(Pelikan 'Jazz Pastel' ballpoint & 'Jazz Elegance' fountain pen ~ photo by Maja)

These pens were both previously reviewed here on our website a few months ago, but we'll be back with a new pen review on Tuesday!

Newest Acquisitions (Virtual "Show & Tell") ~ part 357

From vintage to modern we go now!

Here's a nice, affordable fountain pen I bought last April from eBayer 'esybuy' for just $20.61 USD including shipping from China:

( ~ please click on images to enlarge ~ )

My beautiful Jinhao '100 Centennial' (a/k/a Jinhao 'Century 100') fountain pen!

If it reminds you of a certain classic fountain pen, your eyes aren't deceiving you - it's definitely an homage to the vintage Parker 'Duofold' from the 1920s/30s, and its model name is undoubtedly a reference to the "Duofold Centennial" model, a modern version of the vintage 'Duofold' which came out in 1988, to celebrate Parker's centennial anniversary.

This isn't the first Jinhao 'Duofold' tribute -- there was an older Jinhao model called the Jinhao 'Century' (a/k/a Jinhao 'Celluloid') that had a similar shape, but a completely different clip, section and cap band(s). Actually, there were actually two versions of that pen, which some refer to as "Mark I" and "Mark II". Jinhao wasn't alone in making Parker 'Duofold' lookalikes, though - Moonman did it with their 'M600S' fountain pen and, before that, Kaigelu with their '316' model (those are just the two examples that spring to mind -- there are several others).

Above: Jinhao's #6 size two-tone gold-plated steel nib.

Mine has the Jinhao chariot logo at the top, and "JINHAO" and "18KGP" (18 Karat Gold Plated) below it. Some of these nibs lack the "18KGP" imprint, but have the nib width engraved/stamped on them - mine doesn't. It was advertised as a Medium, though, and it lays down a Medium line (the pen was also available with a Fine or Bent nib). The plastic feed keeps up with the ink flow (it's definitely a wet writer) and the nib writes quite smoothly. It doesn't have any flex to it, but I wasn't expecting any. I read that the nibs can be swapped out for other #6 size nibs, but apparently, the Jinhao nibs are rather challenging to remove, so I haven't attempted it.

 Jinhao's chariot logo also appears on the medallion that sits atop the cap finial. Mine is made of a gold-coloured metal, but I've seen some pens with dark grey medallions.

A few photos against a lighter background, which shows the pen's material a bit better ...

In terms of weight, it's a fairly light fountain pen - total weight (with the provided Jinhao converter in place) is 27 grams, with the cap accounting for 12 grams of that. Its posted length is a whopping 6.75 inches, though, so I prefer to use mine unposted.

My pen came with a converter but I was curious to see which ink cartridges it might accept, so I tried the international cartridges that came with my Kaweco Sport and Ensso Piuma pocket pens. Unfortunately, they didn't fit :( I've heard from a credible source that the newer versions of this model (ie. the pens that don't have any black accents) do take international ink cartridges.

Unposted, the pen's length is approximately. 4.9 inches from nib tip to barrel end, which I find long enough to use very comfortably. It's also very well-balanced without its cap on. Should you decide to use the pen posted, keep in mind that it doesn't post very deeply, and it's a bit back-weighted, too.

Above: the wide metal cap band with "JINHAO" engraved/stamped in stylized block letters. The cap doesn't have an inner cap liner, but it screws on tightly in about two and a half turns.  

The clip has a nice tension to it--not too loose but not too tight--and has the Jinhao chariot logo at its top. My pen has a ball-end clip, like the vintage Parker 'Duofolds' pens from the 1920s and 30s, but the same Jinhao model (in other colours) also comes with an arrow-style clip. I haven't seen this particular colour with an arrow clip.

