Stylomine
1950s
About This Model
Stylomine, unlike many other fountain pen companies, started as a manufacturer of small metal parts for personal and office items at the end of WWI, moved into nib stamping, and began producing fountain pens in Paris around 1925. The first Stylomine pens were safeties, in black hard rubber, with rolled gold overlays. Stylomine's first significant pen model was the 303, which appeared in 1930 and introduced an innovative bulb filler with a breathing tube. In 1933, a retractable nib was created and used in the 303B; this was further enhanced with the celluloid 303C, and then in a large pen called the Mastodonte. Even with these innovations, Stylomine was best known for the accordion filler, which first appeared in 1938, with a glass vial at its end. After WWII, the glass vial was replaced by plastic, which are found in most of the Stylomines seen today. Stylomine's success peaked in the late 1930s, although their innovations continued with the 1938 introduction of what was probably the first true hooded nib, although Parker always marketed its 51 as the pioneer. After WWII, Stylomine swung into ballpoints, produced the Pulsapen in collaboration with Météore, Paillard nd Unic, and also worked with Bayard and Unic in producing a cartridge. But, with French fountain pen manufacture slipping rapidly, Stylomine could not survive the 1960s.
About This Pen
Stylomine was a very successful French company, not famous but a prolific manufacturer of good quality pens and pencils. They invented the “accordion” bulb filler in the 1930s, an accordion sac over a glass breathing tube with a glass ampule to hold the ink; in addition, although Parker got the credit for the first hooded nib, Stylomine’s preceded theirs to market. Their 303 series was their biggest seller from the 1930s-1950s, in various styles and sizes. This 303 is a postwar pen, in black plastic (possibly Bakelite), with the accordion bulb filler and plastic ampule and breathing tube. It’s a slimmer pen, .9cm at the case of the cap, but at 12.5cm long capped, standard length for a French pen. The pen fills easily, and writes a smooth fine. It shows some wear, but is a nice writer. A nice writer and a good addition to a French collection.
Price: $59 Sold