Tim's Collection

Pilot Legance

Japan, 2010-14. Japan market-only pen. Brown/green/red acrylic. Wonderful soft nib. Great everyday carry and air travel pen.

Plexor

France, 1941-43. The French could not produce a Parker pen under Nazi occupation, so an entrepreneur imported and assembled Parker parts, called them Plexor. Thus, it’s no coincidence that it looks like a later Duofold; in fact there were complaints that Parker just sent older parts to France. Oversize button-filler, gold Plexor nib.

Sailor Anniversary

Japan 2018. Sailor’s Osamu Dazai’s 110th Birth Anniversary pen, celebrated in 2019. It’s a limited edition pen, issued for the Japanese market. In bright orange resin. It has a (Japanese) fine nib; a fast writer with a bit of feedback.

Sheaffer Balance

USA 1945-46. Full-size Vac-Fill, carmine celluloid, Triumph nib, 1250 price code. This was from the very end of Balance production. Restored by Ron Zorn before I knew how to do it.

Sheaffer Balance

USA, late 1930s. The largest of Sheaffer’s later Balances, this black Premier got me to sell my 1930 oversized Balance. It’s perfect in the hand, a more evolved shape, wonderful nib. To me, one of the all-time high points of Sheaffer production.

Sheaffer Balance

USA, 1936-39. The Balances in Ebonized Pearl have always been special to me, a touch more elegant. This one is a Lifetime in short standard girth, with a few pliers gouges on the section, which didn’t stop me from grabbing it when it came my way. Firm fine writer, perfect for desktop and carry.

Sheaffer Balance Valiant

USA 1941-44. Wartime, marine green striated, Lifetime nib, 1000 price code, lever filler. The clip was made to wrap over the top of the cap to conform to military requirements that nothing obstruct a closed shirt flap. Typical Sheaffer firm nib, excellent writer.

Sheaffer Univer

USA, 1930s. Sheaffer produced multiple successive short generations of submodels during the depression years; Univers covered a broad range of quite nice pre-Balance styles to low end, in smaller quantity than the WASPs. This Univer, in a wonderful black and white pattern, is the nicest I’ve seen, in a short full girth pen.

Stephens Leverfil No.106

England, postwar 1940s. Black chased ebonite, gold-plate nib. Interesting that pen is postwar but made of ebonite. Stephens was a Curzon/Lange brand, like Summit. Very nice wet writer.

Summit S125

England, late 1940s-54. Dark blue chased celluloid, original nib. Lever filler. Made by Curzon/Lang.