For those that don't remember here is my wish list for 2012....
Wahl Eversharp deco band in woodgrain MHR
RHR Duofold senior early model golden girdle
CHerry Red flattop Sheaffer secretary
Buckskin DJ parker 51
Conklin Crescent filler 75 size
Blue, Black, Green, Silver Long Major Vacumatics
Golden Web Vacumatic
Wahl RHR OS greek Key engraved
Waterman Ink Vue Copper Ray deluxe
Chilton Lizard Pencil (match pen)
OS Chilton Wingflow set black (inlay not important)
Sheaffer Snorkel in periwinkel (cap and barrel)
not a single item... lol..
Anyway, not to complain, 2012 was a pretty good year, You can judge for yourself....
Parker Duofold Senior Streamlined in Black. I got this from one of my infrequent pickers, who had a bag of pens. This was the only problem free piece in the bag. There were a few beat up 51's and later watermans, a pearl and black senior duofold that was evenly and horribly discolored. Oh, and a 456, that had more problems than I could name, and a huge price to match, Strange thing, my picker didn't care too much for this one, other than that spot of wear on the clip ball, it is pristine in every respect,.
Green three band Vacumatic. This one is an upgrade from my old example. This thing has the most unbelievable barrel clarity I ever saw. It was bought missing everything except the cap and barrel, Luckily I had enough parts to put this one back. I don't enjoy project pens, but I certainly find enough of them.
Golden pearl/brown shadowave lockdown. The lockdown shaddowaves aredefinitely less common than the later ones. This one again was too clean to pass up. It was missing the blind cap, but I had one last replacement blind cap in black. beautiful clarity, the pen was just too nice to get rid of. i had two more of these this past year, and conditionwise, those helped me make the decision to keep this one.
Burgundy Marble lockdown vac. I bought one of these early in the year, that had issues, then I warped the barrel. I couldn't find a barrel, so I sent it to the parts bin. While walking thru my usual hunts on a Sunday morning, one of the vendors I know, called me over and said, "you still do old pens?" and I said "yeah", so he presented me two of these, exactly the same, I think they were left over store stock, they showed no signs of being inked. The second one showed signs of slight staining, where it sat on something, and I ended up selling it. This one was too clean, so I kept this one.
Dusty Rose duofold (I believe) this is an exceptional pen in great condition. I bought this one for resale, but ended up finding that the name engraved was a local <2 miles away business man who impacted the community in the most positive way. I don't care for names on pens too much, but this one had such a local connection, that I kept it. One thing I will say for sure, Is I certainly dislike his taste in fine fine fine point nibs.
First year (or pre-production) 51 in gray. This pen came to me right at the beginning of the year. It is a strange one, the cap does not fit any of my other first year 51's, the material is a hue dfferent than my other gray first year, and nothing on the pen seems usual. I found it without a blind cap, one of my friends in the pen community helped me complete it. They examined the pen, and said quite possibly, it might be what I said it was. I bought this from a new picker to me in 2012, they bought me some good stuff over the last year, very infrequent, but often enough. It was in a bulk lot.
First year 51 in black. Weird, I started off the year wanting another wedding band 51, and here I ended up with three of them this year. I bought this from a real tough to deal with vendor. I gave him the benefit of the doubt, to name the price on the group of pens I picked out, and almost passed out when he came back with a realistic number. Sometimes it works out like that, go figure. I needless to say, paid, and left quickly. Don't ask... he has gotten the better of me many times before. Nice clean pen.
First year 51 in cordovan. I got this in trade/barter from a certain young but supremely knowledgeable fellow at the DC pen show. Great pen, condition is superb. I wrote with this one for a bit, I think I swapped caps around, or something, but I know I did put in an english 51 double broad, that is fun to write with.
Last quarter 1941 gray 51. weird pen in every respect. I didn't touch this one, and the same fellow above, offered that it was all correct. Plastic jewels, filler, and imprint on cap at bottom, nice clean survivor, with the plating coming off slight, I left it alone. My picker that got me the green vac, the shadowave, the dust rose, and this. He also picked some of the early parkers too. more to come.
Mont Blanc 149 well, whats a year without one? this one came to me in a group from a gold and silver dealer. I bought it in plans to resell it, but it wrote too nice. It was worthy enough to even put in the finds of the year. I have a tendancy to get rid of these too soon, once I find one I like. we'll hold on to this one for a bit.
Mont Blanc III-c. my first ever vintage mont blanc find. I found this while viewing an auction one Monday, as I wa going to pick up a graphos set I saw for a certain pelican lover. I did not know much about it, figuring I would have to pay thru the roof for it, I even called work saying I might be late. Needless to say, this one went for next to nothing, and I was in disbelief when I was high bid. great solid pen, lacking the proper warranted nib. I would love to find it, if you know of one, let me know.
Sheaffer GF metal set. This set is so super clean, that I could not resist. I think I outright bought this set, and had to spring for lunch even, from an old time friend. I felt it was undervalued, but it was so attractive, I had to get it. I really like these as well, clean is the word, not a lot to choose from, and fewer that are ding and dent, and brassing free.