This model's predecessor (the Jinhao 'Century'/'Celluloid' model - Mark I) had metal barrel threads which added more weight to the pen; I much prefer these acrylic barrel threads, though, as they make the pen lighter (and I think they look better). You can't see it in my photos, but there's a black O-ring at one end of the section threads that prevents the user from over-tightening the barrel when screwing it onto the section (I thought that was a great idea). The section is really comfortable to hold, and I find it aesthetically pleasing, as well. I also love the shiny, gold-coloured trim rings and how they contrast so well with the pen's glossy black accents.

The material looks like it's composed of small orange and caramel-coloured pieces within a light orange resin - an interesting effect.

When the Jinhao '100 Centennial' ('Century 100') was first released, it only came in a few colours (four or five, I think). Later, more colours were added to the lineup (both solid colours and swirly or checkered patterns) and more recently, Jinhao added models without any black accents. They even made some versions with vintage Duofold-style barrel imprints, which look very cool (tip: some online sellers refer to this imprint as a "logo" in their auction/sales listings ;)

As mentioned earlier, some models have ball-end clips, while others have arrow clips. If you don't like gold-coloured trim, some of the pens come with silver-coloured trim. With all these colours, trim and clip options, I can easily see the '100 Centennial' being one of those pens (like the Lamy 'Safari'/'Al-Star') where people want to own one of each type. 

Side note: I just discovered that there's also a Jinhao '100A' model that came out a while ago. The photos I've seen of it show a pen very similar to (the same as ??) the '100' model but with a "Greek key" style engraving on its cap band. I didn't see any online reviews of  the '100A' model yet, so I don't know if the cap band is the only difference.

In summary: I'm very happy with this purchase! Yes, it's clearly a 'Duofold' "tribute", but it's in a colour that the originals never came in and, for what I paid, I think it's definitely worth the price tag. The online prices vary from site to site, but I've seen it selling for as low as $12.98 USD with free shipping to Canada. All in all, I think it's a nice writer and a classy-looking pen (that looks much more expensive than it really is :)

(photos and review by Maja)

(Very late note: I didn't realize until well after I'd posted this review that I'd already reviewed the same pen back in August 2021, albeit with completely different photos; I guess it tells you how much I enjoy using my Jinhao 100s lol :)

Newest Acquisitions (Virtual "Show & Tell") ~ part 356

One last vintage find from Christopher's trip to the Aloha State!

Christopher writes: "My fourth and, for that matter in my opinion, the best score in the tropical paradise Islands for me was a Parker, which I also did not have in my collection. And what a pen it is, the Parker 61 Custom Insignia, Circa the first year release 1958."

(photo courtesy of Christopher ~ please click on image to enlarge)

He continues: "The Custom 61 Insignia is finished at least regarding its barrel and cap in 1/10th-14K gold filled, while the quite long Parker arrow clip is finished in rolled gold. The cap, which sports a pearl coloured Jewel like the end of the barrel, is finished in vertical chased lines which Parker referred to in their catalogue as the ‘chased finished’ cap. Fine Barley, Waterdrop and plain were also optional Insignia cap finishes at that time.

The pen is definitely a first year, Circa 1958 and after cleaning with a good flushing of the amazing Parker capillary filler and a similar cleaning of the feed/collector and nib, this pen came back to life in a very satisfying way. Over and above, I was informed by my good friend and fellow Vancouver Pen Club member, Rene that the reason why Parker changed their name for their gold finished fountain pens, was because of a patent infringement which put the Parker Signet name behind them and introduced this new name in 1958, the Parker Insignia. I must admit that this pen really caught my fancy and still does. It will be another great part of my vintage pen collection."

Many thanks to Christopher for another great contribution to our pen club's virtual "show & tell"!

Newest Acquisitions (Virtual "Show & Tell") ~ part 355

Today we're featuring another great vintage find from Christopher's recent vacation ... and it looks like NOS (New Old Stock)!

