All Pens and Ephemera

We suspect this pen might be the Platinum Slim model. It appears to be in near-mint condition. We love the sparkled gold dust on blue. This slender pen also sports an 18k gold nib that you will write a nice extra-fine line with a touch of feedback. We think this pen only takes cartridges. Click the headline for close-ups. 13.3cm capped.

First-year Sheaffer TouchDown pens are difficult to find, but first-year Sheaffer Autograph TouchDowns are really rare. Made in 1949, these first-year pens had a much wider body than the 1950s' "Thin Model" pens. What makes the Autograph pen especially unique is its solid 14k gold pocket clip and solid 14k gold wide cap band. Our cap band reads "EAD to HFS." At least we think the "F" is an "F." It is a unique cursive script that we haven't seen in decades. We restored this pen with a new ink sac and O-ring. The pen has a little rust stain under the clip and normal wear from use. You will write an extra-fine line with its two-tone 14k gold nib with a little feedback. Click the headline for close-ups. 13.5cm capped.

Overshadowed by Japanese luxury pen makers, Japan's Wancher is a worthy entry into modern pens. We believe this to be the Wancher Tree Wood pen...possibly the Sandalwood model, but we aren't certain. It comes with a box, papers and converter. However, the nicest touch on the pen is its solid sterling silver pocket clip. Based on the turn-of-the-last-century aftermarket pocket clips, it can slide on and off the cap of the pen. Click the headline for a close-up. You will see that the golden alloy nib is marked B for broad, but it writes more like an American/European medium with a little feedback. 14cm capped.

When writing instruments double as a work of art, look no further than our Aikin Lambert dip pen made of sterling silver repoussé. We aren't sure if Aikin Lambert made the silver nib holder part of the pen, but it definitely sports a flexi #3 Aikin Lambert nib made of 14k gold. It flexes from a fine to nearly 2mm wide! As with any 100-year-old flexi nib, it might take a minute or two to get the hang of, if you aren't already familiar with these types of nibs. The silver shows some wear and tarnish that we couldn't polish out, but it is in good overall shape. We haven't had a dip this long in ages. Click the headline for a close-up. 17.6cm.

For those in the know, Namiki Falcon fountain pens are among the best of the modern flexi writers. Our preowned pen looks great with only a little wear from use. The 14k gold nib is marked "SM" for soft medium. We find it to be a bouncy semi-flex that goes from medium to 1mm wide. The pen comes with a non-original converter that works well. It also takes Namiki/Pilot cartridges. Click the headline for close-ups. 13.5cm capped.

Parker brilliantly made myriad tiers of pens during the Great Depression to make sure there was a writing instrument for every budget. The Parker Deluxe Challenger was a modernized Parker Duofold with art deco styling and a button filler. The green and black marbling still look sharp. We restored this vintage pen with a new ink sac. It has some wear from use, and the cap bands on the back of the cap are very darkened. There's some brassing on the pocket clip. Yet, the super smooth medium nib made of 14k gold is still a crowd pleaser. The barrel imprint is fairly faded, but you can see from the nib it was made in 1937. A great daily user then and now. Click the headline for a close-up. 13cm capped.

One of the most popular pens on the market today is the Pilot Vanishing Point. This is the early version of the pen known as the Namiki Vanishing Point. Namiki is the parent company that became known as the luxury brand and Pilot was the Americanized brand of more common everyday pens. These early pens were faceted with a more streamlined and integrated clip design. Yet, their quality was just as good if not better than the more modern pens. This one comes with a Namiki converter and takes modern Pilot converters and cartridges. There is only minimal wear from use. Its 14k gold nib is marked B for broad. You will find it writes closer to an American/European medium with a little feedback. This is the burgundy model. Click the headline for close-ups. 13.7cm closed.

Many consider the Waterman C/F to be the first of the modern-era pens, although it is a classic vintage pen. Why? It was, effectively, the first pen to use disposable plastic ink cartridges. Although a success, it was short lived. The biggest problem for vintage collectors is that the Waterman C/F doesn't use any modern cartridges or converters. Waterman wasn't using standard international cartridges in the 1950s, as the concept was yet to be invented. If you find a 1950s cartridge, you can refill it with a syringe to use this pen. Unfortunately, it doesn't include an original cartridge. The pen looks great, except for that big crack in the tail visible in the photo. You will write a medium line with its 14k gold nib. There is a some feedback. 13.2cm capped.