Yayyyyy!! I picked up these fully restored beauties last week at a price of $220. From bottom to top:
1.WYVERN “The Perfect Pen”, Made in England, 14kt nib.
2.Parker Vacumatic Major with silver clip and band, Made in USA, Silver Pearl, Made in USA, 14k nib.
3.Parker Vacumatic Major, Azure Pearl, Made in Canada, 14k nib.
4.Mabie Todd and Co, “BLACKBIRD Fountpen”, Made in England, 14ct flexible nib.
5.Parker 75, Sterling Silver cisele cap and barrel, Made in USA, 14kt fine nib.
Mabie Todd is one of those underrated brands (pre-WWII) and their models were named Swan, Blackbird, Jackdaw and Swallow. I have two Swans and this BB and am looking for a Jackdaw and a Swallow, plus the other two in different colours and filling systems. I had been searching for a Blackbird for ages now and was on the verge of buying one for 35 pounds (minus postage, VAT etc) when I found this. I ended up paying just $40 for this one. Made out of Brown Ebonite with a clear imprint and self-design and with a sliding clip, this pen looks nicer and better than most newly produced pens. And it performs much much better. The only thing I don’t like much is that it is an eye-dropper filler. I use syringes or bladders to fill such pens and can never remember where I put the syringes. So I end up buying new ones each time I want to fill, and I have about ten syringes now. The bloke at the pharma shop is going to start suspecting me of substance abuse soon.
The Wyvern pen is another gem. Mottled blue pearl on black celluloid. Lever filler with an arrow-shaped lever. The down side? Very poor imprint. I can just about make out the words “Wyvern” and “Made in England” on the barrel. The imprint on the nib is very clear. Some brassing on the clip. $40.
The two Vacumatics were bought for $30 each. Very clear imprint, perfectly working vacuum filling system, smooth, perfect nibs, nice polish, no brassing anywhere. I have two Van juniors and these two Majors, so until I meet a Slender Maxima or a double-jewelled pen, I’ll stay away from Vacs.
The Parker 75 in solid sterling silver is something I’ve drooled after for a while. I have a grid pattern Parker 75 which is gold-filled over brass (a gift from my uncle and aunt). I don’t think I’ll buy any more Parker 75s unless the pattern is different. $80.
Actually my Grandfather who had frequented this pen store and made friends with the current owner’s father and grandfather, in the 1970s, recommended the place to me. The present owner is a friendly, reasonable person who delights in showing off the pens and lets you actually write with the inked pens, checks out everything, does any repairs and polishes and sets the nib to the thickness and smoothness of your choice before selling it to you. He even called up yesterday to know if all the pens were working well.
I saw this amazing, stunning, drop-dead gorgeous Jade Pelikan 800, which I was going to buy for $70. Unfortunately, the piston filler got stuck while he was demonstrating it. He has promised to repair it and put it aside for me. Seriously, if that pen were a man, I would have married it then and there.
Right, I’m feeling terribly guilty about all that money, so I’m not going to buy any more pens for a while…till May, perhaps?
2.Parker Vacumatic Major with silver clip and band, Made in USA, Silver Pearl, Made in USA, 14k nib.
3.Parker Vacumatic Major, Azure Pearl, Made in Canada, 14k nib.
4.Mabie Todd and Co, “BLACKBIRD Fountpen”, Made in England, 14ct flexible nib.
5.Parker 75, Sterling Silver cisele cap and barrel, Made in USA, 14kt fine nib.
Mabie Todd is one of those underrated brands (pre-WWII) and their models were named Swan, Blackbird, Jackdaw and Swallow. I have two Swans and this BB and am looking for a Jackdaw and a Swallow, plus the other two in different colours and filling systems. I had been searching for a Blackbird for ages now and was on the verge of buying one for 35 pounds (minus postage, VAT etc) when I found this. I ended up paying just $40 for this one. Made out of Brown Ebonite with a clear imprint and self-design and with a sliding clip, this pen looks nicer and better than most newly produced pens. And it performs much much better. The only thing I don’t like much is that it is an eye-dropper filler. I use syringes or bladders to fill such pens and can never remember where I put the syringes. So I end up buying new ones each time I want to fill, and I have about ten syringes now. The bloke at the pharma shop is going to start suspecting me of substance abuse soon.
The Wyvern pen is another gem. Mottled blue pearl on black celluloid. Lever filler with an arrow-shaped lever. The down side? Very poor imprint. I can just about make out the words “Wyvern” and “Made in England” on the barrel. The imprint on the nib is very clear. Some brassing on the clip. $40.
The two Vacumatics were bought for $30 each. Very clear imprint, perfectly working vacuum filling system, smooth, perfect nibs, nice polish, no brassing anywhere. I have two Van juniors and these two Majors, so until I meet a Slender Maxima or a double-jewelled pen, I’ll stay away from Vacs.
The Parker 75 in solid sterling silver is something I’ve drooled after for a while. I have a grid pattern Parker 75 which is gold-filled over brass (a gift from my uncle and aunt). I don’t think I’ll buy any more Parker 75s unless the pattern is different. $80.
Actually my Grandfather who had frequented this pen store and made friends with the current owner’s father and grandfather, in the 1970s, recommended the place to me. The present owner is a friendly, reasonable person who delights in showing off the pens and lets you actually write with the inked pens, checks out everything, does any repairs and polishes and sets the nib to the thickness and smoothness of your choice before selling it to you. He even called up yesterday to know if all the pens were working well.
I saw this amazing, stunning, drop-dead gorgeous Jade Pelikan 800, which I was going to buy for $70. Unfortunately, the piston filler got stuck while he was demonstrating it. He has promised to repair it and put it aside for me. Seriously, if that pen were a man, I would have married it then and there.
Right, I’m feeling terribly guilty about all that money, so I’m not going to buy any more pens for a while…till May, perhaps?
P.S. Sorry about my deplorable photography skills.
I love that you collect something and these are so cool. Great collection! I can see why you'd be tempted to buy more.
ReplyDeleteI applaud you. I have often looked at really nice pens and had the itch to own one but could never justify it to myself. Sometimes you just gotta splurge! Bravo!
ReplyDeleteI like the brown one at the top. Congrats on the collection. Strange, but I don't do any collecting, but if I could afford it, I'd buy old Gothic furniture, those huge massive pieces made for ceiling heights in excess of the standard American 8 feet and probably weighing about a ton. I also like 18th and 19th century furniture....Penny
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments! Actually the "brown" pen is sterling silver. It appears red because I had taken this picture in the "landscape" setting, and it turns everything red.
ReplyDeleteI recommend fountain pens to anyone who does writing of any kind in their lives - even if it is cheques or application forms or shelf labels. Biros/ball points/roller balls always ruin my handwriting, make my middle finger hurt and make me want to stop writing. Fountain Pens make me want to write more.
Very cool idea! Thanks for posting this. Really its amazing information about Fountain Pens
ReplyDeleteAwesome job !!! well done keep it up.