this topic to answer...

Edited June 2, 2007 by kissing

[mr T.]

She said she loves the way Lamy's feel but i wanted something nicer (if such exists),

.

 

Go for a nice Lamy (a 2000 for example). It doesn't matter what you think is a nicer pen if she thinks otherwise. She already said what she likes, so this choice should be an easy one.

[sleek_lover]

Parker 51 with a fine nib. Tell her it is a wonderful example of Bauhausian design principles

 

Waterman C/F with an F nib. Tell her Harley Earle, the legendary GM designer, designed the pen and you wanted her to have a pen that represented the best in design elements as she worked.

 

And no, I am not on one of my tongue in cheek rants. Either pen is absolutely great for the artist. I would opt for the C/F since it is cart-fed and can be fairly easily switched between ink colors.

 

Both are classics in their own way; also there is the point that you can get several for the price of some of the pens so far suggested and improve the impact of the gift...and maybe the reciprocation...

 

Bill

 

PS...there are many MANY pens nicer than Lamys...god there are zillions of pens nicer than Lamys.

Edited June 2, 2007 by paircon01

[obmike]

interesting. i don't find either of those pens nicer than a lamy.

 

"she said she loves the way lamys feel"

 

that seems to make things quite a bit easier for you.

 

 

btw, 100th post.

[Ged]

The obvious option, Lamy 2000. Depends on your friends style too though, Lamy 2000 is pretty sleek and unadorned. For a pen with more bling bling, perhaps something from Montblanc or an Italian pen...

 

Without narrowing it down further we could really discuss any pen More info! any particular color, nib size, preference for gold or silver/chrome, and so on.

[alexalex]

Lamy Studio in palladium finish? Or maybe Pelikan M400 White Tortoise - looks like perfect pen for a girlfriend.

You can find some pretty good deals on this pen... Each one of those available for under $100!

For a new pen with gold nib it's a steal

 

I have given some Waterman FPs to my friends - Audace for example would be nice for a girl with artistic inclination

 

 

Regards,

alex

 

[abp]

My wife won't let me exercise any discretion when it comes to buying a present for someone who has already expressed a preference; if they said thay wanted such and such she believes it's rude to say "I don't like that so I'll buy something else". FOrtunately she never expresses any preferences herself, so get to exercise my discretion on her (and me obviously...!)

 

I'm not suggesting you would be rude to buy something else in this situation, but it does sound like your friend has expressed a preference...Go for a Lamy 2000; it's a chic pen with a good reputation.

 

Antony

[RyanL27]

I'd also recommend a Pelikan. They're available at a variety of prices, in a variety of materials, sizes and finishes, and they all are quality pens. Have a look around www.richardspens.com . I have no affiliation with Richard, but he carries a variety of Pelikans and will make sure the pen writes well before shipping it to you.

 

Here's the white tortoise Pelikan that Alex mentioned:

http://richardspens.com/images/sales/pelikan/honey.jpg

 

And here's the much smaller m300 that Ricky mentioned:

http://richardspens.com/images/collection/M320.jpg

 

 

The Lamy 2000 is also an excellent choice. I got one as a graduation gift from my brother, and I'm loving its smooth nib, sleek design and huge ink capacity. It lacks the shininess of the Pels, but it's an awesome pen. For this one, check out www.oscarbraunpens.com . Pam Braun is also excellent to deal with and has great prices.

http://richardspens.com/images/collection/lamy_2000.jpg

 

photos were taken from Richardspens.com

Edited June 3, 2007 by RyanL27

[rroossinck]

I'm about to pull the trigger on the above Pelikan Tortoise for a friend who was instrumental in getting me hooked up with the new job.

 

However, I've purchased some oddballs, and given some oddballs as gifts. Gave a friend who was starting a new company a Sheaffer Prelude out of my personal collection, which he absolutely adores. And just today, I gave my wife two pens (because she couldn't decide on the model she liked...) - a Conklin Mark Twain Signature in pink, and a Laban "Ring Pen" (how astonishingly creative with the naming convention) in chrome and blue.

 

She gave me a Conklin Duragraph in blue...gorgeous!

 

(It was our 5th wedding anniversary yesterday)

[jhaddix]

man, you guys are AWESOME...

 

I decided on three diff ones in a variety of nub sizes, Pelican tortoise, Lamy 2000, and Lamy studio.

 

Thank you so much guys and gals, i might pick one up for myself too, looks like a fun hobby

[rroossinck]

Buy yourself any of 'em and you'll spoil yourself for most every other pen currently available on the market. Personally, I'd go for one of those Pelikans, as they're such an astounding value for the money.

[HDoug]

Which Lamy did she say she liked? If it was a Safari, you could buy her several in different colors, maybe with some different nibs too.

 

Doug

[Splicer]

Something with an fine, ultraflexible nib. Namiki Falcon for example.

 

or if you want to go "outside the box" try getting her a Kaimei or Kuretake brush. They are to drawing brushes what fountain pens are to crowquills. People that draw a lot (gosh, do I know anyone who draws?) love these things. She can put the cap on it and stick it in her pocket like any other pen and have a brush to use in a sketchbook without having to carry a bottle of ink, which can be less than convenient.

 

Of course, really to get someone a gift you have to know them, so my suggestions might stink.