Sometimes you strike it lucky and I think I did with this Japanese Platinum Ten-Year Pen, for which I didn’t pay a fortune.  When it arrived I had a look at it and I wasn’t sure what it was, so I consulted the very knowledgeable Eric Wilson.  Eric said it could either be an inferior copy of the Onoto plunger-filling system or an eyedropper with a cut-off valve.  Having studied it again, I believe it’s the latter.

Judging by the amount of ink that went everywhere when I tested it, there’s a seal in there that has seen better days.  Still, I kept ink in it long enough to discover that it has a delightfully flexible nib.  Once it’s back in working order, I think this one will join my tiny collection.  I’m greatly taken with it.

The pen’s 13.2cms capped and it feels quite solid though not unduly heavy.  Clearly, Platinum were admirers of the Vacumatic.  The Ten Year Pen emulates the Parker pretty closely.  The clip is a cheeky rip-off, as is the nib and even the shape of the pen.  The manufacturers weren’t content just to copy, though.  Whereas most Parker nibs are quite firm, this nib has a lot of flex.  I haven’t had the nib out to examine it properly but I can’t decide whether it’s gold or gold-plated.   Not that I care.  It’s the performance that matters.  Also, instead of copying the rather finicky Vacumatic filling system they went for a lower maintenance solution that had been long tried and tested in Japan.

Finally, this pen has the shiniest finish I’ve ever seen, and towards the end of the barrel there’s an area where this lacquer has worn off or otherwise been removed.  The edges of the layer can be clearly seen.  Were these pens coated with urushi?