Pelikan 120
West Germany, 1969. One of the Merz & Krell models, in green and black. Piston filler. My pen since new, bought at Conkey’s in Appleton, Wisconsin, first week of college 1970; cap was since replaced. It is my third fountain pen, preceded only by my Montblanc 149 and a long-disintegrated Parker 21.
Pilot Justus 95
Japan, 2022. This Justus 95 is in the smallest subset of the small subset of modern pens in Tim’s Collection: I bought it for myself. It is a magnificent pen, shiny black resin with delicate vertical chasing to help the grip, deep gold trim, full-sized but perfectly balanced. Its nib is adjustable for softness/firmness and the difference is actually noticeable. The nib is responsive, has a bit of give and is a Japanese medium, so for me a perfect fine. If you’re looking for an elegant, outstanding pen for a present, find one of these at a Pilot distributor!
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, with 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, 1936-39. Ebonized Pearl Balances 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.
Tibaldi Trasparente
Italy, late 1940s. In black celluloid, with one-third of its barrel completely transparent. It is without flaw, has gotten only light use. Nib is long-tined flexible.