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Soennecken 111 Lady (Update)


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#1 Josephine

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Posted 02 November 2013 - 08:25 PM

Those that remember: I found a grey or green herringbone (some say grey, some say badly faded green) Soennecken 111 Lady with my favorite type of nib (OBB). I sent it off to Joel Hamilton as the filing system was in need of work (piston didn't move).

And the darn thing (as I'm learning now is the reason they are so dang rare) came apart in his hands. Joel has been working on a solution to fix the body (section came off the body and is so badly crazed that it will disintegrate into ash any second now) for MONTHS. Sadly finding parts for these pens is... impossible. Because the plastic they were made from is so fragile (see above) they are just incredibly rare and those that survive are either hugely expensive or in similar shape. When I saw Joel at the Dallas pen show i told him to do whatever seemed best. He told me that he'd discovered some sections/threads that matched with the cap at least.

Fast forward to today, I checked the mail to find a surprise package from Joel. Enclosed was a note saying that that the nib was too nice to be languishing unused. So he'd made the pen usable and was returning the broken parts as well, but was still working on a long term solution. Here are pictures for you all:

Here you can see where the section broke off (the inner section lining is also in the package, didn't take pictures):

Posted Image
Untitled by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

If you look closely you can see that the section is full of tiny cracks and just waiting to give up the ghost entirely, you can also see that it USED to be green, I'm pretty darn convinced, but is badly faded:

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Untitled by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

This is not a good picture, but here's the cap, matched with a different body (the body feels like a 242, or 142 Montblanc, I swear. JUST the same as mine. Not engraved at all, but it is uncanny.) The body is black, shiny, very MB like and a piston filler:
Posted Image
Untitled by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

Better shot perhaps, the cap really is lovely, but will be treated with kid gloves as I expect it is also very fragile:
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Untitled by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

The nib in its loaner body with writing sample. It is an amazing nib. Smooth as glass, springy, even better than my one dip test before I sent it to Joel:
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Untitled by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

A backlit shot of the cap, gives an indication of how faded it is, and how fragile the celluloid is, you can see straight through the cap lip:
Posted Image
Untitled by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

Joel's note was written on an invoice. An invoice marked $0. Guys he's been working on this pen for me for months. He's put a lot more of his time into it than I want to think of and he sent me a useable pen, and the promise that he wasn't done getting this thing fixed and charged me nothing. I don't think that's right, he deserves to be paid (and I'm working on that), but I really wanted folks to know what a professional, upstanding repairer Joel Hamilton is. I have sent off fragile old pens to other folks who stated up front that if the pen broke in their care it was not their responsibility (old pens are fragile after all). I expect that attitude, and Joel's has been entirely opposite. So huge kudos to him, I am deeply impressed. And just loving this sweet little Soennecken/Montblanc/Whatever she is Franken pen at the moment. ;)

#2 Shadow Wave

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Posted 03 November 2013 - 10:55 PM

That's good to know, Josephine. Thanks for spreading the good word.
I can see why you liked the pen, for the plastic alone.

#3 Josephine

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Posted 03 November 2013 - 11:03 PM

These Soenneckens are indeed gorgeous. There are a couple more colors and I'm not sure if all share the same fragility or if it was only the green that tends to fall apart.

Joel did confirm that my fingers and instinct are right, the body is of a Montblanc, though it is un engraved so we could have a great time arguing just which model it might be. ;) My pens have apparently trained me well if one touch can ID a 40s/50s Montblanc! ;)

I am really enjoying using the nib.

#4 AZuniga

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Posted 04 November 2013 - 08:53 PM

Your pen looks great with a MB barrel... not a bad idea at all...
I have not found your barrel but I am sure I will and then I will let you know.
Regards, Ariel


#5 oghistoryteacher

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Posted 24 December 2013 - 04:01 AM

Wonderful story with a happy ending. As a newbie it's great to get recommendations about folks who take such pride in their work. Could you tell me how to contact Joel Hamilton?



#6 spotted and speckled

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Posted 24 December 2013 - 05:19 PM

Joel can be reached at  http://www.ink-pen.com/. Contact info on website.

 

 

 

Josephine--

 

Any updates on your pen? 


--Virginia

#7 Josephine

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Posted 24 December 2013 - 08:23 PM

Nope. It works very well as a Montblanc/Soennecken hybrid. And that's sort of where it sits. I've gotten confirmation from a number of really well placed collectors that these things are rare as hen's teeth. So I'll probably see about just having a new section made, but no hurry.






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