These descriptions are very brief and are intended to aid selection of
pens. We will continue to add to this list.
| Sheaffer slim touchdown |
- Average size, suits most sizes of hand
- Lovely Sheaffer "Triumph" conical nib, usually excellent
writers
- Touchdown filler is reliable and convenient
- Easy to maintain and service
|
| Sheaffer "Snorkel" |
- Similar to touchdown
- Filler is more complex and costs more to service
- Great writers
|
| Parker 51 |
- Average size and suits most hands, "demi" model is
slightly smaller and better suited to smaller hands
- Hooded nib
- Tough and reliable
- Great writers
- Plenty of spares still available
|
| Parker aerometric duofolds |
- Open nib
- Strong and well-made
- Traditional appearance and great writers
- Range of models to suit all sizes of hand:
- Slimfold - small, "lady" size
- Demi duofold - short but chunky
- Duofold - Average size
- Junior - longer and slimmer than the duofold, suits most hands
- Senior - larger than average pen
- Senior maxima - a large, chunky pen suited to larger hands
|
| Parker "AF" or "NS" Duofolds |
- Button-filling pens
- Open nibs
- Traditional appearance, especially the "NS" models
- Average size, suiting most hands
- Lovely feel and writing
|
| Mabie Todd "Swan", "Blackbird" and
"Jackdaw" pens |
- Attractive, traditional open nib pens
- Lever fillers or "Swan Leverless" designs
- Average sizes, though there were some bigger leverless pens
- Some flexible nibs
- Strong and well made
|
| Conway Stewart |
- Huge variety of models, mostly with numbered model names.
- Range of sizes
- Majority are lever fillers with open nibs
- Nibs have a characteristic attractive writing style.
- Very attractive finishes in pearlescent marbles, herringbone,
cracked ice and so on
|
| Conway Stewart "Dinkie" |
- Tiny pen which works and writes perfectly
- Very attractive finishes
- Too small for all but the smallest hands
- Open nib, lever filler
- Highly collectable
|
| Parker 45 |
- Average size, suits most people
- Hooded nib
- Very tough and reliable
- Cartridge/converter filler
- Great range of finishes from cheap to expensive
- Very easy to live with, make excellent everyday pens
|
| Sheaffer Imperial |
- Cartridge or touchdown filler depending on age of pen
- Average size
- Triumph or inset nib, both are super writers
- Quality pens
|
| Sheaffer piston-fillers |
- Generally from the 1940s
- Average size
- Difficult to service, so make sure the pen has been serviced before
purchase if you are buying to use
- Some very attractive models
|
| Sheaffer "Tuckaway" |
- Small pen, intended to fit a shirt pocket
- Very attractive
- Super Triumph nibs
- Piston filler variety can be practically impossible to repair or
service
- Touchdown version is a better buy for actually using.
|
| Parker "Flat top" or "Streamlined"
Duofolds |
- 1930s or earlier pens
- Great quality and can be great writers
- Some very attractive finishes
- Range of sizes
- Good examples can be expensive
|
| Parker Vacumatics |
- Vacumatic filler used on a variety of pens including earlier 51s
- Reliable but fiddly and complex filling system
- Some very attractive finishes
- Original vacumatic nibs are getting scarce, but later Duofold nibs
fit and work well.
- Easy enough to service, but complexity makes it a longer job and
hence more expensive
- Lovely pens!
|
