Product Description
Type early 20th century Japanese fountain pen
Product Name #120 - we see this on the barrel imprint, but it may not have been called that by Pilot.
Manufacturer and Year Pilot, Japan -- c.1937 - the logo on the barrel indicates that it was made before 1938.
Length 5-3/16" long
Filling System Lever filler. We have restored the filling system and it's working well.
Color Black with silver colored trim, we think nickel or chrome-plated.
Nib Fine steel nib. The imprint on the nib reads "BEST IN THE WORLD Pilot (3)". It's semi-flexible, and with light pressure you can easily get line variation from fine to broad. See our writing sample in the photos.
Condition Excellent condition with no cracks. The cap and barrel have light to moderate handwear and scratching. The cap looks good, with no deep scratches, just a lot of surface "texture" - it's not silky-smooth, but it's also not mangled or pebbly. The clip has plating wear along the sides, as well as some dots of pitting around the open end. The cap ring has scratching and some pitting. The section looks good. The barrel has some longer and heavier scratches; a notable one is just below the imprint and is about 1/2" long. The imprints are clear.
We found a really informative Reddit post about pre-war Pilot fountain pens here. This also contains links to some catalog photos and wartime posters. This pen (or a very similar one) appears on several of those posters.
