Fountain Pens - Top Ten Lists

[Davep]

I'm see a lot of fountain pens out there. What would a Top Ten List look like?

 

[Highlander]

Well, I own a Mont Blanc 149, and a 146.

I carry every day a Pelikan S800. It is probably my favorite. Both it and the Mont Blancs have double wide oblique nibs.

In my mind most others pale in comparison... So I really don't have a remaining seven to add.

 

[John in Covina]

Vintage
Parker Senior Duofold in mandarin yellow (Also Lapis)
Waterman Patrician
Wahl Eversharp Doric
Sheaffer oversize Balance
Parker Maxima Vacumatic
Osmia #76 Supra
Parker 75 Cisele
Sheaffer PFM
Parker T-1
Waterman One Hundred Year Pen Transparent (circa 1940)

 

[Shangas]

Very nice list, John. But I disagree with the yellow Duofold, as they were very prone to cracking and shattering.

I would replace it with the classic 'Big Red'.

 

[John in Covina]

I have several big reds, the mandarin is what i want.

 

[Shangas]

Very well, point taken.

My top ten list would include...

Parker Duofold 'Big Red' Senior button-filler.
Sheaffer Balance lever-filler.
Conklin crescent-filler.
Parker '51' aerometric-filler.
Wahl-Eversharp 'Art Deco' lever-filler.
Montblanc Meisterstuck c/c or piston-filler.
Parker Vacumatic-filler.
Waterman '52' lever-filler.

...not sure if I can think of any others that I have/would want to have.

 

[John in Covina]

I'd like to take the time to say that modern Montblancs have a history of bodies and caps cracking. The collectors tend to look for pre 1980's.

I also like the old saying, "If you're thinking of buying a Montblanc, buy a Pelikan instead and with the money you've saved, you can take your friends to dinner."

 

[Lou]

Davep, is your priority collecting or using? If the latter, will your fountain pen(s) be left at home for desk writing or carried as an out-and-about writer.

If collecting, the ones listed above are good choices. I'd also read a book like Paul Erano's Fountain Pens Past & Present and Richard Binder's Web site to get an idea of what's out there and arrive at a theme around which you can build your collection. I assume you'd want any pens in your collection to be reliable writers, so a collection can also serve as at-home desk writers.

When I first got into fountain pens, I wanted to get a little writing desk and enough pens to fill a pen display case (just to limit collection size); from there I'd focus on developing my penmanship while experiencing new ink and stationery. Receiving a handwritten letter in the mail is such a joy. I never got around to a writing desk, and my use of the pens slowed down a lot as my schedule became busier.

For an out-and-about pen, I'd recommend something sturdy and modern like a Lamy Safari or Al-star. These Lamy pens are the most reliable of any fountain pen I've tried. You can be more relaxed with a $25, easily replaceable Lamy in your pocket or bag than you would with a high-dollar modern jewelry pen or a rare vintage pen. If you want to take the more exotic pens out, I'd recommend a pen case.

 

[John in Covina]

Starter fountain pens and student pens have their own devotees. I have seen that some of the Pilot pens (that I like) and some of the 3rd world origin pens at www.hisnibs.com look to be good values.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

My trusty Mont-Blanc..

...purchased in Salzburg, Austria in 1984, it's never left home without me!
Regarding Mont Blanc cracks; they discovered that the treaded area of the
barrel was prone to cracking, most likely due to seat belt pressure in the car.
MB replaced mine with a beautiful gold thread at no charge!

-dixon cannon

 

[Dixon Cannon]

By the way...

...how's this for a top ten? The invisible fountain pen! :eusa_clap
You don't see this everyday!
http://www.scottsdalepen.com/pilot-custom-demonstrator-fountain-p-1415.html

 

[John in Covina]

Demonstrator pens have a great history and a strong following of devotees too. Pelikan recently released one a clear M800 I believe.

 

[Shangas]

I've used my Montblanc for the past three years with no problems at all. And it was brand-new when I bought it.

 

[yachtsilverswan]

Top Ten Fountain Pens:

1. Montblanc Meisterstuck 149
2. Montblanc Meusterstuck 146
3. Pelikan M-800
4. Pelikan M-1000
5. Graf von Faber Castell's Porsche Design TecFlex P3110
6. Waterman Edson Black Diamond
7. David Oscarson Valhalla in Thor trim
8. Michel Perchin Blue Serpent (a dress pen)
9. Montblanc Pope Julius II 888 LE (also a dress pen)
10. Visconti Divina Proporzione

I recommend tuning and nib modification by a Nibmeister like Richard Binder for a broad wet Cursive Italic.

