7 replies to this topic

[Josephine]

I picked up a pen at a pen swap yesterday that I'd love to find more information about. Very nice pen, has the same sort of serious solid heft of my 50s 144 and 244 Montblancs. About the same size as well. Here's a photo of it next to my Lamy 99



Untitled by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

The cap is inscribed Dignitar Pen:


Untitled by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

And the piston filler is marked 482 (I'm assuming the model number?)


Untitled by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

The nib is simply marked Waranteed 14k 585 around an oval with spokes in it like a wheel. Can't get a decent picture of that,

The pen is simple black but the hardware is quite nicely made and inscribed thusly:


Untitled by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

If it isn't clear the cap band has a Greek key motif and hte bottom of the clip looks to be carved with an olive branch. (or similar foliage).

Googling is not really turning much up, a mention here or there of people finding pens marked Dignitar but not answers as to where they were made, or by whom. Most guesses I see are German, and it certainly has a similar feel to my other German pens, very common heritage with my Matador for sure. But that's all I've got. It is piston fill, the piston is cork sealed and someone has carved anice brand new cork seal for it. It writes a stubby broad line and is reverse oblique. (At least reverse to obliques I'm familiar with.) But it is such a gentle oblique I'm not having trouble using it.

The nib has a bit of feedback, you can hear it strongly on paper, but nice to use and gives some line variation when asked for it. A very nice pen and I love it, so would really like some history on the maker if I can! Anyone seen one of these before or heard of a Dignitar Pen company?

[vintage penman]

The clip looks very like a Melbi offering (Merz & Krell). I had a few years back something very similar badged as a Melbi with a Degussa 14k nib.

[AZuniga]

Josephine,

I believe vintage penman is right, the clip and the rings bring to memory Melbi pen.
Many sub brands were done by larger factories. I never saw one with Dignitar name but at least four others very similar.
It looks a lot like the Faber Castell from the thirties, made either in black or with a marbled green barrel, but all the shape
is Faber Castell...
Hope this helps, regards Ariel

[Josephine]

You're right, the shape DOES resemble many of the Faber Castells. I'm having trouble getting a clear picture of the nib, it's tiny and I dont' have time to haul out the macro gear and lighting setup. So here's one I found online. EXACT same nib marking (though mine is a broad nib, this looks to be fine):

THIS IS NOT MY PEN, THIS IS A PHOTO OF AN IDENTICAL NIB.


$T2eC16h,!zUE9s39!eu1BQ5MC,KoRg~~60_57 by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

The nib in the photo is on a pen labeled: National Favorite and sold as a German pen as well. (Was this nib the Bock of its day?)

[AZuniga]

I believe it was the Bock of the day as you say... many sub brands did not make a nib with their name but used a generic "warranted 14 k 585".
Since I collect European pens I will keep looking for information about your pen and let you know when I find something.
In the mean time, enjoy writing with it...

[AZuniga]

I had a couple of minutes and i found this for you:

http://www.fountainp...3-dignitar-pen/



http://www.worthpoin...rbled-253283714



Since I know the guy from the second link I will ask for more information to him...
Hope it helps...
Regards

[Josephine]

Those are the two things I hit as well Penmex. Neither seemed very strong evidence except that there WAS a company that made (or had made) more than one pen. At least a few models obviously went by that name.

[Josephine]

This link: http://www.tiroche.c..._words=dignitar

That's my pen. Same clip, same cap band, I'd bet they are the same model. Wish there were more information. But at least we have a value estimation, who knows how accurate!