When You've Done Something Really Dumb...

Yes, I tend to do really dumb things...

When I get in a certain "mood," I have a very bad tendency to go looking for new "toys."  Sadly, my toys tend to be on the more expensive than Toys-R-Us type stuff...

I've been in a certain mood.

So, I now have some new toys on the way...

Montblanc Sir George Solti

Actually, one is already here.

I have been known to have a weak spot for Montblanc pens, particularly those that echo the style of the 1930s and 40s.  This is one of the "Donation Pen" limited edition series that Montblanc produces, dedicated to figures of cultural significance.  While I'm not a particular fan of Solti (he was an excellent conductor, mind you), I loved the design of the pen, and have wanted one for some time.   And, so, the chance eventually arose...

I haven't had a chance to fill or write with this, but it is a magnificent pen.  MB does not make shoddy products.

Now, for the ones that haven't arrived yet...

Vermeil Parker 75

 The Parker 75 holds an oddly sentimental significance to me.  The model was first released in 1964, only a few years before I was born.  It's the closest thing I have to a "birth year" pen.  And it is generally held to be the last of the truly "classic" fountain pens, all the while being a sort of transitional model over to the modern "cartridge/converter" pens of today.

The standard model 75 is a sterling silver pen with an engraved, crosshatch pattern known as ciselé.  They were expensive pens in their day, but designed to be perfect day-to-day working writers.  The early, American-made models are highly prized.  I have one that I use quite often, and it is sublime.

This particular pen is in vermeil, which is gold over sterling silver.  It's one of the rarer finishes for the 75 and, yeah, I've always wanted one.  (Look at this ad to get an idea why.)   And, if you wait long enough...

Well, I've waited literally years to run across one, so...



And the oddballs...

S.T. Dupont (Large) Orpheo

I've had a couple S.T. Dupont pens, a mid-size Orpheo and another model, the name of which escapes me.  They're great pens.  I actually took a liking to Dupont's after they released a "James Bond" commemorative model.  Those pen were pretty cool, though I never really wanted one.  (They were designed to only use small international ink cartridges, because they had the gimmick of having a detachable laser pointer built into the barrel.)  I took a liking to the design of the Orpheo, which was Dupont's flagship pen.  (I think they changed the name of the pen, from Orpheo to "Olympeo", though I may be completely wrong on that...)

S.T. Dupont pens are usually VERY expensive, but I found this particular one used, without a box, from one of the more reputable dealers.  (I add that last part, as there has recently been an influx of counterfeit Dupont pens, particularly on eBay.)

Visconti Divine Proportion Ballpoint

This one is the odd pen out, as it's (yes) a ballpoint.  However, this is sort of the pen case of "beggars can't be choosers..."

A few years back, the Italian pen company Visconti put out a limited-edition pen called the "Divina Proporzione", or "Divine Proportion" pen.  The pen was supposed to be made according to the "Golden Ratio" of 1.618.  (Remember, this was after The Da Vinci Code, with its dredging up of every obscure reference possible.)

Here's an article on the Divina Proporzione fountain pen.

Of course, given my love of anything even vaguely arcane, I took a shine to this pen.  But it was a limited edition, and the price was astronomical.  Luckily for me, Visconti decided they liked this pen, too, and began making variations.  The "non-limited edition" versions were simply called the "Divina" models, and I picked up a couple of these at reduced prices.  (One was a custom made version for one of the more prominent dealers in Italian pens, the other a special edition version which Visconti made for the 2009 G8 Summit.)  However...

Again, I played a waiting game, and eventually tripped across this ballpoint version of the pen, with the original box, for sale by the same dealer who was selling the Orpheo pen above.  While I'm not cracked on the ballpoint, it's sort of like the Montegrappa Gea pen I talked about in an earlier article.  This is as close as I'm going to (economically) get to this model pen...

So, I did something dumb.  I ordered a bunch of pens.  I really don't need them.  But I really wanted them.  For a long time, I've wanted them.

Not sure if that justifies the dumbness, but...  Not even sure if it cures the "mood" or not...

I have new toys.  Guess I should go play.......