 

[Davep]

Davep, is your priority collecting or using? If the latter, will your fountain pen(s) be left at home for desk writing or carried as an out-and-about writer.

If collecting, the ones listed above are good choices. I'd also read a book like Paul Erano's Fountain Pens Past & Present and Richard Binder's Web site to get an idea of what's out there and arrive at a theme around which you can build your collection. I assume you'd want any pens in your collection to be reliable writers, so a collection can also serve as at-home desk writers.

I am looking for pens which I can use as part of a WW2 reenactments. I recently got a Conklin Victory. I have also look at Richard Binder's website. So I'm looking for functional pens that I can use that are new. The list are good from two points, one is good pen mfg's and model of the pen to go and see what they look like

 

[Shangas]

Pens suitable for WWII reenactments might include...

The Parker Duofold.
Parker '51' (Vacumatic version).
Parker Vacumatic.
Sheaffer flattop.
Sheaffer Balance.
Waterman '52'.

All of those, but specially the first three, were rather famous during the 1930s and 40s. Both the '51' and the Duofold were used by famous Army personnel during WWII to sign the German and Japanese instruments of surrender. Also, in WWII, the '51' was considered a very rare and revolutionary pen for its time. It was highly sought-after by both soldiers and civilians. If you had one, you were lucky. They were produced throughout WWII, but due to material restrictions, '51's were hard to come by. The '51' really took off after WWII, from 1946 onwards, when Parker was allowed to boost manufacturing for the civilian market again.

 

[Schofields]

1 insert
2 any
3 type
4 of
5 eyedropper
6 pen
7 in
8 these
9 here
10 spaces.

 

[Highlander]

As for WWII pens I have my starter pen that was my Dad's and his aunt's before that, a nice Shaeffer Lever pen, a little smaller than my Mont Blanc 146. Very nice pen writes well. I had to have the bladder replaced.

John, I bought my 149 pen about 1980 or 1981, and the cap did crack on it, in the thread area. It's a small crack and I never had it replaced. But I must say one time I was leaving the office, and pulled my tie through the loop to take it off, and the tie caught the clip on the pen and FLUNG it across the parking lot. It came out unscathed...

I find the 149 a little big for several shirt pockets however.

If I could have only one fountain pen, it'd be my Pelikan S-800. A great pen...

 

[tortswon]

My Top 10

1. Sailor King of Pen in red urushi with King Eagle nib- I use this strictly for signatures;
2. Conklin Crescent #75- the pen used by Mark Twain, his expletive deleter because the crescent prevented it from rolling off the desk- very substantial pen with nib tweaked by John Motishaw;
3. Parker senior in mandarin yellow- yellow is my favorite color and the mandarin yellow on this pen is my favorite shade. Yes, it's fragile so it never leaves the desk;
4. Parker big red ca. 1927- perhaps America's most iconic pen. One of these was used by MacArthur on the Missouri to sign the surrender documents with Japan. Unlike the mandarin yellow, sturdy enough to survive a war;
5. Dani Trio black hard rubber prototype- modern eyedropper pen with no adornments. Only a few were made. Dani Trio pens are uniformly excellent;
6. Montblanc 149- a fine writer that has accompanied me all over;
7. Parker Moderne senior- a classic design from Parker, perhaps the first "cracked ice" style pen;
8. Parker white and black modern cracked ice rollerball (the pen I take with me to court);
9. Parker vacumatic with red ink (the pen I use to grade my students' papers for the last 10 years); and
10. Bic blue disposable circa 1980- used to sign my Phillies world series baseball by Harry Kalas and Richie Ashburn.

Best, Sam

 

[RetroPat]

From my own collection...
1. Conway Stewart Knightsbridge
2. Stipula Ventidue-Blueberry
3. Lamy Studio
4. Stipula Ventidue-Raspberry
5. Pelikan M805
6. Stipula Vedo
7. Montblanc 146 LeGrand
8. Conway Stewart Dandy Heritage
9. Lamy 2000
10. Underwood (London) Piccadilly Eco