Model: Lady Patricia
Year: 1930's
Nib: EF 14k flexible
Colour: Persian
Appearance & Design
The plastic used in the Lady Patricia has a swirled marble appearance with some translucency. The style is similar to a classic flat top with a simple clip and section that come off as utilitarian to me. The material used is gorgeous and there is a visible depth to it. In addition, there is a black ring detail below the cap band pairs perfectly with the section when the pen is posted.
Construction & Quality
The pen is plastic and relatively light but the parts are well built. It is thick where it should be at its ends and connecting points. Considering the state I found this Lady in initially I am a little concerned about the possibility of it falling from my desk despite how rugged the pen is.
The Lady Patricia is a pocket sized pen and requires a posted cap to reach an appropriate writing instrument size. The plastic feels light and balanced with a diameter that leans towards a slim side of mid sized pens. I find it doesn't work well for longer writing sessions. Someone with a smaller hand may have a better experience.
Nib & Performance
The nib on this gal is flexible and extra fine. My experiences lead me to believe it to be a super flex or wet noodle variety of flex. The line can be changed from needle point to BBB with very little effort. It is ideal for Spencerian script and sketching. It features a heart shaped breather hole that add to the appeal of it. The feed keeps up to the nib and is Waterman spoon type feed. The nib and section is friction fit and not intended to be removed for cleaning or regular maintenance.
The filling system is a lever filler with not a large ink capacity, this is an issue when it comes to flexible writing as a lot of ink is typically dumped in doing so. Cleaning is a challenge with lever fillers in general and it takes a significant amount of time flushing some inks completely with this system. The good thing about them is that they are a simple repair if the sac eventually needs replacing.
Cost & Value
A vintage pen with a great flexible nib is worth 10 times what I paid for this pen. It is not a common pen in that it was produced during a the great depression, a time when people really couldn’t afford them and they weren’t very popular due to it’s higher price point. It is a beautiful pen and if you can find one with a flexible nib you will not be disappointed.
In my humble opinion I feel everyone should experience a vintage pen with a flexible nib at least once in a lifetime, the incredible line variation that is possible when using it with little effort is enjoyable not to mention looks amazing on paper when done with a practiced hand.
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