(photo courtesy of Christopher ~ please click on image to enlarge)

Christopher: "The third score, once again while out and about on Oahu, was yet another 1950’s Sheaffer which I did not have in my vintage pen collection. It came to me in its original Sheaffer, single pen gold coloured original box, with the pen still in its original clear plastic sleeve. I would have to say possibly old store stock because the pen was absolutely mint and seemingly unused. It is the Sheaffer ‘Clipper’ Snorkel model, with a 14K gold filled Snorkel filler tube, and barrel finished in pastel blue with a polished stainless steel cap that has an interesting 4 vertical fine line repeated pattern. And to make this cap even better, it also sports both a Sheaffer branded clip and cap band finished in 14K gold filled. This is a White Dot model with an outstanding Triumph palladium silver alloy nib. I did ink this pen at our condo before returning from our Hawaii vacation and it writes as smooth as glass on the page. A real ‘glider’ so to speak! Probably not the pick of the litter, but still a pen I will enjoy using and adding to the Sheaffer part of my vintage pen collection."

The 'Snorkel' fountain pen has one of the most complex filling systems ever invented, and Sheaffer made no less than 14 different 'Snorkel' models over the years. Christopher -- thank you for your review of this classic vintage pen!

Newest Acquisitions (Virtual "Show & Tell") ~ part 354

As promised, here's another one of Christopher's great finds from his recent Hawaiian vacation!

 (photo courtesy of Christopher ~ please click on image to enlarge)

Christopher writes: "The second Hawaii pen score, which I picked up while out and about in aloha land, is a first year, Date Coded 7 for 1947, Parker 51 Vacumatic Demi. This fine little pen is finished in India Black, with a Parker Lustraloy brushed stainless steel cap that also sports an attractive chrome band and lengthy arrow clip. The Vacumatic filler in this pen has a long clear plastic button for filling and in restoring and servicing this pen, even for its smaller lady’s size, it took quite a bit of ink in filling. The nib is your standard high quality Parker hooded 51 and an extremely responsible writer at that. I would have to say, a medium but on the fine side. The overall condition was quite good when I picked the pen up but, once cleaned and polished, a glorious little unit. What is really nice for me is the fact that I already have this pen, which was my aunt’s, which she also bought in Hawaii when my uncle was stationed there in 1950. So a matching set with different fillers, that will always be thought of when used regarding our time in Hawaii."

Many thanks to Christopher for sharing another wonderful vintage fountain pen acquisition :)

Newest Acquisitions (Virtual "Show & Tell") ~ part 353

You're in for a treat today! Christopher came back from his Hawaiian vacation with some great vintage fountain pens that he wanted to share with us, starting with this historical piece below. Our thanks to Christopher for sharing this terrific acquisition on our club's blog!

(all photos & text below courtesy of Christopher ~ please click on images to enlarge)

Christopher writes: "Late in the day, the ‘pen division’ of the Wahl Eversharp Company, which had sold out in its entirety to the Parker Pen Company by 1958, developed a new plastic nib pen, backed up with a standard ink cartridge. They called their pen, the Point 7 and as with most things Eversharp, it was a real advance in design. The Point 7 was marketed as a Eversharp pen, even though it sported the Parker branding logo of the day but with the E for Eversharp at the top of the clip. It also, save the nib, had somewhat of the appearance of a Parker 45, so a real marriage of the two companies. The release of this pen was during 1965, but shortly after that, the White House in Washington approached Parker for a number of special pens to be used by the current president, Lyndon Johnson, for his signing of his federal government bills and for LBJ to give to visiting dignitaries. Parker/Eversharp filled the bill with one smart writing instrument - a special Point 7, in a magnificent presentation box. The box carried the White House presidential seal and the president’s signature, which was also imprinted on the barrel of the pen. The box had a lift-out tie down card that allowed for 4 ink cartridges and an instruction manual to be included underneath the pen.

