11 replies to this topic

[Scogre]

Lately I have been on a kick of these Omas old-style Paragons in celluloid. I have no questions really, unless someone wants to tell me how many different kinds of celluloid these pens have been made out of.

My first was a Saffron Blue, which I admit I bought more because I love the celluloid than for the pen itself. But of course when I got the pen and started using it, I loved it! It has a luscious medium nib that was tuned by John Mottishaw.

My second one was the Royal Blue (or Blue Royal). Evidently this celluloid has a reputation for turning purple, and indeed mine is a nice dark violet color. It has a factory OB nib, and this is my first oblique nib. I have to remind myself to roll the nib over where it writes best!

Then just yesterday I picked up on a Scarlet model. I haven't even received it yet. It is supposed to have a flexy medium nib, but we'll see how it is when I get it.

What comes next? Who knows! But I may have to sell off some of my other pens to keep going!

Scott.

[George]

The paragon is probably one of my favorite modern pens. Actually, all of the celluloid Omas pens are really awesome. The Wilde celluloid is probably my favorite celluloid in the world.

Regards
George

[Chris Chalmers]

I know that feeling, and have also been on the feeding frenzy for old style Paragons and other Omas pens, and from having just the Bronze Arco I went quickly to have nine Omas pens in all within a month or two. Mine are all in use, even the little Milord size 1950s 556/f Extra with an amazingly flexy fine nib! I seemed to have also found a few that were made for shops in Italy, so have the powder blue 557/s (Ogiva) Buffetti, the Saffron Blue Vecchietti, the wonderful Vespucci with complete box and papers.......the Saft Green old style Paragon - and I didn't realise how much I would love that celluloid - the Scarlet and last but not least an old style Paragon Extra Lucens in that translucent black celluloid. The last one to land is the old style Arlecchino - or Harlequin - with a very juicy broad stub by Greg Minuskin!

There are more to collect - the grey Arco, the black, the Wilde (although I do have that celluloid made into a reproduction of a very large flat-topped button filler by Tom Westerich) the Blue Royale - and no doubt there is a green Arco.

I've had to call a stop for a while.........but these are all exceptional writers and those older nibs are really what it is all about. My Bronze Arco has a BB cursive italic by John Mottishaw, and was my first expensive pen when I first discovered internet pens....in 2002.

[Scogre]

I did receive the scarlet Paragon the other day. I filled it with MB Violet since there appeared to be a vestige of violet ink in the pen. It is an excellent writer, never hesitating to start up. The celluloid is even better than I had hoped. It's definitely red, but not an overpowering red. I like it a lot!

Hey Chris, I know about your Omas buying, and you know about my Omas buying! I am now keeping my eyes open for an arco. Wish me luck!

Scott.

[AltecGreen]

Lately I have been on a kick of these Omas old-style Paragons in celluloid. I have no questions really, unless someone wants to tell me how many different kinds of celluloid these pens have been made out of.

In the old-style Paragon body style (faceted), there are the seven standard colors (picture below), the wild (Galileo LE), pearl grey (Cinema LE -this looks just like the standard Pearl Grey), and modern extra Lucens (two colors-black and blue).

If you include the vintage Omas pens (faceted senior sized pens) then the variety of celluloids increase significantly. While the old style Omas celluloids are nice, I like 90's Tibaldi celluloids a bit more. Those celluloids are wonderful and a nice tribute to their heritage.



Edit: P.S. someone contacted me privately last week with a collection of Omas pens for sale including an Arco and a bunch of celluloid dama sized pens. I'm not interested but I can pass the word if there is any interest here.


The seven standard colors







The less than common Omas "extra flessible" nib on my Brown Arco.

[George]

Altec,

Wow! Could you post a writing sample of the Omas extra flessible nib? It looks awesome!

Regards,
George

[AltecGreen]

Altec,

Wow! Could you post a writing sample of the Omas extra flessible nib? It looks awesome!

Regards,
George

Here you go. The 'extra flessible' is the writing on top and the bottom is from a 1930's vintage Omas nib mounted on a Electa button filler in red arco (this pen is probably an Omas made pen).

[Titivillus]

My second one was the Royal Blue (or Blue Royal). Evidently this celluloid has a reputation for turning purple, and indeed mine is a nice dark violet color. It has a factory OB nib, and this is my first oblique nib. I have to remind myself to roll the nib over where it writes best!

It did for me becoming a mottled purple with blue. If it had been an overall change I might still have kept it but the color change had a sort of disease look starting at the cap threads and going toward both ends. I sent the pen back and had them repair it except that they didn't fix all of the pen just some parts.

[blopplop]

These Omas Paragons are beautiful. Someday I may be able to afford one.

Dave

[marcshiman]

What amazes me is the timeless nature of the Omas extra / 55X / Paragon pens - remarkable that this pen had a 75 year run before Omas was finally sold and the pen changed.

Both Parker and Shaeffer reissued their famous pens (Duofold and Balance) but I think at first it was sorta a retro kind of thing.

I have a black Omas Lucens from the 30's that could easily be confused with a mid-00's Paragon (the clear spiral barrel notwithstanding).

Marc

[thepianolist]

Love the old style Omas Arco Green (formerly Arctic Green)! I also have an old style Saft Green but no picture.


 OMAS Arco Green - 1.JPG   27.74KB   4 downloads

[Rick Propas]

These pens are definitely addictive, I have far more of the moderns than I should, including the scarlet pen and ballpoint currently in my pocket, and the two vintage (one lever, one stantuffo) are among my prized pens.