Reminder re: meeting tomorrow (Thursday May 18)!

Don't forget our in-person meeting on Thursday May 18 at the Kitsilano branch of the Vancouver Public Library from 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM!
(click here for detailed information, including our meeting topics/themes).

Any questions? If so, please contact us at vancouverpenclub@gmail.com
Hope to see you there! (and no RSVPs needed!)

Newest Acquisitions (Virtual "Show & Tell") ~ part 494

Today we're shining a spotlight on a vintage British brand with a nice review by Christopher!

Christopher writes:  "In the past, I have welcomed pens by the British manufacturer Summit of London and, without exception, quality seemed to have been their strongest point. Strangely though, most --if not all-- of the Summit pens which came my way were finished in a very smart, but plain, black colour. I was admittedly beginning to wonder if the company actually produced more colourful pens until the other day, when I ran across this superb red pearl and black finished plastic vintage Summit lever filler."

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

 "Again, the quality was impressive, with 14K Gold filled fittings. This pen has a responsible size to it and the cap is rounded off with a conical black clip screw and very thin banding. The clip in question is tapered down to a ball end and the grip section, which is also finished in jet black plastic, sports a fabulous Summit 14K Gold super flexy nib. I have nothing but good things to relate about this fine British fountain pen which, for writing, posts at 6 ¼ inches, capping back for the pocket or purse at 5 ⅛ inches."

"The Summit Pen company originally opened its doors in Liverpool, England as the Curzon Company at the turn of the last century. It rebranded during the 1920s as Curzon Ltd., but just before WWII the name was changed to Summit and their location moved on to London. Their target market was much similar to the Burnham and Conway Stewart pen companies, but they became history just after the war during the early 1950s.

In closing, how could I not welcome this wonderful item into my vintage pen collection and it will see lots of use as such."

There isn't a lot of information about this vintage brand online, but there is a website dedicated to Summit pens here. Thank you, Christopher, for sharing your own handsome example with us!

Newest Acquisitions (Virtual "Show & Tell") ~ part 493

~ Wishing a Happy Mother’s Day to mothers everywhere!🌷~

...and here's a lovely little vintage set of Christopher's for everyone to enjoy!

 Christopher begins: "It is hard to say at this late date exactly what the Wahl Eversharp company had in mind regarding a target market for their Bantam line of fountain pens and pencils. Too good, really, regarding the quality for the junior pen user and almost too small to be considered even a purse pen. And yet the Eversharp Bantam must have been a good seller in its own right and, in turn, stood the test of time. Over the course of its history, Eversharp changed the design to mirror their most popular larger high-end models like the flat top, Equi-poised and Doric. In fact, some of the later Bantam pens were even equipped with faceted finishes to almost be mistaken for a miniature Eversharp Doric. But what always rung true, throughout their history, was the amazing quality in miniature."

(photos courtesy of Christopher ~ please click on images to enlarge)

"Over the years, I have had a number of Wahl Eversharp Doric pens, but running across a mint and boxed Bantam set, complete with ephemera, was almost too good to be true. Equipped with a dazzling blue swirl finish and a No.0 Eversharp 14K Gold nib --and flexy at that-- this little number also came  with a working rubber bulb filler. The clip on this pen has a turned up spoon end, short but quite attractive. In essence, it suits the pen perfectly."

"The matching pencil I found also works well, but I was most amazed with the original box. Very well designed and appointed with a separate divided compartment for both writing instruments. The paperwork instructions and, on the reverse side, warranty fits neatly folded into the inside top of this packaging. On the outside, there is a beautifully coloured blue with gold motifs adding up to a totally Deco presentation. As for size, the fountain posts at a handleably 4 ½ inches, but caps back to 3 ¾ inches. In closing, I think this dandy little pen and pencil set pays perfect tribute to the famous Wahl Eversharp company, who even in miniature, hit the mark one hundred percent. And please do not think that I won’t be adding this set to my collection and taking it travelling with me in the future."

Our thanks to Christopher for the informative write-up and photos! For some more information on the 'Bantam' model, check out this article on Richard Binder's site.

Newest Acquisitions (Virtual "Show & Tell") ~ part 492

Many thanks to Christopher for the most recent pen reviews he sent in; we'll be featuring his latest vintage finds for the next few days, here on our blog!

He writes: "I have to ask myself, what is better then one Morrison gold overlay? And the answer is elementary, two! And better still, if the second one is older with a beautiful, different chased finish. Both pens are the same length posted and capped, but the older number has a much finer quality to it. While my first kick at the can from 1933 is no less attractive, but much more chunky and with an undercarriage of early jet black plastic. So having established that both pens have merit, I will go ahead and describe my newest Morrison addition (from 1929)."

