Pilot Capless (Vanishing Point) 18K Gold Nib

Pilot Capless (Vanishing Point) 18K Gold Nib

Here is the most innovative pen design by the Japanese pen company Pilot (A.K.A. Namiki). In the early 60s Pilot came up with a fountain pen that did not require a cap. You could click the end and the gold nib would emerge from a tiny trap door. Perfect for meetings and lectures because the nib stays sealed and the ink stays fresh during those long intervals between notes.

This pen was called the "Capless" and continues to be a very popular pen today, having undergone many changes in its 40 year evolution. Outside of Japan the Pilot Capless pens are called Namiki "Vanishing Point" pens.

This particular pen is new old stock, and has its original price tag and nib size sticker. It is still factory sealed in its original vinyl sleeve, and has not been touched by human hands (not even my human hands) since it left the plant. So it is guaranteed to be in absolute mint condition. Of course, the sleeve detracts from the beauty of this gorgeous pen (not to mention the difficulty of trying to write with a pen still sealed in its sleeve) and I expect the first thing you will want to do is liberate your pen.

These pens give you the benefits of a fountain with the convenience of a clicking ball point pen. You get that gratifying ink flow with no need to apply pressure (perfect for those who find the stress of bearing down very painful due to physical conditions) and if you use an ink converter, you can have the freedom to choose of any brand or color of fountain pen ink you like. Since there is no cap to unscrew, you can take the pen out of your pocket with one hand, click with your thumb, and start writing in an instant. Especially convenient if you are holding your notebook or clip board in the other hand.

With one of these Pilot Capless pens, you will find yourself using a fountain pen more and more in situations that used to belong exclusively to the ballpoint pen.

This is the fat version of the Capless pen which was introduced in 1999. This model has been called the best fountain pen on the market.

This Capless pen is blue with gold trim. The body is made of tough metal which is protected by a tough lacqered enamel coating. It is a fairly heavy pen, around 30 grams. The pen does feel great in the hand, and even those who usually write with the index finger on top of the pen will get accustomed to the clip being there after using this pen regularly for a while. It's so convenient, it's worth the effort!

over 30 stroke kanji

Here is a secret which makes these pens so immensly popular. Since the nib unit is removable, you can easily use different nibs in the same pen. If you buy sets of nib units coupled with ink converters, you can have a variety of nib sizes and custom ink colors ready to swap out in a matter of seconds. The big secret is that these nib unit/converter sets can be bought online very cheaply. There are several internet vendors out there who offer these.

Length with nib retracted: 5 3/8 inches (13.2 centimeters)

This pen takes standard Pilot / Namiki ink cartridges or an ink converter for those who prefer bottled ink. I will include an ink cartridge with this pen.

Optional Ink converter
I can include a Pilot / Namiki standard squeeze type converter (CON-20) for an additional charge. Just add $4.00 to your Paypal payment in the "Seller Discounts (-) or Charges (+)" area, and include a note to remind me what the extra money is for. If you want to find a vendor who sells ink or converters, click on the "ME" icon near my name to begin your search.

After this pen, I have one Capless pen left, and I may just keep it for myself.

Don't forget to take a look at my new listings!
As this auction closes, a new one begins. I will give multiple shipping discounts for pens bought during separate weeks but sent together by EMS (the second and third pens ship for free this way). So be sure to check my newest listings for the upcoming week before you log out!

Beware! Some bidders have received bogus second chance offers or alternate payment instructions with a different payee address! If you have any doubt about a message that claims to have come from me, just contact me directly through ebay. Please forward any bogus messages to spoof@ebay.com to help fight this problem.

The ebay shipping calculator does not always give correct rates for items sent from Japan, and my multiple shipping discounts are also not shown. Please use the shipping costs indicated in the chart below if it differs from what ebay tells you. There is no need to contact me about shipping costs, the information is all here in the chart.

EMS (Express Mail Service) Asia N. America Australasia Europe Middle East S. America Africa 1 - 3 items $11.00 $14.00 $17.00 $20.00 4 - 6 items $14.00 $17.00 $20.00 $22.00 This will be designated as Standard Flat Rate Shipping on your invoice. EMS is handled as high priority mail, includes tracking number, is insured, and usually takes less than a week from Japan, depending on your location (please don't hold me responsible for delays caused by customs inspectors in your country). Remember this package will have to travel around the globe to reach you, and that reality is reflected in the shipping fee. If you think this shipping price is too high, then please choose the cheaper standard air mail option. Some buyers have opted for EMS shipping and then have left me a poor star rating for shipping and handling fees when they had a cheaper option. This is a mystery to me. Multiple Item Shipping Discounts: Your ebay generated invoice may not show the multiple item shipping discount. In that case, just type in the correct shipping amount on your Paypal payment before paying. If you want to combine items won during different weeks for the multiple item shipping discount, please contact me as soon as possible. If you simply withhold payment, I'll have to assume it is an unpaid item.

Payment methods:

I accept Paypal payments. If you have any questions, please contact me before you bid.

Returns:

No returns unless I misrepresented the item. If I have found any flaws in the item, I will mention them in the description (so please read the description).

International buyers please note:

Import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. These charges are normally collected by the delivering freight (shipping) company or when you pick the item up - do not confuse them for additional shipping charges.

Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding/buying.

Shipping timing:

My work schedule is arranged to favor those who pay for their items quickly. Those who pay within 24 hours of the end of the auction are usually serious about receiving their items quickly, and their items will be sent out within 24 hours of payment. If you wait a few days to pay, I will send the item the next time I have a chance to get to the post office during business hours, which is usually no more than a day's delay unless it's a weekend; the local post office is closed on weekends. Bottom Line: If you want to receive the item quickly, then please pay quickly.

Communication:

I am often away from my computer doing other work. Also, you and I probably live on opposite sides of the globe, so I may be sleeping when you are at your computer. Please understand this if I don't respond to your messages immediately. This goes especially for Sunday (which is probably your Saturday) when I stay away from the computer all day. With every transaction I always send an invoice, a message to acknowledge receipt of payment, and a notification that the item has been sent. I also answer all questions. Sometimes e-mail from me ends up in spam folders, apparently because my domain is "dot CC" and not "dot COM". Please check your spam folder if you haven't received a reply.

Mistakes and feedback:

We all make mistakes. If you discover a problem with your order, please contact me, and let's work it out. No seller wants to first hear about a problem by reading a feedback comment. And there is no need for threats or rude language. Most of my buyers are great people who come back again and again, but I have also had buyers who were unreasonable and vindictive who didn't understand fountain pens, and thought there was a problem with the pen when there was no problem at all. But some buyers would rather give negative feedback than work it out with the seller, so some unwarranted negative feedback is unavoidable. They are like battle scars. Every scar has a story. Go ahead and check the feedback comments to discover the story behind the scars.

English spoken here

English is my first language, so you can be assured of smooth communication. People have asked me to help them with problems they had with pens bought from Japanese ebay sellers because they could not communicate. Please have a heart! I am not the customer service department for Japanese rival sellers. Rule of the thumb: If the item description which presumably had the benefit of proofreading and editing is incomprehensible, don't expect things to get any better in direct communication.