1960s Celluloid Deep Pearl Brown CENTROPEN Super Flexible F to 3B 14K Nib Fountain Pen & Pencil Set In Leather Pouch Item ID: VAR-089

CENTROPEN

Manufacturer/Model: Centropen/Czechoslovakia
Year of production: Early 1960s
Filling system: FP: Piston filling; MP: 1.18mm leads
Nib: Oversize  14K 585 Solid gold, F Fine size; Fully Flexible nib, writes up to triple broad - 3B 
Material: Celluloid, unique deep pearl brown highly glossy. Gold filled metal parts
Length (pen closed): FP: Oversize and thick pen, 13mm diameter, 158mm posted, 134mm closed. MP: 132mm

Condition and information:
One of the most beautiful Centropen pens. Centropen was one of the best eastern bloc pen companies. They still manufacture pens today, but their legacy is enormous. Today, vintage Centropen pens are considered some of the best in the world. One of the more famous brand names Centropen used was BARCLAY. These two pens here are not marked with the Centropen logo or brand, and this is why its sometimes challenging to date and correctly identify some pens of the Eastern Bloc. Not marking the pens with a brand was sometimes done intentionally in some of the eastern bloc companies so they can share and provide pens to other companies which can later brand or just sell them. This was usually done on the high-end flagship pens which had much smaller customer base, and where the smaller pen makers did not had the technology to make high-end luxury pens. For example these two pens were sold by Toz Penkala from Croatia, but are Centropen pens. On the last 6 photos there's a direct comparison of this pen (the first 3 photos out of the last 6) and a Centropen marked pen model 10012 - 64. The last 3 photos show this pen model but another pen, compared to the same Centropen marked pen. The craftsmanship, the materials, the textures are identical on these two pens, even the patterns are similar. It is worth noting that no two pens are identical in their patterns as they were made from different casts of celluloid, and even if they were made from the same cast, the molting of the same cast has different shapes and patterns on different places in the same mould/cast, so no two pens will be ever identical.

The fountain pen has a standard piston with a blind cap. The most amazing part is the deep pearl brown celluloid body. It is difficult to capture in the photos, but the pens look and feel as they were made from glass rather then celluloid. The pen is very thick, oversize, feels right and solid in the hand. It is heavy, and has a large ink reservoir. The nib simply feels as a paint brush, the tines of the nib split apart as soon as it touches the paper. It is a super smooth F fine size, but it will write anything from EF/F to double broad and even triple broad on the down strokes and the odd side strokes. The nib is amazing writer and smooth on the paper even when the tines come apart. It is also a large nib, almost twice the size of a Pelikan 140 nib. The writing with this nib is remarkable it will produce any thickness line, from thinnest to thickest. The nib is suspended over an ebonite feed with a great and consistent ink flow. Writing with this pen will take some time getting used to, it is not like ordinary fountain pen, the nib is soft and requires gentle and smooth handling and writing. Both pens feature gold filled metal parts. Another special feature is the clear ink window which will change color to whatever color ink is being used. The pen is highly ergonomic, perfect length and thickness, very good grip and feel in the hand. Extremely well build, simply very beautiful and unique pen with amazing writing experience. The pen is accompanied by its original push-button mechanical pencil. The pencil is heavy with solid brass components. Perfectly functional mechanism with precise clicks and lead deployment. The set comes in its original leather pouch. Both pens are in absolute mint condition, no signs of use, no scratches or cracks. Truly amazing pens and true piece of history form the fountain pen era.