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

"What is extremely unusual about this very refined and attractive gold overlay boils down to its nib. Whereas the newer one has a typical Morrison 14K Gold point, this earlier Morrison fountain pen has a Warranted 14K Gold marked nib inscribed ‘Haag, Amsterdam’. Otherwise, it is a superb writer when applied to paper with loads of welcome flex. The barrel is also inscribed 1/40th 14K Gold. I should also point out that there is a small difference regarding the caps of these two Morrison gold overlay pens in that the later one is open at its top to expose the black vulcanized rubber underneath, while the earlier model is covered on its top with the overlay. Finally, I should make this comparison complete by describing the overlay chasing on the earlier pen as a repeated wavy chevron design, while the later pen as repeating plain horizontal banding divided by short vertical line banding. So as much as these pens are the same, in fact they are different and both worth adding to my vintage pen collection."

Newest Acquisitions (Virtual "Show & Tell") ~ part 491

As part of my pandemic-era goal to buy a new fountain pen from at least one online pen store in each Canadian province (assuming they had such a store ;), I recently purchased two new Lamy pens from (drumroll, please).....the University of Saskatchewan's online store!

(photos by Maja ~ please click on images to enlarge)

My new Lamy Safari 'Mint Glaze' (top) and 'Blue Macaron' fountain pens (Medium nibs in both)

These two colours and the "Powder Rose" (collectively known as the 'Safari Pastels') were the new Lamy 'Safari' colours for 2019. That was the first year that three new colours were released for the 'Safari' model--prior to that, it was just one new colour each year.

I got the pens in the university store's year-end sale for $29.37 CAD each, which was a very good price for these special edition fountain pens.

Shipping was $11.95 CAD from Saskatoon, SK but the 2019 special edition colours are getting harder to find (and/or for a decent price), so I didn't mind the shipping cost, especially since they were on sale.

                 (Fall Guy --in a "Fairycorn" costume-- approves of my purchase 😁)

Above: No, these are not real Lamy 'Safari' fountain pens--I was playing around with some photo editing software to see if I could create a couple of new 'Safari' colours (I really like these two!)

Since the pandemic started, I've bought fountain pens from online stores in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and most recently in New Brunswick (review coming up later this month). I placed an online order for a fountain pen with a bookstore in PEI, but my order was (politely) cancelled, with the explanation that they don't ship out of the province lol. My quest continues..... 

(~Blog post by Maja~)

Newest Acquisitions (Virtual "Show & Tell") ~ part 490

I can't recall seeing any pens from this British company at our meetings, or in any review posted here on our site (or any website---is mine the first review for this ballpoint???) so I thought I'd show you of one of my newest acquisitions -- a Before Breakfast 'Onigiri' ballpoint in "Pine Green"!

(all photos by Maja ~ please click on images to enlarge)

But first....a little background on Before Breakfast, a London-based design company:

According to their official website, the company's name is an homage to the quote from the book "Through the Looking Glass" by Lewis Carroll (the sequel to "Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland"): “Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

Their brand concept (from their website): "The aim is to bring a new perspective to design and craft through the use of sustainable materials and a responsible making process. To create carefully crafted stationery that inspires everyday tasks and creativity in the workspace.

The world that is your desk is made up of a number of objects you use, whether it is for work or for your studies. Stationery probably makes up the smallest objects in this world, but the possibilities you have with pen and paper are endless." 

(I love that last line ☺️)

Onto the pen now...

The ballpoint is part of their 'Onigiri' writing instrument line, which consists of four forms--fountain pen, ballpoint pen, mechanical pencil, and rollerball (including a rollerball that comes with a stand/pen holder).

The name of the line was inspired by Japanese triangular rice balls, and the company spent four years designing and refining the writing instruments. The resulting shape of the models is a "soft triangular" one. All are made of aluminum, which is both durable and lighter than brass/bronze/copper/stainless steel. Their choice of metal makes sense as the company's aim was to create a line of writing tools comfortable to write with for extended periods of time. I think they've achieved that with this handsome ballpoint.

The manufacturer's packaging is simple, functional and tasteful (like the pen itself) --the pen came wrapped in a single piece of dark grey felt, which was in a small presentation box made of sturdy grey cardboard with "Onigiri Writing Tool", a checklist of the 'Onigiri' models (with a small "x" in the ballpoint box) and the company's website address lightly debossed on it.

The box is actually very interesting... The box and its lid are each made of one piece of very thick cardboard that’s been lasercut to create beveled edges, and then folded to create the individual parts (the box & lid). No adhesive was used (that I can detect) — just one metal staple at each corner. There's a lot going on, design-wise, before you even get to the pen inside!

