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Occasionally I come across a good vintage pen with no imprint or clear clue as to the name of the maker.  Unfortunately, we pen collectors generally have a mind that insists we classify a pen in great detail and mmany hours are  spent to satisfy this demand. This recent acqusition, an orphan, is a very good pen and, after many hours dellving into all available resources I'm no closer to identifying it's maker. It has a Wyvern nib, but I'm pretty sure that it's a later replacement so doesn't really help.  I'd like the pen to be a Wyvern though,...

The Waterman Expert was made in three versions, now referred to as Mk.l., Mk.ll., and Mk.lll.. The Expert I was made from c.1988 to 1999:   It is characterised by, the two toned, 'slab sided' nib and has a stlysed 'W' between two gold filled cap rings.  The Expert II, made from 2000 to 2013, has a more conventional nib, a metal plate on the end of the cap stud, and the words 'Waterman. Paris' between the cap rings:   The Expert III, made from 2014 to the present, has one wide and one narrow cap ring: The Expert was...

I recently acquired a small collection of high end Sheaffer Targa pens and sets, mostly unused and in immaculate condition. The Targa is a well made pen that has stood the test of time, usually an excellent writer, and very practical.  These high end pens, particularly the Medici series, which was part of the 'Targa Luxury' series elevate the model to a different level.  Here are a few pics:  Targa 1011 Diamond Squares Targa 1005 Fluted. Targa 682 Medici Line Targa 683 Medici Diamond

The Parker Duofold U.K. aerometric filling pens were made from 1951 into the early 1970s.  They now represent excellent value, particularly when compared to a new pen as they all have solid Gold nibs and are renowned as good writers.  A new fountain pen with a Gold nib is considerably more expensive then a Duofold, and probably not as good. In terms of choice of trim levels and colour, however,  they are sometimes seen as a bit limited. There are only four colours, red, blue, black, and green, and all have the same Gold filled clip and cap band. Discounting...

The pen that Parker referred to as the '51 Standard' is one of the least well known of the 51 variants and is a very rare pen. This example is in American Burgundy:   From the picture the pen is indistinguishable from a Parker 51 Classic (the American pen was actually called a De Luxe).  It has a Lustralloy cap and a 14CT. Gold nib, suppled by a 'normal' Parker 51 collector and feed arrangement.  The material, finish, and build quality are the same, as is the cap and end stud.  So, what makes it a Standard and not a Classic,...