What's Up At Christof's

[DrCodfish]

So interesting to see these beautiful old pens, and makes my heart glad that you are extending their useful lives. Any on of those would be a standout in my box.

[christof]

Last Week end, I worked on the second Soennecken. Not the Rheingold, the other green one.

 

 

 

Now, the interesting thing is that there is no Soennecken imprint on the whole pen.

 

I have had several identical pens, but every one was clearly imprinted as a Soennecken product. Most of them are Soennecken made for the Swiss Market in the 1950's. For example these:

 

 

 

 

or this:

 

 

This one is different. Even the nib shows no connection to Soennecken.

 

 

 

So this seems to be a pen made by Soennecken which has been sold under a different name.

...but which name is unknown, still.

 

I sent this pictures to my Friend Daniel. He has an own site to find out more about Swiss made pens. Have a look at here: http://www.swiss-pen.ch/bezug-zu-ch-marken/

 

But let's see what's next...

 

C.

[Xof72000]

Nice found !

Your friend Daniel shows on his site an Edelweiss pen that has a nib similar to the one of your "Soennecken like" pen.

I really didn't know there were so many pens produced in Switzerland or for the Swiss market.

[christof]

Nice found !

Your friend Daniel shows on his site an Edelweiss pen that has a nib similar to the one of your "Soennecken like" pen.

 

Yes, I know. May be there's a connection between Soennecken and Edelweiss, who knows. There is really few informations available about these Swiss brands, unfortunately....

C.

[FMB]

Hi Christof

thanks for mentioned my website.
Here I send you a photo of my "Swiss-Marked"-Soennis
best regards

Daniel

Edited October 13, 2014 by FMB

[BMG]

Interesting update.

 

This celluloid of the third pen in the group below is lovely:

 

 

FMB has a few similar ones (pens 3, 4, and 5 from the left). In the group he shows.

 

If I recall, you've mentioned that there is no "definitive" book on Soennecken (and perhaps even Swiss) pens in general. Have you ever considered writing one?

 

BTW, thanks for sharing the link to FMB's site, and, FMB, thanks for posting.

Edited October 13, 2014 by BMG

[Soot]

Whoa, some beautiful pens there! Thanks for showing, FMB.

[christof]

 

Have you ever considered writing one...?

Nope, I don't.

...but Daniel (FMB) does may be...

c.

[christof]

Whoa, some beautiful pens there! Thanks for showing, FMB.

But no one is as large as yours, Bob....

c.

[Ambien]

I love the red ink window on the Soenneckens and so far I've seen clear, amber, and green. Did they come in other colors too?

[christof]

Finally, the needed spare part for the Soennecken Rheingold arrived. (Thanks to Tom Westerich)

 

The Rheingold is a very cool pen. This example is quite well preserved.

These 613 are from pre war period and don't show up very often in other colors than black. The coolest thing is the inkview. I never have seen a green celluloid inkview on a Soennecken.

 

 

 

For those who aren't familiar with the filling system, I have made a section drawing for better understanding. The pen is a button filler, combined with an ink window and an integrated pusknob lock system instead of a blind cap.

 

 

c.

[yus2001fr]

This Rheingold is really nice !

[christof]

Wonderful sketches and pen finds, Christof! Can you tell me how you source good cork for piston seals? I have not had much luck myself from using wine cork...

I'm using wine corks too, but unused. Directly ordered at the winery.

c.

[christof]

#7 looks like an ERO

Thank you.

c.

[christof]

Since a couple of years I am collecting Pelikanos. I bought every single pen I found on fleamarkets and at thrift shops. Of cours only for reasonable prices.

 

All in all I can say that I payed about $2 per pen. Most of them are used, some are broken and only usuable for parts but a few are in mint condition. (One exception: the rather ugly pen from 2010 was not yet to find on fleamarkets, that's why I bought one for $15 at the shop around the corner. The ugliest was the most expensive....ouch!) But my only goal was to get a complete collection of blue Pelikanos from 1960 until today.

 

My last catch finally delivered the last missing pens and parts.

 

 

Now, the collection is complete. More than complete because there are lots of pens doubled, same type but different colour, and there are some quite funny and unusual Pelikanos as well like the Happy Pens and other curiosities for export market. Bute heres the main collection:

 

 

Also on Pelikanos can be seen that pens since 1960 have grown. Todays pens are much bigger than the earliest. My memory has been refreshed too: When I started my school career as a six years old, I got a 1979 model oft he fifth generation. My elder brothers had pens from the third and fourth generation. I can remember that clearly now. Of course, no one of us has still the original pens oft hat time. They got lost during the years. So its fun to see them laying side by side. Now, that's the collection!

 

And here comes the rather uncommon Pelikanos:

 

A 1973 Pelikano in umcommon yellow colour. Confirmed by Pelikan expert Werner Ruettinger that this colour never has been sold in Germany.

 

Also a 1973 pen in common blue but with uncommon blue plastic cap. Maybe I have to mention that I think to remember to have seen some examples during my school years. So the term umcommon is relative for my country (CH).

 

A 1965, second generation pen in common blue but gray plastic cap instead of metal cap. May be a budget model?

 

Pen from 1984, completely in pink. Cap is metal and barrel plastic, that's why the slight colour shift. One of my favourites...haha.

 

And here's another favourite: Pelikano "Happy Pen" in hot pink! Mint condition.

 

...and his happy comrade in yellow. Very similar to a Montblanc Carrera btw...

 

 

But for now that's enough Pelikano I think. Also I have to think about what to do with all the other leftover Pelikanos....but let's see what's next...

 

C.

Edited October 29, 2014 by christof

[BMG]

Thanks, Christof, for the Pelikanos! I love the "Blue family shot" -- it's so interesting to see the evolution of a the pen in this way. (I recall some of your other "family portraits" with black Pelikans, pens modeled on the Parker 51, etc.) Always a pleasure to see. The "rare birds" are also interesting, though I must admit my favorite styles/colors are those of the earlier pens.

[Soot]

Quite the collection of Pelikanos! Why is it everything is bigger these days? Weird.

[BMG]

Also, why do the designs of the '50s and '60s (well, at least with respect to pens) often seem so timeless? They have an almost archetypal quality, as if they had tapped into the "essence" of the fountain pen. I am frequently surprised at how contemporary some of the designs look, and wonder how designs like that of the 2010 Pelikano will look in a decade or two.

[christof]

Also, why do the designs of the '50s and '60s often seem so timeless? They have an almost archetypal quality, as if they had tapped into the "essence" of the fountain pen.

 

maybe because this pens have been just designed for daily use?

c.

Edited October 31, 2014 by christof

[mirosc]

Wonderful!

I love the Pelikanos, but everytime I see a 2013 edition I keep saying to myself: (nah, I don't repeat that here)