 Last month my wife Chris and I had our annual vacation in Hawaii, which included attending the Honolulu Antique show. Although there was not much to write home about regarding vintage pens at this event, I did walk away with a mint and boxed Presidential Parker/ Eversharp Point 7. Now I should mention that although these special pens do have a value regarding the ones that LBJ gifted to visiting dignitaries, the ones he personally used for the signing of bills (if they have their provenance ephemera slip in the pen box) are much more desirable and do have a greater value. Thankfully mine is the latter and the provenance slip tells it all. As for the pen, it is finished in a very attractive deep midnight blue, that allows the imprinting to really stand out on the barrel. Due to the fact that my mother’s side of our family were American and my grandfather served as President Eisenhower’s aide after WWII, I am really proud to have this bit of real US pen history and will use it with great respect ongoing."

(above: Point 7 with the Tip-Wic  plastic nib, shown in its original blister pack)

(above: US President Lyndon B. Johnson handing Lady Bird, Claudia, the pen used to sign the Highway Beautification Act. dated October 22, 1965, having used one of these Eversharp Point 7 Presidential pens)

We'll be featuring more of Christopher's Hawaiian treasures in the next few days, so stay tuned :)

Newest Acquisitions (Virtual "Show & Tell") ~ part 352

abbondanza
noun

   [ feminine ] /abːon’dantsa/

abundance , plenty

Today, we're featuring a Retro 51 'Abbondanza' fountain pen/rollerball I got last year! Now, this isn't the first Retro 51 pen with that name--there was an older fountain pen/rollerball model with a titanium nib made for Retro 51's 10th anniversary back in 2000. The newer model (featured today) was first released in 2008 and was available as a fountain pen/rollerball pen or a twist-action ballpoint. To avoid confusion, some pen retailers called this newer model the 'Abbondanza II' on their websites, but in Retro 51's catalogs, it was just referred to as the 'Abbondanza'.

Enough background info, let's get on with the review!

(please click on images to enlarge)

The pen comes in a rather unassuming cardboard outer box with the Retro 51 logo on it.

The back of the outer box, though, has a drawing of a "premium bamboo box" --- intriguing!

Turns out an "abundance" of things come with the pen! 😉

The fountain pen rests in a small bamboo pen display tray that, in turn, rests in a nice bamboo box debossed with the Retro 51 logo. Inside the box are: a matching rollerball section and rollerball refill in black (both protected by a thin foam insert), an instruction booklet/warranty, a box of 6 short international blue ink cartridges by Schneider (not shown) and a protective layer of thin foam that prevents the box's contents from rattling around.

Retro 51 has a long history of using bamboo in their products; they've come out with at least four different pen models, a 16-pen display case, a 3-pen stand, a business card holder and several desk accessories all made from this eco-friendly material. With every purchase of these bamboo products, Retro 51 makes a donation to the Arbor Day Foundation to rescue 250 square feet of rainforest, and the habitat it protects.

Now, despite being a huge Retro 51 fan, I wasn't very taken with the pen the first time I saw photos of it online. In fact, I waited over 12 years before I purchased it. Why didn't I like it? Well, I (mistakenly) thought it was a plain black acrylic pen (D'oh!), and I wasn't enamored with the clip's design (the clip has grown on me, though ;).

Not surprisingly, the pen isn't heavy - aside from the nib, trim and clip, it's completely made of turned acrylic. It weighs only 18 grams (with no cartridge/converter in place) and measures 13.5 cm capped. Unposted, it's about 13.2 cm from nib tip to barrel end, and 14.5 cm long when posted. I've seen photos of the pen with a metal fountain pen section, but they weren't shown in the Retro 51 catalogs.

Luckily for me, the lone photo of it on Amazon.ca showed a pen with prominent red veining in the material, or I might have passed on buying it! The pen cost $80 CAD and I'm really glad I bought it because (I later found out) this 'Abbondanza' fountain pen/rollerball was only made for a couple of years - the fountain pen/rollerball and ballpoint are both in the 2008 and 2009 Retro 51 catalogs, but only the ballpoint is shown in the 2010 catalog. Neither pen type appears in subsequent Retro 51 catalogs.

