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Ode to the Mini Collection. Photos galore por favor

fountain pen mini collection

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#1 david i

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Posted 29 December 2013 - 09:01 PM

As per the Vacumania website's essay "Collector vs User" a reasonable hobby context definition for collecting might be, "Accumulation' as a hobby or for study". 

 

Let us call Pen Collecting, then, "The accumulation and study of  pens  in a goal-oriented fashion".

 

Collectors are not just hoarders, though some generic definitions allow for that and though no doubt some of the psychiatric dysfunction of hoarding is present for most of us.

 

Collecting can be done in a very generalized/eclectic fashion or in very focused fashion. One might want an example of every major pen series made during 1920-1980 from the top ten makers throughout the world. Or one might want to have every last Parker Vacumatic.  There are no rules regarding what one seeks, though there without doubt are guidelines regarding pursuing well what one seeks:  "Learn to grade pens", "Learn about potential parts mixes", "Learn market prices", etc.

 

Collecting any pen  series to completion poses challenges.  Besides just expense, some  series offer hundreds of variants, progressive esoteric, many off-catalogue, with international variants to be found as well. The  hunt  can never be done , which of course might be part of the charm. What duck hunter wants to catch the very last duck?

 

So, we end up with mini collections, focused hoards defined by a common feature. While generally it does not represent just one's small sample of a large series ("here are my five Parker 51's"), even that is a potential definition. Usually, a linking feature defines away most of a large series.  Thus, we have Canadian Parker Vacumatics with solid-gold cap-bands , or Wahl Eversharp pens done in Flamingo plastic, or Sheaffer pens in marbled blue plastic, something that defines a much smaller collection, even when complete.

As with most threads at Fountain Pen Board, the request for images of your mini collections is not meant to be highly regimented .  It's fine if you want to show your five Parker 51's, even if  the only linking features is being part of a series that has a zillion variants.   But, if you can find something that tidies up the boundaries of that mini collection?  All the better.  Share if you care to what drew you to the subset of pens in your mini collections.

 

A nice mini collection is a thing of poetry, so let's consider this thread Ode to the MInii Collection

 

Let's see yours.

 

regards

David


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#2 david i

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Posted 29 December 2013 - 09:09 PM

I'll start the photo run with Absolute Roseglow, from a thread with similar title.

 

Sheaffer Balance, essentially a 1930's series, a pen that introduced a successful pen in streamlined shape, altering the landscape of pendom forever, poses great challenge to collecting in completist fashion. Hundreds of catalogued and off-catalogue pens can be found.  But, the series offers more digestible subsets.

 

Below is the bulk of my personal collection of Balance done in Roseglow Celluloid. I've picked up a couple scarce variants since then. I'll add image if/when I can of the new stuff.

 

Roseglow is a desirable and relatively scarce color. It was shown in oversized just a couple years, though some of the small pens remained in catalogue longer.

 

This bunch has catalogue-correct USA-made pens , off-catalogue (cap-band styles generally) and Canadian variants. I would venture the guess that not many other  Roseglow collections  out there offer this degree of diversity and completeness. Even this hoard of course does not mark a complete collection.

 

sheaffer_roseglowtrayA1500sharp.jpg

 

 

regards

 

David


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Email: isaacson@frontiernet.net

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#3 Procyon

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Posted 29 December 2013 - 09:42 PM

OK,  I will play.    Here is my mini-collection of  Wahl-Eversharp Oversize Deco Band pens and pencils.  I am still missing a few pencils.  The star of the collection is the Black chased set in the middle.  These are quite rare.  Also the blue pen is really mint condition. These are some of my favorite pens, and I use some of them in daily writing.

 

gallery_6983_116_30005.jpg

 

Just realized this picture is sort of old.  I have added several matching pencils since this was taken.  Maybe I will take another shot later.


Edited by Procyon, 29 December 2013 - 10:43 PM.


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Allan


#4 Christof Z

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Posted 29 December 2013 - 09:51 PM

...hard to compete.
have to think about the "complete" term.
will need some hours/days...

Christof

#5 david i

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Posted 29 December 2013 - 09:56 PM

Don't worry too much about "complete".  It is the pursuit that makes this interesting, not having every last pen.

 

regards

 

david


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#6 AZuniga

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Posted 29 December 2013 - 09:58 PM

In any event this is a great idea for a thread...



#7 david i

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Posted 29 December 2013 - 10:21 PM

Parker Vacumatic Azure Blue with Jeweler's (a factory original) special cap-band. Complete.

 

parkervacumatic_jewelers_bluespread1000a

 

regards

 

david


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#8 Procyon

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Posted 29 December 2013 - 10:33 PM

Sweeeet!   Luv me some blue Vacs! :)



Schrödinger's cat walks into a bar.  And doesn't.

 

 

Regards,
Allan


#9 Idazle

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Posted 29 December 2013 - 10:38 PM

Wonderful mini collection of the arguably most sought-after Vacumatic pens --> azure + jeweler's band.

 

The two on the right are a long Major and a Senior Maxima, aren't they? and the one on the left a debutante, I guess.



#10 david i

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Posted 29 December 2013 - 10:42 PM

Wonderful mini collection of the arguably most sought-after Vacumatic pens --> azure + jeweler's band.

 

The two on the right are a long Major and a Senior Maxima, aren't they? and the one on the left a debutante, I guess.

 

Yep.

 

Although model names get a but fuzzy, as we don't know with certainty that Parker did not have special names. We are learning (see my article in PENnant at least0 that Sheaffer gave special names to pens with special cap-bands.