My ballpoint is the "Pine Green" colour, but it also comes in "Space Blue", "Silver Raw" and "Black". Laywine's webstore only had the "Pine Green" in stock, but I would have chosen it even if the others were available; it's a lovely colour and reminds me of a darker shade of "British Racing Green".

Pen specs (taken from the Before Breakfast website):

Dimensions: 150 x 14 x 14 mm
Weight: 42 g
Material: Aluminium (or "Aluminum", as we say here in Canada ;)

It uses a push-button (clicker) mechanism and takes Parker or Parker-style ballpoint/gel refills (it came with a Schmidt 'Softline' Parker-style refill). The clicker on my pen works smoothly with no problems (and I like that it's dimpled :).

The pen has a nice heft to it and is well-balanced in my hand; this means I don't have to put a lot of pressure on the pen to write with it. With a fountain pen, this wouldn't be an issue, but with a ballpoint, you have to press harder on the writing surface. In any case, it's very comfortable for me to write with.

The design is simple and clean, and the ballpoint is both functional and elegant. There is no clip or ornamentation on the barrel, aside from a small Before Breakfast logo discreetly silk-screened onto it.

The rounded triangular shape of the pen makes it easy to grip and hold comfortably. The surface is lightly-textured so it helps with the grip, without being rough on your fingers. Actually, the texture and coolness of the metal surface make using this pen a very pleasant tactile experience.

Here another reason why I love this ballpoint---the tip of the refill protrudes just the right amount from the pen's nose cone. I'm probably not the only person who cares about this feature lol, but I don't see it mentioned in reviews very often. When it comes to fountain pens, I prefer the look of those that have sections that match the rest of the pen; when it comes to ballpoints, I don't mind a mismatch (I think the grey nose cone and clicker pair nicely with the dark green barrel).

As mentioned earlier, I bought the pen from Laywine's in Toronto via their web store, and it cost me $95.15 CAD including taxes (shipping was free). I paid for it via Sezzle in four equal, interest-free installments -- $23.78 every 2 weeks. No, it's not inexpensive...but neither were some Retro 51 special/limited edition rollerballs I purchased over the years. I love using my Before Breakfast 'Onigiri' ballpoint, and I think it's worth every penny :)

I'm so glad that Laywine's carry the Before Breakfast line of writing instruments because BB don't have any online retailers in Canada, aside from Laywine's (they do sell their products via their own website). Many thanks to the folks at Laywine's (who included a nice handwritten 'thank you' note with my purchase) for this wonderful ballpoint!

(~blog post by Maja~)

Newest Acquisitions (Virtual "Show & Tell") ~ part 489

We don't often get back-to-back reviews of pens made by an obscure licensee of a popular pen brand, but here's another one! Like Christopher's Pilot 'Custom Korea' fountain pen (reviewed three days ago), my Pilot 'Scholar' fountain pen was also made in Korea by the South Korean Pilot Company, under license from the Pilot Corporation in Japan.

(all photos by Maja ~ please click on images to enlarge)

I got my Pilot 'Scholar' fountain pen second-hand on eBay from my pen friend Kevin (eBay username: c.c.bexley), who lives just outside of Chicago. Kevin (who has discerning taste when it comes to writing instruments) gave me a greater appreciation of well-made mechanical pencils and grey inks after we started trading emails several years ago :) We kind of lost touch over the years, but when I saw that he was selling this pen on eBay, I immediately put in a bid for it and subsequently won the auction (the Maruman Mnemosyne --I always forget how to spell it 😉-- notebook in the photo was purchased from Laywine's).

The pen is made of a very glossy black resin (plastic) with gold-coloured (plated?) metal trim. It's a classy-looking fountain pen and it's in excellent condition--no scratches or blemishes that I can see! I'm not sure when it was made, but other 'Scholar' pens were made in the 1970s. There is also a version of the 'Scholar' model with a guilloché pattern, but mine has no pattern engraved on it.

Based on my own measurements, it's 15.9 cm long posted, 14.9 cm capped, and 12.5 cm uncapped (from nib tip to barrel end). The pen has a friction-fit cap-closing mechanism (ie. it's a snap-on cap) that posts very deeply and securely.

According to my digital scale, the total weight of the 'Scholar' is 15.5 grams empty and 20.2 grams with its converter in place. It's comfortable to use unposted, but when I use it posted, it's very well-balanced and comfortable to hold (especially with its long section as I'm a "high-gripper").

And here's a closeup of that marvelous (and large) Pilot "fingernail" nib ...

Unlike Christopher's Korean-made Pilot 'Custom Korea' pen, my 'Scholar' pen has a gold-plated nib and is stamped/engraved "PILOT MADE IN KOREA SUPER QUALITY" below its breather hole. The nib width isn't marked but I'd say it's probably an Asian Fine/Western Extra-Fine. The nib has some tooth, but after a quick fingernail (HA!) adjustment, it wrote a bit smoother. Keep in mind, though, that the nib doesn't have a lot of tipping material, so it will never write as smoothly as a well-tuned broad nib, for example. Oh, and despite its elongated appearance, the nib has no flex.