Here's a better look at the lovely, high-gloss acrylic material. The red veins in the black resin remind me of thin rivers of hot lava flowing over cooled lava ...

This has always been my favourite Retro 51 nib design, so I'm pleased they chose it for this pen. It's a #6 size two-tone steel nib in Fine (I thought the tiny "F" enclosed in a circle on the nib was the ® symbol lol) and it writes very smoothly. I'm not sure who made the nib, but I know that Schmidt made nibs for Retro 51 before and after this pen was released, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was them. The fountain pen section is beautifully tapered and provides an extremely comfortable grip.

As I mentioned earlier, the fountain pen came with a matching rollerball section. It screws onto the end of the barrel and, like the fountain pen, provides a very comfortable grip. Like the fountain pen, the pen in its rollerball form is well-balanced and light in the hand when posted.

I'm so glad that Retro 51 opted to make the rollerball section out of the same material as the rest of the pen; I see a lot of beautiful, colourful fountain pens with plain black plastic sections, and it breaks my little pen-loving heart :(

This is the double-sided instruction booklet/warranty that came with the pen. In the "Fountain Pen Care & Maintenance" section, it warns pen owners: "Do not loan your fountain pen to anyone. The nib adjusts only to your writing style (ie. pressure and angle)."

Um ok. 😑

Aside from that, I have no complaints -- it's a really nice pen (from a pen company I've been a fan of, for many years) and I'm glad I finally bought it :)

(photos & review by Maja)

Newest Acquisitions (Virtual "Show & Tell") ~ part 351

I got this gorgeous fountain pen a while back from the good folks at Nikaido and finally decided to snap some photos of it a few days ago, when we got some lasting sunshine. It's based on a very popular model made by a Taiwanese company - an iconic modern fountain pen that's surprisingly affordable...

(please click on images to enlarge)

Meet my TWSBI 'Diamond 580' Smoke Rosegold II fountain pen !

This model is called the Smoke Rosegold II because there was an earlier version of this pen (in opaque--not transparent--black) that came out in 2013. Apparently, TWSBI wasn't happy with the colour of that rose gold plating and there were issues with its durability (nib de-plating), so the model was discontinued. The company took their time improving the plating, and the 'Diamond 580' Smoke Rose Gold II was finally released, to much fanfare, in April 2020.

"Smoke" refers to the transparent black acrylic of the section, cap and piston turning knob. I think the colour and the high gloss of the material go beautifully with the shiny rose gold plating of the nib, trim and inner piston mechanism.

TWSBI didn't design the 'Diamond 580' pens to be posted; in fact, the process of unposting the pens could result in their piston knobs accidentally being turned, causing ink to be expelled. The pen, however, can be posted, but that results in a large gap between the bottom of the cap and the barrel ring (seen here in my TWSBI 'Diamond 580 ALR' review). The main issue with posting, I find, is that the pen winds up being unbalanced and far too long to use comfortably. It's 13 cm / 5.1 inches in length from nib tip to barrel end, which is long enough for most people to use unposted.

I love that the nib is rose gold in colour and not yellow gold (thank you, TWSBI !) It drives me crazy when pen companies use rose gold plating for a pen's trim, but put a yellow gold-plated nib on the pen.

TWSBI's rose gold plated trim & nibs can also be found on other current TWSBI models - the revamped 'Mini White Rosegold V2' , the 'Eco Rosegold' in Smoke and White colours, and the TWSBI 'Draco' Limited Edition (which I plan to review this month). I don't believe TWSBI's rose gold nibs are available for purchase separately, though, which is a shame because I think they'd look really nice on some pens I own :(

Above: TWSBI's famous logo (some say the red of the logo clashes with the rose gold trim, but I like it)

Above: cap band with "DIAMOND" on the top row, "580 RG II" below that, and "TAIWAN" on the bottom row. I appreciate pen companies making the effort to put this kind of information on their pens, especially when they reuse a model name or number.
 