Sheaffer pre white dot Lifetime pen, in BCHR, real clean pen. I really fell in love with early sheaffer after I bought that #8 self filler last year, and needed to find more. clean early pens are hard to find, especially in the OS models. This one was one of my two purchases at the Baltimore show.
Project Waterman 56 woodgrain/mottled I have a hard time calling this one woodgrain, it certainly qualifies for mottled. I bought this one afew weeks ago, and besides being a solid project, it is quite striking, in terms of color and pattern. I got all the parts to make it right, just need to practice with staking the clip rivets. I do like the pen, it was bought right, that's why I sorta kept it.
Waterman 56 in cardinal. Here is one that I hesitated in buying originally, then finally closed the deal, the second time it came along. it has a fatal flaw, the cap has a tight crack above the clip, which is not entirely uncommon. I don't clip it in my pocket, but treat it as a user. earlier in the year, I let a pen buddy buy one for $120, that had no issues, albeit light plating wear. he deserved to have it. This one writes great. I originally bought it for a parts pen for above, but did not have the heart to sacrifice the clip for it. Since then, I secured a pocket clip.
Waterman 452 Sheraton pattern. I now have owned a few of these in this pattern, and this one is superb. the last few had issues, this is the firsrt problem free one I had. I got this one early morning from my picker from MD, he turned up a few pens, and this came home. You get some pens that seem too clean to part with. Nice clean pens are hard to come by.
Waterman Ink Vue Set in silver. this set is as every bit as nice as that new never inked example I had last year, and traded away. This set is a super early example, has the emblems on cap and barrel, and the slip fit section. crystal clear clarity, I am not even sure it was inked. Again way to go for clean pens. I heard about this one from a friend of a friend, and got it for a fair price, considering the condition, no bargain tho.
Parker 1 in mottled hard rubber. Here is a pen that I picked up at the Philly show last year. I think I bought this just to buy something. It is a clean pen, and in great shape, it just happened along, and i think I really started liking it more, after I filled the gaps in the years a bit in the case where it resides.
Parker 20 in mottled hard rubber. This was a part of a lot I bought beginning of the year, had some great pens in it, along with the 42 1/2 below. I was surprised to have my picker toss me a bag with all of these great pens in it. He was more surprised when I asked how much for all of them. Sometimes you have a great day.
Parker 42 1/2 wasn't even sure what model this was until I saw it from my picker. This one had an accomodation clip on it, saw little use, but has some fade. The chasing is nice, but I figured I am not going to touch it. All correct pen, it was bought as a lot.
Cream and Bronze OS chilton Long Island. I was looking at 5 star pens website for some Lebouef and Carters parts, and happened across this pen. Admittedly, it has a few flaws in the material, but one of them is not discoloration. This is an upgrade for the one in my collection. One of these days, I am going to get around to fixing the few cracks, that are not too easy to notice, I got a new old stock cap that has damage, that will yield the material.
Carnelian (Chartreuse and red vein) I got this one at the DC show. I did not expect to ever find one better than the one in my collection. This is my favorite color chilton. bar none. I have a long history with chiltons in this color. Someone on this board stopped me at the DC show to show me a folder of outstanding pens. I couldn't even tell you what was in the folder, this pen drew my eyes. As I was told it was not for sale, I find that remark a challenge. I needed to own this pen, so the owenr came up with a price and I tried to customarily haggle, but in the end we came to an agreement. Honest to say, if the economy was not so bad and it was years ago when I was heavily buying chiltons, the price would have been much higher. This is the grail pen to my entire chilton collection. I can only say that the picture does not do the color justice. Oh, and it writes great to, but only imagine that I don't fill it or write with it.
Green marble wingflow (from the Swann Auction, formerly Bill Baisden collection, and before that I owned it) Yeah, this one came back home. I originally bought it on eBay, right ater I bought a cherry red wingflow (that coincidentally was sold to Bill, then sold at Swann) this pen came from the Buck, in Southern Lancaster County, about 30 miles from where I live. I went and picked it up, nice folks. I figured what i paid for it then and sold it to Bill for, then paid to get it back, I am ahead by less thna $2, but hey, I loved this pen, and glad it is back home.
Private brand lever fill chilton. These are hard to find, not pricey, but hard to find. They are not recognized for who made them. I have several examples, only one Chi Lever, but the rest follow the rules. This one was a casual find at the DC pen show. I bought this with the OS non white dot Sheaffer, same person who has high quality pens. after bought it, I explained it to them what it was. I like these, it fits into the chilton story well, actually better than the seth crocker pens.
Pearl and Black veined pencil. bought this one week, and then bought the pen the next. The pen was basically parts, but the pencil was super clean. came from the same estate, two different pickers. Weird how that happens.
reflecting back, I am happy with the way the year played out. I had a lot of pens pass thru my hands, and was fortunate that these got to stay for a while. I have no regrets on not finding stuff on my list. Technically, I did own a golden web, but it was the short model, and just was not what I wanted to keep. For all of those who helped along the way in buying my inventory, and furthering my ability to buy fine pens, thank you. I hope everyone has a great 2013. Oh, and for a wishlist, I think I am just going to see what happens long this year. no pressure.
Feel free to share what you got this year too!
Best!
RIck