 

The 2nd size (2nd from left) pen by size and by some features is a period correct Junior. Tends to have black not matching cap. Tends to have monotone not two tone nib in junior shape (slightly different from Major shape) . Is size of Junior at the time, a smidge shorter than Major (later pens would be same size), but it has a blue diamond clip, unlike Junior.

 

regards

 

david


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Email: isaacson@frontiernet.net

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#11 piscov

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Posted 29 December 2013 - 11:38 PM

Montblanc Striated Mini collection

 

IMG_0686.JPG

 

IMG_0683.JPG


Best regards
Vasco

simbolo-e-nomesmall2_zps47c0db08.jpg

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#12 Procyon

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Posted 30 December 2013 - 12:14 AM

Waterman Silver Overlays

 

gallery_6983_116_31326.jpg

 

The three pens on the left are fine silver in what is often called an art nouveau pattern.  The clip on the third pen is sterling silver.  One of them has a star nib.  The rest are the early filigree pattern, usually called "trefoil", but usually listed in catalogs simply as "filigree".

 

 

 

gallery_6983_116_121640.jpg

 

L to R:  Gothic pattern (3 pens), Sheraton pattern (2 pens), Pansy Panel (pencil and 2 pens)

 

 

 

 

gallery_6983_116_69893.jpg

 

L to R:  Hand-Engraved Vine (4 pens), RHR filigrees (3 pens), set usually called Night and Day by collectors, but Waterman called it simply Moderne.

 

 

 

 

gallery_6983_116_148366.jpg

 

The ten items on the left are in the later filigree pattern, now referred to as "basket weave".  The pen on the right is a 494 in the "Bay Leaf" pattern.



Schrödinger's cat walks into a bar.  And doesn't.

 

 

Regards,
Allan


#13 matt

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Posted 30 December 2013 - 12:40 AM

Duofold Sr; all 3 colors and all 3 trim combinations.

 

gallery_151_19_14877.jpg



#14 penmanila

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Posted 30 December 2013 - 01:37 AM

i could take a better shot, but here's a quick pic of my big duofolds, old and new (and the very sharp-eyed will note an anomaly in one of the earlier duofolds--and it's not the extra-wide band on the early big red, but it does have to do with cap bands):

 

9461223955_cfa2cf5d40_c.jpg


Edited by penmanila, 30 December 2013 - 01:58 AM.

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#15 soot

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Posted 30 December 2013 - 01:46 AM

This is one awesome thread! Sorry, I don't have anything to contribute here.

 

Contribution here >>>> http://fountainpenbo...ge-2#entry31345


Edited by soot, 30 December 2013 - 09:28 PM.


#16 piscov

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Posted 30 December 2013 - 01:53 AM

Montblanc Meisterstuck 14X series all sizes in black celluloid from the 50´s 

 

From left to right - 149, 146. 144, 142

 

 

 

IMG_0615.JPG

 

IMG_0616.JPG


Edited by piscov, 02 January 2014 - 10:24 AM.

Best regards
Vasco

simbolo-e-nomesmall2_zps47c0db08.jpg

Check out "Pena Lusa by Piscov". Pens added on a regular basis!

Link for Vintage Montblanc pens here

Link for Vintage Pelikan pens here


#17 penmanila

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Posted 30 December 2013 - 02:48 AM

it's as mini as a mini-collection gets, but here are three pretty lacquered sonnets (one was a rollerball i converted to an FP):

 

8898273182_a5a7fc63fa_c.jpg


Check out my pens here and my blog here.

#18 matt

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Posted 30 December 2013 - 02:59 AM

i could take a better shot, but here's a quick pic of my big duofolds, old and new (and the very sharp-eyed will note an anomaly in one of the earlier duofolds--and it's not the extra-wide band on the early big red, but it does have to do with cap bands):
 
9461223955_cfa2cf5d40_c.jpg


The two with triple cap bands? One has very closely spaced bands, much like Canadian Vacumatic Standards.

#19 penmanila

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Posted 30 December 2013 - 04:17 AM

indeed--and not just closely spaced, but thin-fat-thin, a configuration i thought you could find only on the later streamlined model (this is the older, square-topped moderne):

 

8670612886_ea82dba738_c.jpg

 

i started a thread on this a while back here:

 

http://fountainpenbo...l=thin-fat-thin

 

sorry for the digression--back to mini-collections! ;)

 

 

 

The two with triple cap bands? One has very closely spaced bands, much like Canadian Vacumatic Standards.

 


Check out my pens here and my blog here.

#20 Rick Krantz

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Posted 30 December 2013 - 06:28 AM

I have the sickness....

 

I base a lot of my collecting on sub sets, mini collections, etc... I like certain pens, and a lot of it falls into the groupings.

 

I don;t chase hard on some of these, but if at a show, and can't find something I like, I have a few non-Chilton categories to fill....

 

Here's a few examples...

 

Sheaffer Lifetime and Self filling 8 sized pens, pre white dot...... yeah, I am weird, specifically, BCHR, or smooth, whatever, but needs to be an 8 size, no white dots... Kinda hard to find. I got three nice examples.

 

sheafferlifetimes.jpg

 

 

How about a few pretty esterbrook pastels?

 

pastels.jpg

 

 

Streamlined Duofold seniors?

 

seniorstreamlineduofolds.jpg

 

Three banded senior sized (not oversized) lock down vacumatics (prime clarity and condition only)

 

3bandvacs.jpg

 

 

Vacumatic lockdown juniors... (same deal, prime clarity, and condition)

 

vacjuniorslockdown.jpg

 

Double jewels vacumatic fill 51's (I save them when they are real nice)

 

DJ51s.jpg

 

 

And of course Leather covered Chiltons....

 

leatherchiltons.jpg

 

and lever fill private branded Chiltons....

 

priatebrand.jpg






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