Finally, a few shots taken with a white background (and a small copper bowl made in India):

(I forgot to remove the bowl's sticker before I took the photo above -- oops!)

The TWSBI 'Diamond 580' Smoke Rosegold II fountain pen retails for $85 USD, which is $35 USD more than TWSBI's iconic 'Diamond 580' clear model with chrome plated trim. Is the rose gold plated trim and nib worth the extra money? I say "Yes!" TWSBI took several years to improve on their original rose gold plating, and I think the end result is well worth it. Whichever of the 'Diamond 580' fountain pens you decide to buy, you'll be getting an attractive, well-made, well-designed piston-filling fountain pen.

Many thanks to Joe & Sara of Nikaido gifts in Steveston (Richmond), B.C for this lovely pen!

(all photos & review by Maja)

Newest Acquisitions (Virtual "Show & Tell") ~ part 350

Well, we're in luck today because this blog post is courtesy of VPCer Andy, who has provided us with many entertaining posts since we started doing this virtual "show & tell" (we're up to post # 350 today - no joke!). He's a little late for St. Patrick's Day, but right on time for April Fools' Day ... so without further ado, here's Andy's review! (hey, that rhymes ;)

(all text & photos courtesy of Andy ~ please click on images to enlarge)

"Happy belated St.Patrick's Day everyone!

I’m a bit late to the party but this pen maker and his products are worth the lucky wait.

Irish pen maker Ben Walsh and his company Gravitas have been lucky to pump out some good stuff as of late due to logistics and all those sorts of delays.

No...that’s not him in the picture up top...but take a lucky guess what movie this character is from. (answer will be at the bottom)

Speaking of lucky charms....this Pocket Fountain Pen like all from Gravitas come with a suede pen sleeve and a cloth like business card.

Some lucky fun facts...his symbol is the Walsh family coat of arms...the Celtic symbols (lines) on the pen sleeve translates to Gravitas Pens.

I was lucky to purchase a few pens from Ben along with the new years discount at the time.

The color is called Dark Olive Grey and if you’re unlucky like me, my pens sometimes roll around the table and almost fall off, but Ben has incorporated a clever flat spot on the barrel for just this issue.

Not a lucky coincidence here, Ben’s pens have been carefully thought through by design and engineering.

(Lucky charm rating 1☘️ lowest..... 5 ☘️ highest)

• The cap is equal length with the section and barrel.....☘️☘️☘️

• A Jowo #6 nib (f) comes standard and has been tuned by Ben.....☘️☘️☘️☘️

• The pen demonstrates some of the best machining I’ve seen on any manufactured pen.....☘️☘️☘️☘️

• The grip section is solid steel with a PVD treatment and the fine milling gives a sensational grip.....☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️

• The cap posts nicely and securely.....☘️☘️

It is shorter than a Kaweco Al Sport capped and uncapped, but is longer than it capped which is lucky for me because I like that extra little bit of length for overall more heft.

Unlucky for Ben, I’m a tough critic and I’m only fretting about one thing.

Kaweco has mastered the capping/posting design with a step down on the end of the barrel and a plastic sleeve in the cap to match that. This design makes the cap post smoothly, securely and uniformly.

On Ben’s Pocket Pen, an unlucky design flaw where the edge of the barrel end only friction fits with the inside of the cap. This will cause premature wear from metal on metal rubbing and if you’re lucky, the cap may or may not be positioned uniformly.

With some luck, I’ll have the copper Entry coming soon and surely share it with everyone.

(picture answer)

***Here’s the quote and movie clip for Patty O’Brien***

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ihbp3u0N5XM

Thanks

Andy"

Many thanks to Andy and to everyone who contributed to our online "show & tell" :)
Keep those great photos and reviews coming!
~Maja