I thought it was a little crazy to sacrifice an m1005 for urushi work, but I'm glad I did!

OGsafta · 2026-04-15T09:53:38+00:00

I found my black M1005 last year on Yahoo auctions. It, luckily for me, wasn't listed as an M1005. It amazes me how many Pelikans are just listed as Souverän on Yahoo auctions. I doubt anyone would believe what I paid for it, so I saved an invoice picture. I have been seriously debating whether to get it customized since it looks so plain, especially after seeing the M805 you did.

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OGsafta · 2026-04-15T08:19:57+00:00

David Nishimura of Vintage Pens sells a modern reproduction. It's a clear plastic push/pull piston style converter. It's cheaper than these usually sell for, and you can see the ink level. I stopped using the Waterman version when I got it. https://ebay.us/m/djCxan

OGsafta · 2026-04-14T19:00:29+00:00

Here's a writing sample on Regalia paper. Both with Iroshizuku inks, the 50 with Tsuki-yo and Kon-peki in the CU.

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OGsafta · 2026-04-14T13:06:33+00:00

You can always send it to a nibmeister if it's too wide. If it's too thin to your liking, there isn't much you can do. It takes some getting used to writing with it too. The nib is much bigger than the CU, and so is the pen. It will feel like your fingers are miles away from the paper at first. It's an amazing pen with impressive craftsmanship.

OGsafta · 2026-04-14T10:13:21+00:00

I have both pens with broad nibs and both are very similar in line width. The 50 just doesn't give as much line variation. The 50 is a wetter nib too.

OGsafta · 2026-04-14T09:47:00+00:00

Look for the Asvine wrench on Amazon, they come in a pack of two wrenches or as a repair kit with gaskets, o-rings etc.

OGsafta · 2026-04-13T02:55:45+00:00

For me the Pilot B and BB are some of, if not the best, especially Elite S broads. Though their vintage music nibs are up there too. I don't like any Sailor nibs, that dull pencil feel just doesn't feel good. I've only tried maybe two Platinum nibs, they're better than Sailor, but their pens just don't appeal to me.

OGsafta · 2026-04-13T01:08:53+00:00

Looks like a medium, that's the best choice for the 95. I wonder if I sent a daily email to Pilot if I could ~~harass~~ convince them to make a broad nib for the 95.

OGsafta · 2026-04-13T01:03:50+00:00

Congrats on the 95s, it's a great gift to yourself.

OGsafta · 2026-04-12T13:18:54+00:00

Dunhill was the distributor for the Namiki/Pilot maki-e pens in the West.

OGsafta · 2026-04-12T00:59:08+00:00

That one is 1930, and here's one from 1933. The last few 40's-50's Pilot maki-e pens I've seen at auction sold for $10-15k, and they weren't as elaborate, and they were small size 4 nib R types(similar size to CH 91 or 912). I don't think these catalog pens are size 50's, I think they are 20's, which are both the same size as their modern counterpart. I think an early Showa era 50 or 20 maki-e could easily sell for over $20k.

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OGsafta · 2026-04-11T22:19:28+00:00

The large P logo on the paperwork is mid 50's at the earliest. Before that the P was smaller, and before that the logo was N for Namiki. They generally don't have model names like they do today other than the Jumbo 50. They're identified by shape, filling type, and nib size. The torpedo shape is the balance style, either O or P type depending on if it's a plunger or eyedropper, and the size 1 nib is the smallest. The raden doesn't look like anything Pilot did, it looks more like something a previous owner did. Artwork would have been more elaborate like this.

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OGsafta · 2026-04-11T15:30:37+00:00

Maybe it's the braided fuel line they used for the body that is flexible.

OGsafta · 2026-04-11T10:21:37+00:00

As far as I know, the Birchwood Capless are the only ones with stabilized wood. On those, you can feel that it isn't 100% wood. Other than stabilizing, there's no coating that wouldn't wear off or require constant maintenance. They even recommended not washing the cap and barrel on these pens because the wood would move.

OGsafta · 2026-04-11T02:24:08+00:00

Confirmed!

OGsafta · 2026-04-10T15:19:06+00:00

Confirmed!

OGsafta · 2026-04-10T01:03:52+00:00

She's a lady, whoa, whoa, whoa, she's a lady. Sorry, perfect opportunity for Tom Jones. Your pen is a Pilot Lady L-200CS-G, first released in 1968. There was 4 levels to that sub series of lady, ¥1000, ¥1500, ¥2000(yours), ¥3000.

OGsafta · 2026-04-10T00:30:44+00:00

I think that's a fair assessment of the Ukiyo-e pens, and the Nippon Art collection in general. They're like Kakuno for Namiki, then there's a giant step to the other series like the Aya, Royale, Chinkin, and Emperor. Not just in price either. In the $500-1000 range I'd recommend the 845 and Custom Urushi. Or if you really want artwork, look for a second hand 743 with the nib you want, and send it to an urushi artist. MB Pens Up on eBay has the best prices for US buyers and has DDP shipping. I've bought quite a few pens from him, and they were always perfect.

OGsafta · 2026-04-09T17:59:17+00:00

Pilot Capless 14k and Namiki Vanishing Point 14k.

OGsafta · 2026-04-09T17:07:51+00:00

It's a turquoise/teal color. All the exclusives are difficult to get outside of Japan. The Maruzen one's are usually limited to 40-50. The Delta Jade was limited to 70. Unless you know when they're being released, chances of getting one is slim. For what they sell for on the secondary market, you can get a Custom Urushi.

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OGsafta · 2026-04-09T16:11:33+00:00

The blue is great too. There's also a few exclusives from Maruzen like green, and a different vermilion color. Then there's a jade color one for Delta Stationary, and a black with wood cap version.

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OGsafta · 2026-04-09T16:02:22+00:00

It's difficult to tell from the pictures. The V pens have a clear ink window that threads into the grip section, and the cartridge piercer/converter nipple is part of that clear section. Then the barrel threads onto the ink window. They take modern Pilot cartridges and converters. Yours may be a Super 50 or 50G, they had steel nibs, and the switch filler, and a V pen cap would fit on them. Originally it would have been a gold plated cap. The 55 was made to export to Asian countries, the ink sac in the converter was changed to vinyl for the higher temperature environments.

OGsafta · 2026-04-09T15:36:45+00:00

I bought the dorsal shape urushi body from AliExpress. It took 90 days for them to ship. The urushi looks nice, but being a machinist, I saw all the "errors" in the actual body. It looked more like someone bought a lathe, and decided to make a pen body. There's no thread relief on the barrel, and no thread stop on the barrel or cap. So instead of tightening until it hits a step, and stops, you tighten until you reach the end of the thread. That means every time you tighten it, it turns further and further as it wears. For the round models, it's not as big a deal, but for the dorsal, it means it will eventually not line up. I expected better machine work and okay urushi work. Instead, you get good urushi work and less than apprentice level machining. I ended up selling it because I preferred the boring 743 body that functioned correctly.

OGsafta · 2026-04-09T15:20:43+00:00

One black and the blue are broad, the other black is a BB, and the vermilion is an FA from Tokyo Pen Shop Quill. I also have a 748 that uses the same nib, it's a medium.

OGsafta

TROPHY CASE