The pen came with the much-sought-after larger version of the Pilot CON-20 squeeze converter (which, apparently, only came with Korean-made Pilot pens). The converter holds a lot of ink and adds a nice bit of heft to the pen. I checked and the pen accepts Pilot's well-known proprietary ink cartridges, too.

(photo of the underside of the pen's nib - please ignore the dust particles ;)

There's a Reddit post here showing the component parts of a similar Pilot nib. The nibs have little tabs that grip the feed but the nib is also GLUED in place, so I wouldn't recommend taking it apart unless absolutely necessary.

A quick photo of the cap (which has PILOT engraved---vertically-- on it)... Note the triple cap bands, a contrast to the double cap bands found on a lot of Pilot's gold-nibbed fountain pen models.

Above: my Pilot 'Scholar' (left) with my Pilot 'Custom '74' (made by the Pilot Corporation of Japan)

Aside from their cap bands and cap-closure designs (the 'Custom 74' has a screw-on cap), they could be identical twins. Under their caps, the difference is obvious---the 'Scholar' has a gold-plated inlaid nib, whereas the Japanese-made 'Custom 74' sports an open 14K gold nib. Both pens are the same length when capped, uncapped and posted.

All in all, I'm very happy with my Pilot 'Scholar' fountain pen... and I love its inlaid nib. It brings back happy memories of a visit to the Pilot Pen Station (Pilot's --now closed, I believe-- pen museum) in Tokyo where I saw several vintage Pilot models with similar "fingernail" style nibs.

For more info on the South Korean Pilot Company, check out this interesting article. Many thanks to Kevin for selling me this cool fountain pen!

(~Blog post by Maja~)

May the 4th be with you! (Star Wars Day)

(Pics by Maja ~ please click on images to enlarge)

Luke + Sheaffer 'Pop' Star Wars writing instruments

"R2-D2" fountain pen and "BB-8" rollerball

(both pens are comfortable to use posted as they are all-plastic and very light)

The pen is mightier than the lightsaber! (maybe ;)

May meeting information! (Thursday May 18)

What: Vancouver Pen Club May 2023 Meeting

Where: the Branch Meeting Room (located in the basement) of the Vancouver Public Library's KITSILANO branch at 2425 Macdonald Street (between Broadway and West 8th), Vancouver, BC -- ie. the usual place.

Date: Thursday May 18, 2023

Time: 6:00pm to 8:30pm (please note: we have to leave the room by 8:30pm, as per the library's room rental policy).

Primary Topic: Your Oldest Fountain Pen!

Secondary Topic: Newest Acquisitions

(Just to clarify---the primary topic is about your oldest fountain pen based on its date of manufacture, not when you acquired it :)

No RSVP required to attend the meeting ---hope you can make it!

Newest Acquisitions (Virtual "Show & Tell") ~ part 488

Moving away from vintage pen reviews for a wee bit now, starting with this review of an interesting modern(ish) fountain pen that Christopher recently acquired!

Christopher writes:

"I think most collectors of both vintage and modern fountain pens are familiar with the pens produced by the Pilot company of Japan. But I truly wonder how many actually are familiar with the fountain pens still being produced by the Pilot company of Korea? In 1954, a Pilot branded company started to mass produce commercial fountain pens in South Korea. Department Store pens at the time were extremely expensive but in Asia, with the Pilot company in Korea flooding the market with (for the most part) well made pens, writing instruments as such became more cost effective. The company went on to be quite successful and still is manufacturing pens to this day."

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

"Up until very recently, I had no idea that there was, and still is, a Pilot pen company in Korea. So you can imagine my surprise when I picked up what I thought was a Japanese Pilot fountain pen only to find that on its beautiful 14K sold Gold inlaid nib was inscribed, ‘Made in Korea’. This pen has all the earmarks of the Japanese Custom 500 RS 1970s fountain pen model. But the difference --other then the marked country of origin--- is both in the background colour of light brown in the cap top logo insert (black, in the Pilot Japanese model) and the cap band being wider and plastic gold plated. Also, the filler under the barrel of this Korean beauty is definitely aerometric over the Japanese twist filler.

It is my educated guess that the Pilot Japanese Custom 500 RS came first and the Korean Custom 14K followed suit. Regardless, though, both manufacturers pen are of impressive quality and well worth having in any vintage pen collection."

Our thanks to Christopher for this interesting (and informative) review! We'll be featuring my review of another Asian-made pen on Friday or Saturday...